African Nations Cup 2021 (in 2022) - murf's FISO Predictions Comp

[murf]

Welcome to ACN21FPC!

After a bit of a hiatus it is welcome back for the 8th(!) running of the world's favourite African Nations Cup prediction competition that has been running since 2006.

This will be run pretty similarly to the 2006 comp and the 2008 comp and the 2010 comp and the 2012 comp and the 2013 comp and the 2015 comp and the 2017 comp- but there will be differences and tweaks as it now has more countries and matches.

Every couple of days(ish) there will be a new round with 6 games to pick for (subject to change with less games in the knockout stages) - so keep tuning in throughout.

In each round you just have to pick who you think will win each game. If they win you get 3 pts and 1 pt for a draw, 0 if they lose. You must also pick your JOKER which wins double points.

The key rule here is that for each round those of you getting the least points go out! i.e. anybody on 0 goes out. If nobody gets 0 those on 1 go out etc etc. If everyone ties then you all get through to the next round. Scores do NOT carry between rounds.

You have to be in from Round 1 as no provision for new entries to round 2 etc. All welcome but you'll have to be on FISO fairly regularly to have a chance.

Could be just 1 person eliminated in a round or it could be a lot. If it is too many they can be saved by a play off (so we still have competitors for the later stages). When it comes to the Knockout Stages that may all change (see below).

I thought this idea up in about a minute for 2006 and it worked but I need to reserve the right to tweak it as the tournament progresses, lets see how it goes.

Other rules (for clarification):

1. Old school 'premiership predictions' rules on late entries - deadline is first kick off but if you miss the first k.o. you can pick for subsequent games in that set as long as you do so an hour before the next kick off and be classified as a 'LATE ENTRANT'.

2. Edits allowed til first k.o. then all strictly banned. Any MODS please make a note when you edit.

3. 'LAST PLACE' is the lowest score of those entering in time before the round starts. Rule in place so any 'late entrants' scoring low (due to less games and/or being rubbish) can't save the lowest of those who entered on time.

4. 'Late entrants' must beat 'last place' to survive.

5. If over A QUARTER (new tweak for 2022) the total field are set to be eliminated then anybody who got 0 for their joker is saved (cos they would have scored higher with jokers ignored). If over a quarter of the field are still set to be eliminated then anybody who scored 1 point in their joker game is saved. If over 1/4 of the field are still going to be eliminated then even those with 3 points jokers are saved. Anybody being saved by any part of this rule will start the next round with a 0.5 point penalty (i.e. they will be on -0.5).
(Note - this rule is the most likely to be 'tweaked' part way through as it often is to control numbers either way).

6. Write your predictions including joker in the right format!

7. No predicting for future rounds til I announce it is open for picks. If you are going to be away for the odd round or two I will take picks by PM but as this is all quick fire then I can't really let anyone do this this too often.

8. When it comes to the Knockout Rounds (Last 16, QFs, SFs, Final) the points will potentially change (to cover extra time etc and also the elimination rules - dependent on numbers - stay tuned!

Everyone (FISO veterans and newbies alike) more than welcome

[murf]

BBC page with fixtures

Group stages (Rds 1-6) have 6 games every 2 days and each 2 days / 6 games counts as a 'Round'
Knockout stages initially have 4 games every 2 days and each 2 days / 4 games counts as a 'Round' (Rounds 7-9), this reduces for the semis and final (Rds 10-11):
--- 6 GAME ROUNDs ---
Rd 1- 9th-10th (Jan)
Rd 2- 11th-12th
Rd 3- 13th-14th
Rd 4- 15th-16th
Rd 5- 17th-18th
Rd 6- 19th-20th
--- 4 GAME ROUNDS ---
Rd 7 - Last16pt1 - 23rd-24th
Rd 8 - Last16pt2 - 25th-26th
Rd 9 - QFs- 29th-30th
--- 2 GAME ROUNDS ---
Rd 10 - SFs- 2nd-3rd Feb
Rd 11 - Final & 3rd place play off- 6th Feb

[murf]

ROUND 1
SUNDAY 9TH JANUARY
Cameroon 16:00 Burkina Faso
Ethiopia 19:00 Cape Verde
MONDAY 10TH JANUARY
Senegal 13:00 Zimbabwe
Guinea 16:00 Malawi
Morocco 16:00 Ghana
Comoros 19:00 Gabon

(Note - these are UK times (I think))

Deadline = first kick off. For late entries, deadline = 1 hour before next kick off.

Pick 1 team for each game. In order. Write JOKER after the one you want double points for.
Like this:

TEMPLATE
Cameroon
Cape Verde
Senegal
Guinea
Ghana
Comoros JOKER

Get picking!

[murf]

My picks (now editted)


Cameroon
Cape Verde
Senegal JOKER
Guinea
Morocco
Gabon

[GregsEggs]

ROUND 1

Cameroon
Cape Verde

Senegal joker
Guinea
Ghana
Gabon

[morganb]

Cameroon
Cape Verde
Senegal JOKER
Guinea
Morocco
Gabon

[robot]

ROUND 1

Cameroon
Cape Verde

Senegal
Guinea joker
Ghana
Gabon

[Ralfbergs]

Cameroon
Cape Verde
Senegal
Guinea JOKER
Morocco
Gabon

[wahine]

Cameroon
Cape Verde
Senegal
Guinea
Ghana
Gabon - Joker

[yorkshiredragon]

Burkina Faso
Cape Verde
Senegal Joker
Guinea
Morocco
Gabon

[jimmy ching]

Cameroon
Cape Verde
Senegal Joker
Guinea
Morocco
Gabon

[Geoffv]

Burkina Faso
Cape Verde

Senegal JOKER
Malawi
Morocco
Gabon

[sibrown4]

Cameroon
Cape Verde
Senegal Joker
Guinea
Morocco
Gabon

[kingcurtley]

Cameroon
Cape Verde
Senegal JOKER
Guinea
Morocco
Gabon

[Arabian Knight]

Cameroon JOKER
Ethiopia
Senegal
Guinea
Ghana
Gabon

[Jamjack]

Thanks Murf. I’ve never been less qualified for a competition in my life but in for a penny….

Cameroon
Cape Verde
Senegal JOKER
Guinea
Ghana
Gabon

Might even stick a couple of quid on Roger Milla top tournament goal scorer for a bit additional interest.

[topspur]

Cameroon
Cape Verde
Senegal Joker
Guinea
Morocco
Gabon

[sportsmeister]

Cameroon
Cape Verde
Senegal JOKER
Guinea
Ghana
Gabon

[murf]

15 of us in so far. A few common picks but enough variety, including in JOKER picks for a nice range of scores.

Entries still welcome. Roll up, roll up!

All starts at 4pm today. No edits after that time although newbies playing catch up will still be welcome.

Seems there is a lot of covid going around. AFCON have said that teams have to play as long as they have 11 fit players (and that is irrespective of whether they are keepers so the 11 can include 0 or 3 goalies!). If not then it is a 2-0 forfeit and my game will include that 'result'.

[Johnners]

Cameroon
Cape Verde
Senegal JOKER
Guinea
Morocco
Gabon

[zipnolan]

Cameroon
Cape Verde
Senegal
Guinea
Morocco
Gabon JOKER

[murf]

Of the 17 in so far and looking at game 1.....

1 Cameroon JOKER (Arabian Knight)
14 Cameroon
2 Burkina Faso (yorkshiredragon, Geoffv)
No Burkina Faso JOKERs

[Malrom]

I have no clue, but here we are:

Cameroon
Ethiopia
Senegal
Guinea
Ghana
Gabon JOKER

[murf]

I have no clue, but here we are:

Probably more clue than any of us had when we started this in 2006! Just re-read the start of that thread and the first goal of the tournament was scored by Mido, remember him? - and the first FISOer knocked out was thelip, remember him? - the stalwart of the early days of Premiership Predictions admin (now FISO Goals) - hope that isn't an omen Malrom!

[Lucky]

no clue, me too. Just for fun!

Cameroon
Cape Verde
Senegal (Joker)
Guinea
Ghana
Gabon

[Pirlo's Beard]

Cameroon
Cape Verde
Senegal JOKER
Guinea
Morocco
Gabon

[Malrom]

I have no clue, but here we are:

Probably more clue than any of us had when we started this in 2006! Just re-read the start of that thread and the first goal of the tournament was scored by Mido, remember him? - and the first FISOer knocked out was thelip, remember him? - the stalwart of the early days of Premiership Predictions admin (now FISO Goals) - hope that isn't an omen Malrom!

I'm not superstitious!

Yes, I do remember them well, Mido (the first Salah) and thelip, he last posted back in 2018. No clue what happened to him!

[thebillfella]

Cameroon
Cape Verde
Senegal Joker
Guinea
Morocco
Gabon

[Pirlo's Beard]

1-0 to Burkina Faso, all our Cameroon picks are in the mud.

[Pirlo's Beard]

Never mind, Cameroon lead 2-1 thanks to a couple of penalties from a very sweaty Vincent Aboubakar. Cameroon are benefiting from a Burkina Faso defensive strategy which seems to revolve mainly around clattering the shit out of Cameroon players in the penalty area.