When I was about ten years old, my school team won a penalty for handball. I think the score was 2-2 or 3-3. I have always liked taking penalties, even under pressure, seeing it as a chance to get an extra goal. As I put the ball on the spot, the goalkeeper came out of his goal and said, "You're going to miss this". "No, I won't", I replied defiantly. He started to walk back to his goal, stopped, turned, and tried more psychology. "I'll dive to my left", he said. I ran up to take the kick and sent the ball to his left as he dived to his right. The ball nestled nicely in the back of the net. I think I made a snide remark to the goalkeeper. Right at the end of the game, we won another penalty. I had had enough of this goalkeeper's antics, so I took the initiative this time. "I'll shoot to your left again", I told the goalkeeper. Sure enough, the ball went to his left, and he dived to his right; he thought I was bluffing. I made another snide remark. I was in a similar situation on a Sunday morning twelve years later, as my team won two penalties in the same game. There were some similar antics as I took the first penalty - again, I won the psychological challenge. I told the keeper which side I was shooting for the second one. This time, the goalkeeper dived the side I had told him and saved my penalty. He mocked me and found a suitable name to call me. This was the beginning of me becoming an indecisive person, I think. Well, maybe or maybe not. A few decades later, when making my predictions, I find a rational reason why every game could be a home, draw or an away - with every possible scoreline. I think it's time to go back to my days as a cocky ten year old and make snide remarks to anyone who doubts me, flourishing on my initial instincts. Stuff it. Charlton will beat Cambridge United 6-0, and, what's more, Cambridge United were a non-League club when I took those penalties as a ten-year-old. Good luck, everyone. I won't need it.
If you missed last week's results, you can find them
here.
Premier League
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Nottingham Forest (Saturday 1500)
Aston Villa v Arsenal (Saturday 1730)
Everton v Chelsea (Sunday 1400)
Tottenham Hotspur v Newcastle United (Sunday 1630)
Championship
Coventry City v Birmingham City (Friday 2000)
Blackburn Rovers v Leeds United (Saturday 1230)
Sunderland v West Bromwich Albion (Saturday 1230)
Huddersfield Town v Bristol City (Saturday 1500)
Norwich City v Preston North End (Saturday 1500)
Rotherham United v Swansea City (Saturday 1500)
Watford v Southampton (Saturday 1500)
League One
Charlton Athletic v Cambridge United (Saturday 1500)
Exeter City v Port Vale (Saturday 1500)
Peterborough United v Oxford United (Saturday 1500)
Reading v Barnsley (Saturday 1500)
Wigan Athletic v Lincoln City (Saturday 1500)
Wycombe Wanderers v Shrewsbury Town (Saturday 1500)
Portsmouth v Bolton Wanderers (Monday 2000)
Guest fixtures
Scunthorpe United v Solihull Moors (FA Trophy 3rd Round Friday 1945)
Comments
Norwich 2 Preston 1
Charlton 3 Cambridge 1
Aston Villa v Arsenal 1-2
Wycombe Wanderers v Shrewsbury Town 2-0
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Nottingham Forest 1-0
Rotherham United v Swansea City 0-2
Charlton Athletic v Cambridge United 3-0
Portsmouth v Bolton Wanderers 2-1
Norwich City v Preston North End 1-0
Portsmouth v Bolton Wanderers 1-2
Charlton v Cambridge 1:0
Blackburn v Leeds 0:2
Exeter City v Port Vale (Saturday 1500)
Peterborough United v Oxford United (Saturday 1500)
Reading v Barnsley 0-4
Wigan Athletic v Lincoln City 2-0
Wycombe Wanderers v Shrewsbury Town (Saturday 1500) 2-1
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Nottingham Forest (Saturday 1500) 2-1
Norwich City v Preston North End 3-1
Rotherham United v Swansea City 0-2
Wigan Athletic v Lincoln City 2-0
Wycombe Wanderers v Shrewsbury Town 1-0
Wycombe Wanderers v Shrewsbury Town 0-0
Portsmouth v Bolton Wanderers 1-1
Rotherham United v Swansea City 0-2
Blackburn Rovers v Leeds United 1-2
Tottenham Hotspur v Newcastle United 2-2
Charlton v Cambridge 2-0
Wolves v N.Forest 2-1
Rotherham v Swansea 0-1
Charlton v Cambridge Utd 2-1
Coventry v Birmingham 2-1
Aston Villa v Arsenal 0-1
Everton v Chelsea 1-1
Watford v Southampton 1-2
Charlton Athletic v Cambridge United 2-0
Norwich City v Preston North End 2-1
Peterborough United v Oxford United 2-1
Reading v Barnsley 0-1
Wigan Athletic v Lincoln City 1-0
Peterborough v Oxford. 2-1
Portsmouth v Bolton. 2-1
Norwich City v Preston North End 2-1
Portsmouth v Bolton Wanderers 2-2
Charlton Athletic v Cambridge United 2-0
Wycombe Wanderers v Shrewsbury Town 2-0
Blackburn v Leeds 1-3
Watford v Southampton 1-3
Sunderland v West Bromwich Albion (Saturday 1230) 0-1
Portsmouth v Bolton Wanderers (Monday 2000) 1-0
Wigan 2 Lincoln 1
Norwich 2 Preston 1
Wolves 2 Forest 0
Blackburn v Leeds 1-2
Portsmouth v Bolton Wanderers 0-2
Peterborough United v Oxford United 2-0
Charlton Athletic v Cambridge United 2-1
Blackburn Rovers v Leeds United 1-2
Spurs v Newcastle 1-3
Sunderland v WBA 1-2
Charlton Athletic v Cambridge United 1-1
Reading v Barnsley 0-2