2011 Prediction League; Game 9 Crewe Alexandra (home)

Div3North · 15-09-2011, 00:00

Accrington Stanley

V

Crewe Alexandra

2011 Prediction League – Game 9; v Crewe Alex (home)

Well, it’s certainly one way to balance the books; let a load of your squad go, and sign up a group of lads from your Academy, and see what happens

.

Seven released, including defender Danny Blanchett (24) and striker Calvin Zola-Makongo (26) who both signed for Burton Albion (well, it probably saves you moving house!

); Mat Mitchel-King (28 and an ex-model, including having been, when he played for Histon between 2005 and 2009, Rio Ferdinand’s body double

(part time) for Nike adverts) who joined AFC Wimbledon; Polish goalkeeper Bartek Fogler; and the very unlucky

Patrick Ada (26), a Cameroon-born defender who signed for Kilmarnock on 21st June, made his debut on 24th July, and was released on a free on 30th August "to reduce the wage bill". They offered new contracts to Byron Moore, Adam Dugdale and Harry Davis (who accepted), and to League 2’s leading goalscorer last season Clayton Donaldson – ex Hull, York and Hibs, who hit 29 in 48 last year and 47 in 117 during his time at Gresty Road – who didn’t, moving on to League One Brentford. Also out went 23 year-old striker Joel Grant, signed from Aldershot for £130,000 in 2008, who left on a free to rejoin his former manager Gary Waddock, now at Wycombe.

In – if you don’t count the Academy signings Ben Garratt (Gk), defender George Ray, midfielder Nick Powell (who’s already been sent off this season), and striker Max Clayton and winger Brendan Daniels – came just one; goalkeeper Alan Martin , released by Leeds, who had loan spells at Ayr Utd and Barrow

last season, and has played only about 7 league games in all; can’t remember where that was

…………….He appears to be number two keeper to Steve Phillips, and still awaits his debut ....

They’ve had a really topsy-turvy start to the season; out of the Carling 3-2 at PNE, they got through the JPT Round One on penalties, 4-2, after a goalless draw with Bury. In the League they started with 4 straight defeats; 3-0 at Swindon, 2-1 at home to both Gillingham and Rotherham, and 2-0 at Shrewsbury. Then they had a run of 3 wins – 1-0 at Plymouth, and 3-1 against both Oxford and Barnet at home, before going down 1-0 to Burton (no, Justin Richards got it, not Calvin Zola!) on Tuesday. P8 W3 D0 L5 F9 A12 for 9 points and 20th place. Their away record isn’t pretty – three defeats, all without scoring, and a single goal win at Home Park; P4 W1 L3 F1 A6.

We hold the bragging rights

(just); wins at home by 5-3 in 09/10 and 3-2 last season (Bobby Grant 2, Michael Symes 2 and Proccie in 09/10, and Charlie Barnett, Ian Craney and Sean McStockportCounty last season), and a 5-1 reverse in 09/10 (Grant again) followed by a goalless draw last year; 2 wins, 1 draw and a thrashing; F9, A10; 19 goals shared in 4 games – that’s some kind of value for money …….

Their problem, as you’d expect, having lost Zola and Donaldson, is goals; 11 in 10 games, involving scoring 3 in a game twice, 2 once, one three times, and not troubling the scorers four times. One each for David Artell, Byron Moore, AJ Leitch-Smith, Adam Dugdale and Luke Murphy; the other 6 scored by Shaun Miller, himself apparently the subject of speculation that he may be a target for a Championship side. Stop him and, on the face of it, you stop them

; three goals away in 5 games (including the Carling game) shouldn’t scare us too much, I’d have thought.

The deadline for entries is, as ever, scheduled kick-off time, which is 3pm on Saturday 17th September. There’ll surely be goals? Maybe goals galore? None of your 1-1s (Lancsdave

) or 1-0 or 2-0 (Wynonie – I’m ashamed of your lack of belief

; what happened to 8-2, and realistic guesses of that sort?) Season’s hotting up, even if my prediction form isn’t

. Get your entries in, Ladies and Gentlemen – you know it makes sense!

Good luck to everyone ………… and thanks for playing!