Thursday, December 23, 2010

Qatar Divison: Midseason Update / Betting Odds

We've just passed the midseason fixtures flip and this season in the Qatar Division is shaping up to be, by far, the most competitive in the history of the /sp/ League's top tier. With tie games dominating the landscape, overall point totals are relatively low and no one is mathematically out of the running just yet. Despite the relative parity, though, some teams are managing to separate themselves from the massive clusterfuck and look to be gaining momentum for the second half of the season. Meanwhile, the fight to escape relegation is looking like it's gonna' be a brutal no-holds-barred slugfest. Here's how things are shaping up, along with the the Gazzetta's odds for who has the best shot to take the title and who looks like they are destined for the drop...


The Title Contenders

Oranje (1st place, 16pts, +13 GD, odds for title - 3:1)

This team is starting to look like the real deal. Veterans Carlo Guarneri and Margrott Sidwell are teaming up with young studs Mark van Bommel and Ingi Sigfurson to absolutely devastating effect. Oranje doesn't just have the most points, they lead the division in goals scored and goal differential, too. Four of the top seven players on the points scored table are on Oranje; how's that for a dominant statistic? At this point, the team that won /sp/ League's first ever championship is in great shape to snag a second title.


Mild-Mannered Men (2nd place, 14pts, +6 GD, odds for title - 4:1)

As the only other undefeated team in Qatar, MMM is once again proving to be a legit title contender. All-time leading goal scorer Nikolai Nesmachny is once again having a stellar season with his [tied for] league-leading 6 goals and has been getting excellent service from midfielders Amado Villas, Joromir Adler, and Bernardo Ariza. Back-to-back wins against Oh The Lulz have helped this team find their form and it's looking like they've escaped their early-season sluggishness with a pair of convincing victories. When it comes time to pick a favorite to win it all, don't count these guys out.


Trollchester United (3rd place, 13pts, +11GD, odds for the title - 6:1)

The defending champs are still in the chase, but at times, things have looked a bit shaky. Fortunately for United, Dennis Gianasia is back to his outstanding form of a couple seasons ago and he's once again leading the league in scoring. An old and creaky roster is being boosted by the energy of younger players such as GK Benjamin Clark, M Rax Grissman, and F Joran van der Sloot, but how long can these young guns keep propping up the old vets? Right now, Trollchester has to be way more consistent in getting victories than they've shown in the first half of the season. If they can manage to string together wins instead of ties, then an unprecedented third title will be theirs.


On the Fence

Strong Island (4th place, 11pts, -5GD, odds for the title - 12:1)

What the fuck happenned to these guys? A couple weeks ago, it looked like they could win it all. Now, after back-to-back defeats at the hands of Bzzz AFC, they're in a free fall. If Strong Island is going to get themselves back into the thick of things, they have GOT to start scoring goals. Otherwise, they're going to be destined for a relegation battle. Star forward Kieran Clare needs to break out of his slump ASAP if the Guidos are going to have a chance. In the meantime, half a season of scraping out close results finally seems to have caught up with them.


Battle at the Bottom: The Fight to Avoid Relegation

Bzzz AFC (5th place, 9pts, -1GD, odds to be relegated - 3:1)

Thanks to Strong Island, this team is out of the cellar and into the safety zone for now. Can they actually string some results together and manage to stay in Qatar? That's yet to be determined. What's interesting, though, is that on the list of the Top 10 players with the most x11 selections this season, 5 of them play for Bzzz. Clearly, the team has some guys who are playing on a high level, they just need a few more people to step up. With a boost in form from winning their last two games, just maybe, that could be enough to get them over the hump.


Aussie Basements FC (6th place, 8pts, -7GD, odds to be relegated - 4:1

Aside from the stellar play of goalkeeper Thomas Fischer, not much has gone well on the pitch for the Bogans. The team has yet to really gel and play it's best this season. Despite their poor form, manager Joselol just might have a few tricks up his sleeves to keep his side out of relegation.


Oh the Lulz (7th place, 6pts, -6GD, odds to be relegated - 3:2)

This side has done little since their opening game win against Aussie Basements. A win in their upcoming match can pull them off the floor, but with Bzzz AFC in great form and all OtL's momentum headed downward, another loss seems to be in the cards. At this point, relegation looks highly likely.


DOUK City FC (8th place, 5pts, -11GD, odds to be relegated - 2:5)

What is there really to say about this one? As long as manager IggyStar remains AWOL, this team doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell at staying up in a highly competitive Qatar Divison.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Division I Update/Power Rankings

In honor of FIFA's recent decision to award the 2022 World Cup to some shithole desert country the size of Connecticut that has expected gametime temperatures of 105 degrees and NO GODDAMN INFRASTRUCTURE, it seems that Division I has been renamed the Qatar Division instead of BZZZZZZ, which is now assigned to Cruceh's branch of Division II, allowing him to imagine that he never got relegated. Whatever. We have better things to focus our attention on, like the MASSIVE CLUSTERFUCK at the top of /sp/ League three games into the season. Except for Bzzz AFC, which has lost every game it has played so far, each team in Qatar Division has only one win, with just one point separating 1st from 7th place in the standings. Let's see if we can shed some light on who, at this point, really is the strongest. Remember, these are not the standings, they are POWER RANKINGS, a subjective asessment of what teams are stronger. Just because the 1st place team isn't ranked #1 is no reason to bitch and moan and get all butthurt. That being said, here we go...

QATAR DIVISION POWER RANKINGS
  1. Mild-Mannered Men - At this point, even though they sit at second place in the standings, Stroyent's squad has got to be considered the favorites until proven otherwise. Their starting eleven is a formidable group of veterans and the manager has what it takes to win it all, because he's done it before. Until they lose a game, there's only one place for MMM to sit, and that's the top.

  2. Strong Island - With a win in their previous match against two-time defending champ Trollchester United, the Guidos are proving that they will be a force to be reckoned with. With ties against MMM and Aussie Basements FC, Strong Island has gone up against three solid teams led by three of the most distinguished managers in /sp/ League and not lost a single game. Strong Island is in it to win it.

  3. Trollchester United - Despite a bit of a hiccup in their narrow loss to Strong Island in the last match, United has proven that they have what it takes to be a dominant team, notably in their 4-0 pounding of an Oh The Lulz side that had simliarly destroyed Aussie Basements the week before. Speaking of proving themselves, Trollchester has done all that and more with their two titles and unmatched five seasons in Division I. D1V3GRA55 has shown himself to be a winner year in and year out, never finishing below 3rd place in any season. On top of that, his team is so fucking old, that this is probably his last shot at glory before a third of the squad retires. Never count out a championship team that's making it's last stand.

  4. Oranje - Yes, this team is still in first place, but they still have a bit to prove before they can be considered worthy of a Top 3 ranking. Their victory came against a Bzzz AFC team that everyone seems to be beating up on this season, so what does that prove? Having had one tie against Trollchester, their other draw is against Oh The Lulz, a team that Troll United beat in dominating fashion. Advantage, Trollchester. Oranje will have to settle for 4th for now, with a great chance to prove their worth in their next match against Mild-Mannered Men.

  5. Aussie Basements FC - After an embarrasing loss to Oh The Lulz made for a disastrous start to the season, the Bogans have steadily improved and re-established themselves as a solid team. Yesterday's shoutout win over DOUK City FC showed that, just maybe, the opening match was an anomaly. Manager Joselol has distingushed himself with titles at the lower divisions and regular selections to the Xpert Eleven team. With momentum in their favor and a strong managerial pedigree, the Aussies are poised to be a contender.

  6. DOUK City FC - Despite the same record as Aussie Basements, City's form seems to be heading in the wrong direction. With the Aussies getting the nod due to their head to head victory over DOUK, City is going to have to shake themselves out of a streak that saw them win their first game, but then tie, and then lose. With their next game away at Trollchester, things might get worse for IggyStar before they get better.

  7. Oh The Lulz - Consistency is the key for this team to improve its ranking. Good teams just don't win easily one week, and then get blown out the next. A tie against Oranje was a good start at finding some stability, but to earn some respect in a tough division, Oh The Lulz will really need to establish a good run of form before anyone can expect them to be for real.

  8. Bzzz AFC - The only team not to get a single point from the first three matches, is Bzzz AFC this season's >Dynosty? Right now, it looks like this side will be nothing more than cannon fodder. How long before Lazy_Student ragequits? Two weeks? Three weeks? Tomorrow?



Qatar Divison Standings

1. Oranje (5p, +4GD)
2. Mild-Mannered Men (5p, +1GD)
3. Strong Island (5p, +1GD)
4. Trollchester United (4p, +3GD)
5. Oh The Lulz (4p, 0GD)
6. DOUK City FC (4p, 0GD)
7. Aussie Basements FC (4p, -3GD)
8. Bzzz AFC (0p, -6GD)

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

BZZZ Season 5 Preview/ Power Rankings

Aussie Basements FC - This team is currently on a high, finishing in second place in the division last season. The Basements will look to continue their success this year in an attempt to build on the triumphs of last season. Joselol's full 20 player squad shows a good degree of balance, both between FW/MF/D and from old to young. The key to this team's season will be whether the older defenders can prop-up the burgeoning youth movement in the squad.

BZZZ AFC - The Vuvus will look to continue their run of success from last year, after finishing 4th in the division. Their squad has tremendous depth and strength in midfield, with six midfielders in the team of 7 skill or higher. One potential weakness for this team is the defense, which is a bit light and lacks any rising youth players. Expect many teams to try to avert this strong midfield this season, as this part of the squad will be integral to any success BZZZ has.

DOUK City FC- This team will also look to extend its run in the top flight this season, coming off of a 5th place finish last year. This team has great depth in defense and a strong midfield, with no players below 7 skill. However, depth in midfield could be a problem as the season wears on. In order to have any success this season, DOUK will need to keep its midfield healthy.

Mild-Mannered Men- This team, a BZZZ veteran of every season but the first, will look to build on its third place finish last season, after a relegation scare the year before. Stroyent, for the most part, is still using the same group of players he won the title with a few seasons ago. They have become more skilled over time, but they are beginning to age. This could end up being a long-term problem for MMM, but for now, continued success could be expected.

Oh The Lulz- This season, OTL, under the direction of Uptempo, will make its debut in BZZZ after a come-from-behind title capture in >shaw. One potential problem for this squad is that much of its offensive capabilities are propped-up by two 9-skill players, Nicolas McCauley and Earl Chillingworth. Keeping these players producing in the face of the tight marks that are to come is integral to OTL's potential successes this season.

Oranje- Returning from BZZZ after a one season hiatus, BFF's team, now under the direction of J2isWIN, will look to make a splash this season in the top division. The team was promoted by finishing second in 18-1 last season. The squad features many of the same cast of characters that we are all used to from the days of Freebags, but with some new faces as well. Youth phenom, Mark van Bommel, will look to make his impression as one of the /sp/ league's biggest future talents this season. For this team, it will be interesting to see if its aging backline can hold together for another season.

Strong Island- Back to BZZZ by the grace of winning 18-1, the Guidos will look to solidify their place in the top flight this season. Anchored by a squad of veterans, such as Matthew Gillett and Kieran Clare, and burgeoned by youth talents, such as Theodor Schramm, Strong Island has the potential to create a stir in BZZZ this year.

Trollchester United- The only team to have been in BZZZ for all five seasons. The only team to repeat. Defending champions. This team has done it all. However, this squad is starting to age severely, with only 5/18 players under the age of 27. If Divegrass wants a three-peat, he's going to have to reconcile his current squad with the needs of the future.


POWER RANKINGS
1. Mild-Mannered Men - good for one last season
2. Aussie Basements FC - well balanced, good potential
3. Strong Island - well balanced
4. DOUK City - Assuming midfield works out
5. Oranje - Assuming old veteran defenders hang on.
6. Trollchester United - old as fuck
7. BZZZ AFC - prepare to be long-balled
8. Oh the Lulz - still developing

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

BZZZZZZZ Division Season 3 Update: Fail Bowl I - Dynasty 0, Zeon 0 ...of course


After five games this season, there are so many great stories we could be leading off with. Defending champ Trollchester United is top of the table again, picking up right where it left off, and leading us to belive that, just maybe, last season's title wasnt a total fluke. Promoted side Aussie Basements FC is surprising nobody with their success; they've been winners at every level and BZZZZZZZ is proving to be no exception to the rule. And of course, the resurgent Mild-Mannered Men deserve mention as well, showing themselves to be in the thick of the title hunt as they prove that last season's struggles were an anomaly. Yes, those are all fantastic stories we could be focusing on right now, but that's not what we're gonna' do. Instead we turn our attention to the bottom dwellers of the division, meeting for the first time this season in what could only be termed an exercise in futility...


Dynasty 0 - 0 Principality of Zeon

That scoreline pretty much sums up their entire season thus far, as these two sides are sitting at the bottom of BZZZZZZZ Division right now and yesterday's match shows exactly why. 90 minutes, 6 yellow cards, NO goals. Not only did both sides have their chances to score, but they also each managed to get a goal called back for a petty foul. Zeon lost out when Afshin Sirkonan's 6th minute header off an Irving Sansom cross was nullified when referee George Buske (S2 H9, naturally) ruled that Sirkonan had gained an illegal advantage with a shirt pull of a Dynasty defender. And in the 62nd minute, Dynasty lost out on a potential game-winner when Rogerio Ramalho was called for a foul as he rose above his defender to head the ball past Zeon keeper Hamid Farimani. Clearly, we have a case of two teams that just can't catch a break.

That Dynasty would find themselves in last place at this point in the season probably isn't much of a surprise. Murikan is notorious for starting out slowly, then finally pulling it together. Last season, he managed to finish near the top of the table. Whether or not he can pull off a similar feat remains to be seen, however.

Zeon, on the other hand, has got to be the most colossal disappointment in the history of /sp/ league. In seasons past, Cruceh has perfected the art of the second place finish, but after 5 games, he sits 7th out of 8, with a meager 2 points, ahead of Dynasty only because of a greater total goals scored. Quite simply, results like this are absolutely unacceptable given Cruceh's history of excellence. Why Zeon can't get the results has been the topic of rampant specualation. His side, on paper, is one of /sp/ League's strongest and Cruceh is highly regraded as a brilliant and astute manager. Could it be that he's lost control of the locker room, and his players just won't play for him to the best of their abilities anymore? If something doesn't change, it's only a matter of time before Cruceh ragequits, leaving Murikan as commisioner and dooming our entire league straight to hell. In the meantime, we can only hope that Zeon manage turn things around, but honestly, it is a BIG FUCKING HOLE they are in right now.

Current BZZZZZZZ Division Standings
1. Trollchester United, 12 pts; 2. Aussie Basements FC, 11 pts; 3. Mild-Mannered Men, 10 pts; 4. DOUK City FC, 7 pts; 5. Bzzz AFC, 7 pts; 6. BRETTFAVRES, 4 pts, 7. Principality of Zeon, 2 pts; 8. Dynasty, 2 pts

Sunday, October 3, 2010



Player Biographies - Afshin Sirkonan

Afshin Sirkonan plays for /sp/ League club Principality of Zeon and for the Iranian national team. Sirkonan has been a junior national team member since 2006, when he debuted for first professional league season and a member of the Iranian national team since 2009.

In his time with Zeon, he has gained fame and fortune. His play tells it all - 3 seasons, 53 games, 19 goals, 24 assists. This 2 time league MVP has had his ups and downs, and is almost always marked by the opposition. However, he has battled and has the most points ever in the history of the league.

His nicknames include – the new Zidane – in reference to the Algerian playmaker whose role he has inherited at Zeon and "Persian Messi" for his remarkable playmaking and ball handling abilities resembling F.C. Barcelona and Argentina star Lionel Messi. In reference to his game, Sirkonan concluded "My technique and feeling for the ball is the Irianian side to my game. The discipline, attitude and always-give-your-all is the Zeon part."

Friday, October 1, 2010

Season 4 preview: BZZZZZZZZZZZ

Hello Managers! Welcome to the fourth season of 4chan Xpert Eleven!

We will be focusing on the BZZZZZZ Division, like last year, because it is the pros, if you want to grace the front page of this coveted blog be better.

1. Aussie Basements FC: This team is scary, mainly because it has won all divisions it has been in, this team is the epitome of balance and will have a great chance of competing for the title.

2. BRETTFAVRES: I don't expect much of this team, mainly because it is named after Brett Favre, expect a 3 interception game with a QB rating of 37.1 against PoZ

3. Bzzzz FC: Another team that is new to the division, but I don't expect much of this team. They do have a decent team player wise, but I am not convinced in the manager's skills. However, you should be wary to take this team softly. Making strides every year, but always seeming to fall short, they might be able to pull it all together and win it all.

4. PICK TO WIN IT DOUK City FC: If you don't bet on DOUK you are an idiot, he has dominated everywhere, his team is scary good, his managing is genius, no team from the past seasons will give him a run for his money, even though there are only two veterans of the original ten of the division, their teams will not be able to handle DOUK City FC.

5. Dynasty: One of the original ten from the start of the league, I picked this team to finish last in the division last year, but he surged through and competed until the end, where he decided to play his youth like a pansy. His highly touted star player Dakota Gorski is getting up there in the years, and will not be able to play for much longer. Without his Midfield, this team has a weak attack, average defense, and an even more average Goalkeeper. Murikan is quite possibly the smartest manager in the league, but stupidest talent agent, watch out for this team.

6. Mild-Mannered Men: Stroyent did the impossible last year, he led his team that was seriously lacking in power after a championship season and rallied them to barely squeeze out a 4th place finish, keeping him out of regulation. It is a story that you'd think Disney would film, but it is just Mild-Mannered Men. I am convinced this strength will carry over to this season, and he will start incredibly strong, I also think that he will fight to the end with DOUK City FC. Or he can be absolute shit again, it's his choice.

7.Principality of Zeon: Another team that ALWAYS seems to finish in second place, that will change this year, I'm sure of it. Cruceh is a pretty good manager, with a balance of tactic smarts and talent smarts, and his team can be seen as proof. His team is getting up there as well, and will not be able to compete for much longer unless he can hold onto his money, which he can never do. It is now or never for Zeon.

8. Trollchester United: The other original two teams that is still in the top division, Trollchester United defied all odds and finished in 1st place, but I believe that to be a fluke. Trollchester is an incredibly talented team with an incredibly talented manager, but will not be able to compete against Mild-Mannered Men and the always strong DOUK City FC. However, like Dynasty, I have been surprised before, and I don't know what to make of this team so far.

POWER RANKINGS

1. DOUK City FC.
2. Mild-Mannered Men
3. Trollchester United
4. Principality of Zeon
5. Aussie Basements FC
6. Bzzzz FC
7. Dynasty
8. BRETTFAVRES

Thursday, September 9, 2010

BZZZZZZZZ Power Rankings Season 3: #5

Some major things have happened since last week, a team full of talented players is now in relegation, now we have Strong Island in the mix for not being relegated. Let's jump straight into this:


Still undefeated, the fight for the title:

1. Trollchester United, 6-3-0:
Well, Trollchester United is still undefeated, who would've saw this coming? I wouldn't hold my breath however, they are going to play an intense final few games against strong teams, but if they hold up the question is if they can hold off the BZZZZZZZZ curse: once you win the championship you get relegated?

2. Principality of Zeon, 5-4-0: Zeon is nipping at Trollchester's ankles, and this will be a very close final few games. Only one game behind Trollchester, they still have a good shot at winning it all, if you count Zeon out you are not very bright.

What the fuck is this shit?

3. Dynasty, 5-2-2: Murikan says that his team is full of young, promising talent and a perfect mix of old and new. As much as I hate Dynasty, this is completely true. He has recently picked up a lot of new pieces to his aging Midfield problem, his Forwards are young and skillful, Defenders are very old however, and his Goalkeeper is coming into his own, and it only took three season, great job not buying a Goalkeeper Murikan.

4. Strong Island, 2-5-2: Strong Island has been able to draw itself out of relegation, while winning one game, they have maybe equal the skill NEST. FC has in their lineup, and coaching is alright, it will be a close battle for this number four spot. It seems the top 3 positions are locked away for good if all three teams continue to play like they are.

5. NEST FC, 2-5-2: Like I said with Strong Island, NEST. FC will have trouble breaking into the top 4 if he continues to play like this. Draws aren't wins, and he needs to get that into his head before he can contend. He will have a lot on his plate before the season is over, you can count on that being true.

Shit tier teams, fallen powerhouses, etc,

6. UMAD FC, 2-3-4:
This might come as a shock to A LOT of people, but UMAD FC actually won a game recently! Hey HugoReyes, if you win two in a row, it's called a winning streak. Maybe if you put one and one together you can get out of relegation, or you can continue to flounder like an idiot against teams that are worse than their ranking suggests.

7. Mild-Mannered Men, 1-3-5: Really? Only one win Stroyent? Is that really the best you can do, I mean REALLY? You have so much talent, please tell me why you can't win a game. You let teams stomp all over you daily. You are still in this race Stroyent, please join UMAD FC in the fight for the final relegation spot, or maybe make Dynasty lose all of his final games so both of you can not be relegated and the balance of the world will return.

Why is he still in this league?

8. FreeBags FC, 0-1-8: WHY.JPG