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A few weeks ago (seems like years) we had 12 rounds left of Season 3. I took a look at the form of the league so far and made some bold projections. I based these on then current form and a club’s strength of schedule for the rest of the way. From the bottom to the top, this is how it all played out.
20. Schalke---Points Then: 25 Points Forecasted: 47 Actual Points: 32
The misery and woe of Schalke’s season continued to the end. I felt like they had a chance to make a mark because of the half of their games were against the bottom of the table. It was not to be. The manager has left, let’s hope the caretaker had stop the bleeding. Performance: On Track
19. Lyon---Points Then: 28 Points Forecasted: 48 Actual Points: 36
Lyon had the stiffest schedule of anyone for the final 12 rounds. It shows. Only 3 points scored at the end. Mike M. has his work cut out for him. Performance: On Track
18. RB Salzburg---Points Then: 31 Points Forecasted: 53 Actual Points: 42
Salzburg never quite figured out. RBS had a lot of tight matches in the last 12 rounds, but they didn’t win many of them. They slipped a place to land here, and Thacker has a lot to learn about the EFL2. Performance: Under Performed
17. Lens---Points Then: 32 Points Forecasted: 55 Actual Points: 43
Most of Lens’s were in the bottom half of the table, and they were expected to stay in lucky thirteen in the table. The bottom fell out. Lens fell all the way to seventeen. It was not a soft landing. Performance: Under Performed.
16: Ajax---Points Then: 27 Points Expected: 50 Actual Points: 46.
Ajax did something none of the the other did: score points in 5 of the last 6. They may not have made the points forecast, but two places in the table are not to be sneezed at. Performance: Exceeded Expectations.
15: PSV---Points Then: 31 Points Forecasted: 54 Actual Points 47
PSV had one of the weaker schedules in the last 12. They didn’t make the most of it, but they also did not fall. Steady as she goes. Performance: On Track
14: Rennes---Points Then: 31 Points Forecasted: 53 Actual Points: 48
Winning four of the last 6, Rennes pushed forward towards the mid-table. Optimism abounds in Brittany. A team to watch this season! Performance: Exceeded Expectations
13: Shaktar Donask---Points Then: 33 Points Forecasted: 55 Actual Points: 48
It looked like it could be so easy. Mostly weaker opponents. A chance to push forward. Not this season. Two wins and two draws in the last 6 could save the day and ended here. Performance: On Track
12: FC Porto---Points Then: 32 Points Forecasted: 55 Actual Points 48
FC Porto had a weaker schedule and took advantage to move up a slot. Prize money is more important than points, right? Performance: Exceeded Expectations
11. Benfica---Points Then: 31 Points Forecasted: 54 Actual Points: 49
Another club that took advantage it’s weaker schedule. Benfica was 14th in the table after round 26. They moved up three slots right into the middle. Performance: Exceeded Expectations
10. Sparta Prague---Points Then: 34 Points Forecasted: 55 Actual Points: 51
Sparta, along with Lyon had the biggest uphill climb to finish the season, They played most of the top of the table all the way and managed nudging up a place. Performance: Exceeded Expectations
9: Villareal---Points Then: 35 Points Forecasted: 56 Actual Points: 53
Villa had a moderately difficult schedule to finish and almost maintained their pace. They did slip a spot at the end, though. Performance: Under Performed
8: Valencia---Points Then: 46 Points Forecasted: 69 Actual Points: 55
Valencia was third in the table and had an easy schedule for the end of the season, What could go wrong? Apparently everything. Air Valencia hit a lot of turbulence and by the time they were past it they had slipped five spots. Performance: Under Performed.
7. Union Berlin---Points Then: 34 Forecasted Points: 55 Actual Points: 56
Berlin took a moderately difficult schedule and smashed out 22 points in 12 round. The finished 7th on the table, points two points away the cup zone. Performance: Exceeded Expectations
6. Real Betis-Points---Then: 35 Points Forecasted: 57 Actual Points: 58
Betis also had a moderately difficult schedule, but finished in a flurry with 13 points in the last six. They be playing extra games next season Performance: Exceeded Expectations
5. Feyenoord---Points Then: 43 Points Forecasted: 66 Actual Points: 58
Feyenoord had an easy schedule for the last 12 rounds, but did not make the most of it. No wins in the last 6 steered them a place down than forecasted. Performance: Under Performed
4. Eintracht Frankfurt—Points Then: 38 points Forecasted Points: 55 Actual Points: 61
Frankfurt went on a tear, scoring 17 points in the the last 12. That performance lifted them to 4th for the season. The look like they are ready to deal the relegated teams from EFL.
Performance: Exceeded Expectation
3. Atalanta—Points Then: 44 points Forecasted Points: 67 Actual Points: 66 Atalanta had weaker opponents in the final 12 rounds. They did their job and finished in their projected third place. Performance: On Track
2. Sevilla—Then: 52 Points Forecasted Points: 74 Actual Points 68
Ah, such a sad tale of missed opportunities. Six points ahead of the pack with 12 rounds left and unable to seal the deal. Hopefully, more hardware will in their future. Performance: Under Performed
1. Fiorentina—Then: 47 points Forecasted Points: 69 Actual Points: 69
Fiorentina was forecasted to get 13 points in the last 12 and hit the mark. Solid peformance plus Sevilla’s struggles equals a championship. Performance: On Track
My forecast had some glaring errors. Remember this statement? “In the end, Sevilla’s lead will be too much for the rest of the field.” Or this one? “Valencia will take care of a slightly weaker schedule and push in the second place.”. Yeah, two big misses there. But I had fun and all try again this season. Cheers!
Words: 1033
Not generated by Chat-GPT or other AI
20. Schalke---Points Then: 25 Points Forecasted: 47 Actual Points: 32
The misery and woe of Schalke’s season continued to the end. I felt like they had a chance to make a mark because of the half of their games were against the bottom of the table. It was not to be. The manager has left, let’s hope the caretaker had stop the bleeding. Performance: On Track
19. Lyon---Points Then: 28 Points Forecasted: 48 Actual Points: 36
Lyon had the stiffest schedule of anyone for the final 12 rounds. It shows. Only 3 points scored at the end. Mike M. has his work cut out for him. Performance: On Track
18. RB Salzburg---Points Then: 31 Points Forecasted: 53 Actual Points: 42
Salzburg never quite figured out. RBS had a lot of tight matches in the last 12 rounds, but they didn’t win many of them. They slipped a place to land here, and Thacker has a lot to learn about the EFL2. Performance: Under Performed
17. Lens---Points Then: 32 Points Forecasted: 55 Actual Points: 43
Most of Lens’s were in the bottom half of the table, and they were expected to stay in lucky thirteen in the table. The bottom fell out. Lens fell all the way to seventeen. It was not a soft landing. Performance: Under Performed.
16: Ajax---Points Then: 27 Points Expected: 50 Actual Points: 46.
Ajax did something none of the the other did: score points in 5 of the last 6. They may not have made the points forecast, but two places in the table are not to be sneezed at. Performance: Exceeded Expectations.
15: PSV---Points Then: 31 Points Forecasted: 54 Actual Points 47
PSV had one of the weaker schedules in the last 12. They didn’t make the most of it, but they also did not fall. Steady as she goes. Performance: On Track
14: Rennes---Points Then: 31 Points Forecasted: 53 Actual Points: 48
Winning four of the last 6, Rennes pushed forward towards the mid-table. Optimism abounds in Brittany. A team to watch this season! Performance: Exceeded Expectations
13: Shaktar Donask---Points Then: 33 Points Forecasted: 55 Actual Points: 48
It looked like it could be so easy. Mostly weaker opponents. A chance to push forward. Not this season. Two wins and two draws in the last 6 could save the day and ended here. Performance: On Track
12: FC Porto---Points Then: 32 Points Forecasted: 55 Actual Points 48
FC Porto had a weaker schedule and took advantage to move up a slot. Prize money is more important than points, right? Performance: Exceeded Expectations
11. Benfica---Points Then: 31 Points Forecasted: 54 Actual Points: 49
Another club that took advantage it’s weaker schedule. Benfica was 14th in the table after round 26. They moved up three slots right into the middle. Performance: Exceeded Expectations
10. Sparta Prague---Points Then: 34 Points Forecasted: 55 Actual Points: 51
Sparta, along with Lyon had the biggest uphill climb to finish the season, They played most of the top of the table all the way and managed nudging up a place. Performance: Exceeded Expectations
9: Villareal---Points Then: 35 Points Forecasted: 56 Actual Points: 53
Villa had a moderately difficult schedule to finish and almost maintained their pace. They did slip a spot at the end, though. Performance: Under Performed
8: Valencia---Points Then: 46 Points Forecasted: 69 Actual Points: 55
Valencia was third in the table and had an easy schedule for the end of the season, What could go wrong? Apparently everything. Air Valencia hit a lot of turbulence and by the time they were past it they had slipped five spots. Performance: Under Performed.
7. Union Berlin---Points Then: 34 Forecasted Points: 55 Actual Points: 56
Berlin took a moderately difficult schedule and smashed out 22 points in 12 round. The finished 7th on the table, points two points away the cup zone. Performance: Exceeded Expectations
6. Real Betis-Points---Then: 35 Points Forecasted: 57 Actual Points: 58
Betis also had a moderately difficult schedule, but finished in a flurry with 13 points in the last six. They be playing extra games next season Performance: Exceeded Expectations
5. Feyenoord---Points Then: 43 Points Forecasted: 66 Actual Points: 58
Feyenoord had an easy schedule for the last 12 rounds, but did not make the most of it. No wins in the last 6 steered them a place down than forecasted. Performance: Under Performed
4. Eintracht Frankfurt—Points Then: 38 points Forecasted Points: 55 Actual Points: 61
Frankfurt went on a tear, scoring 17 points in the the last 12. That performance lifted them to 4th for the season. The look like they are ready to deal the relegated teams from EFL.
Performance: Exceeded Expectation
3. Atalanta—Points Then: 44 points Forecasted Points: 67 Actual Points: 66 Atalanta had weaker opponents in the final 12 rounds. They did their job and finished in their projected third place. Performance: On Track
2. Sevilla—Then: 52 Points Forecasted Points: 74 Actual Points 68
Ah, such a sad tale of missed opportunities. Six points ahead of the pack with 12 rounds left and unable to seal the deal. Hopefully, more hardware will in their future. Performance: Under Performed
1. Fiorentina—Then: 47 points Forecasted Points: 69 Actual Points: 69
Fiorentina was forecasted to get 13 points in the last 12 and hit the mark. Solid peformance plus Sevilla’s struggles equals a championship. Performance: On Track
My forecast had some glaring errors. Remember this statement? “In the end, Sevilla’s lead will be too much for the rest of the field.” Or this one? “Valencia will take care of a slightly weaker schedule and push in the second place.”. Yeah, two big misses there. But I had fun and all try again this season. Cheers!
Words: 1033
Not generated by Chat-GPT or other AI