The Thorns Prediction Game: Reading the PTFC Leaves – Matchday 3

Everyone was a winner in the last match! The Thorns won 3-2 and everyone who played our game gained points. All but CR McNeil predicted a win, but CR got a goal scorer, two assists, and the wild bonus for suggesting that suspended coach Parsons hire an airplane to trail banners with instructions to the players. As a result, CR was this week’s joint top scorer with Constant Weeder who called the win and two goal scorers.

There is yet time to enter our little contest. In fact, one good guess could still put you in first place. It’s just for fun but there will be small prizes for first and middle-of-the-pack places at season’s end.

Now we turn our attention to the home opener against the Orlando Pride. The Pride have never beaten the Thorns and only managed one draw. This will be their third straight year as our home opening opponent, having lost 2-1 in their first-ever game and then 2-0 last year. Look at the very long list of missing players: Marta, Monica, Poliana, Kennedy and who knows who else, and it’s easy to see why they’re off to rough start. As for the Thorns, no Emily Menges or Tobin Heath and, frighteningly, maybe no Lindsey Horan. Can the Thorns win without her?

How this works:

Add a comment to this post. In the comment title put your predicted result, for example 3-1 Thorns.

In the body of your comment, start with the goals and assists, like so:

Onumonu (Klingenberg)

Sinclair (Free kick)

Purce (Unassisted)

Leroux (PK)

Next, name the first yellow card recipient: First yellow to Sonnett

Then reds, if any. (NOTE: no points awarded for correctly calling a red-card-free match, so take a guess.) Pickett gets a red for tripping Sinclair on the edge of the box.

And lastly, make your fun prediction (and be sure to give a “rec” to other players’ posts that you think are worthy):

Tom Sermanni gets the flu so he sends his old friend Jill Ellis in his stead. She promptly moves Ashlyn Harris to midfield and puts Sydney Leroux in goal.

Scoring:

· Correct score: 5 points

· Correct result (draw/win/loss): 3 points

· Each clean sheet: 2 points

· Each goal-scorer: 1 point

· Each FK/PK/assist/lack of assist: 1 point

· Goal/assist bonus: 1 point

· Player with the first yellow card of the match: 1 point

· Each player with a red card: 1 point (Cannot earn points for predicting 0 red cards)

· Most recommended/most outrageous/most accurate prediction: 2 points

Some ground rules and explanations/clarifications (the fine print):

Comments must be posted before kickoff, but you can edit or amend an earlier prediction right up to the starting whistle.

Keep your scoreline predictions realistic. No crazy scores just to pad out your odds of getting goals and assists.

The goal/assist bonus is an additional point if you predict the correct scorer and assistant on the same goal, for example, you say Onumonu scores from an Horan assist and that is exactly what happens.

Be clear whether you think a goal will be unassisted, assisted, or from a PK/FK. Unassisted = no assist, run of play; Assisted = player who got the assist; PK/FK = not in run of play. For the purposes of this thread, Penalty Kick and Free Kick are the same thing. No entry means unassisted.

Have fun, tell your friends, let me know if you have any questions or if I screw up your score.