The Thorns Prediction Game: Reading the PTFC Leaves – Matchday 18

Once again, the Thorns were rampant at home, trouncing the Houston Dash 3-1. Timber Dave cleaned up, with 12 of a possible 23 points, for a perfect score prediction, naming two goal scorers and the most rec’d wild prediction (actually the only rec’d one) for his review of Nadine Angerer’s Tanz des Eisbären.

Next up is Sky Blue in Piscataway. The Thorns will be missing Horan, Heath, Sonnett and, most likely, AD Franch. Sky Blue will be without the services of Carli Lloyd. We are to the point where this match can be fairly labelled “must win.” Can the short-rostered Thorns still dispatch the worst team in league history while on the road?

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:

Lussi (Klingenberg)

AMC (Free kick)

Weber (Unassisted)

McCaskill (PK)

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

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

Make your fun prediction:

Savannah McCaskill takes a page from Carli Lloyd’s playbook, but her attempt to chip Eckerstrom from midfield goes out for a throw-in.

Lastly, please recommend one of the other players’ fun prediction.

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 outrageously 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, and let me know if you have any questions or if I screw up your score.