I TELL YAH INVITATIONAL LEAGUE

SEASON EIGHT 

WEEK 36

This week in the Premier League. Man City demolished Newcastle 5-0 at home. Brighton destroyed Man Utd 4-0 at home. Everton beat Leicester 2-1 away to lift themselves out of the relegation zone. Aston Villa beat Burnley away 3-1. Arsenal beat Leeds 2-1 at home to boost their Champions League hopes. Brentford beat Southampton 3-0 at home. Crystal Palace beat Watford 1-0 at home. West Ham destroyed Norwich 4-0 away. Liverpool drew 1-1 at home to Tottenham, to really hurt their title challenge and Wolves came from two goals down to get a last second 2-2 draw at Chelsea. Then in midweek, Man City destroyed Wolves 5-1 away to put one hand on the Premier League title. Liverpool came from a goal down to beat Aston Villa 2-1 away. In the biggest North London derby for a while, Tottenham beat Arsenal 3-0 at home to keep their Champions League hopes alive. Leicester beat Norwich 3-0 at home. Chelsea beat Leeds 3-0 away and Everton drew 0-0 at Watford.

In what was a very pivotal week in the ITYIFL, as the defending champion Danny Milton all but secured back to back championships. After having a few uncertain weeks, he responded like a true champion by holding his nerve until week 36, to play his triple captain to perfection. This produced a massive 163 point weekly score, making him this week’s Highest Scorer and the all-time highest weekly scorer in ITYIFL history. Doing the business were triple captain Son (60) Kane (15) Nketiah (15) Cancelo (14) James (13) Mount (13) Ederson (9) Maddison (8) Alonso (7) Kulusevski (5) and Saka (4).

My old work colleague Mr James remains in second and may now have to concede the title after, given the circumstances, scoring a disappointing 59 point week. This left him a full 109 points behind the leader with two game weeks to go. His contributions came from Son (20) Nketiah (15) Alonso (7) and Saka (4). In third, closing the gap on second to just one point is former champ Jeff Franklin with a superb bench boost weekly score of 106 points. This was thanks mainly to captain Salah (6) Son (20) Nketiah (15) Cancelo (14) Emerson Royal (8) Schmeichel (8) Alonso (7) Gordon (5) Saka (4) and off the bench, Sanchez (7) and Pukki (4).

Making up the Champions League places in fourth is my old football clubmate, Darren Ahmet. He scored a very decent bench boost 111 point week, due to the likes of Cancelo (14) James (13) Mount (13) Mane (9) Alonso (7) Kulusevski (5) and off the bench, Nketiah (15) Schmeichel (8) and Amartey (8). Sanjay Beecher moves up to fifth, following his bench boost 89 point weekly score. This was thanks to captain Salah (6) Kane (15) Foden (8) Schmeichel (8) Alonso (7) Coleman (7) Saka (4) then off the bench, Foster (14) Richarlison (7) and Kulusevski (5).

This week’s Highest Mover was Lee Barratt, he moved up three places from 9th to 6th, continuing his superb end of season form, with an excellent 139 point week. This put him eighth in the all-time highest scorers list. Doing the business was captain De Bruyne (60) Cancelo (14) Laporte (14) Holgate (13) Pickford (12) Dier (8) Alexander-Arnold (4) Pukki (4) and Saka (4). My youngest son and former champ Latrell Oscar dropped down to seventh, with a disappointing 56 point weekly score. His contributions came mainly from triple captain Jesus (6) Cancelo (14) Richarlson (7) Gordon (5) Kulusevski (5) Alexander-Arnold (4) Ramsdale (4) and Saka (4).

Another former champ, ahem Charles Denton storms up into eighth, due to a superb bench boost 157 point week, putting him third in the all-time highest scorers list. This was thanks to the likes of captain De Bruyne (60) Nketiah (15) Laporte (14) Mount (13) Matip (11) Schmeichel (8) Kulusevski (5) Dias (4) and off the bench, Anderson (8) Fabianski (6) and Toney (5). Washington DC’s Greg Cabana moves down to ninth, following his weekly score of 67 points. This was due to captain Salah (6) Kane (15) Maddison (8) Alonso (7) Sanchez (7) Watkins (7) Gordon (5) and Alexander-Arnold (4). He will also be upset at leaving a combined 26 points on the bench in Jansson and Zaha.

Also moving down but making up the top ten is Natalie Holder, following her decent 82 point week. Her contributions came from Cancelo (14) Laporte (14) James (13) Mount (13) Watkins (7) Kulusevski (5) Martinez (5) and Saka (4). But will be upset at leaving 14 point Foster on the bench. Well done also to Yours Truly, as my 131 point weekly score puts me joint 14th on the all-time highest scorers list.

Lastly, congratulations to the four managers who have made it to the semi-finals of the inaugural ITYIFL Cup. Latrell Oscar. Greg Cabana. Jeff Franklin and Sanjay Beecher. Full steam ahead to the penultimate week of the season. Make it count y’all.