Christmas is almost here, and for many that means it is high season for imbibing, so why not spoil yourself with something extra special this Christmas with our 2023 Definitive Christmas Cocktail List. Go on, you deserve it.
2023 has been a tough year with cost-of-living pressures, politics getting nastier by the day and the number of hole-in-ones in professional golf seemingly reducing by the year, so what better way to unwind than to explore the world of alcohol in all its glory and live a little.
The Gurgler website as ever has assembled the finest Cocktail mixologists our budget could afford featuring no less a person than the dynamic duo from the Bungalow Lounge of the Yebri Creek Hotel-Motel & Nightclubbe Emma Rhetto and Pete Smoak. And it wouldn’t say Christmas Cocktails without input from the former head bar manager of the Rum Jungle Cameron Pari and deputy mixologist from Grinner’s Restuarant and the Country Club Hotel Boo Radler.
Their dedication to cocktail means our Christmas Cocktail list is the best ever. So get your E-Pos card ready to visit Dan Murphy’s and beyond.
And of course, no one expects or demands you drink all or any of these Christmas Cocktails, so drink responsibly. Because if you don’t and drift down a river in boat with no engine or oars at midnight or end up nude holding just a cricket bat for modesty it’s your own fault.
The Gurgler’s 2023 Definitive Christmas Cocktail List
TWISTED CLASSIC
Old Fascist
1 shot Bourbon, 1 shot Honey Bourbon Liqueur, 1⁄4 shot maple syrup, bitters, dried mandarin, splash of soda, over ice
Tis the weekend before Christmas and all around England most of the Premier League teams are vying for supremacy. Talking of festive, our 2023-24 Premier League Week 18 Predictions + Stats Summary for the weekend ahead.
Each week we provide a meandering look into the upcoming round of Premier League football, with not only our predictions for the upcoming Premier League fixtures but offer up a wide range of H2H and in-season stats and barely interesting facts.
There’s so much to go through we can barely contain it to just one long page, but it’s worth it for our Premier League Week 18 Predictions plus all the stats.
2023-24 Premier League Week 18 Fixtures
2023-24 Premier League Week 18 Predictions
Here are our fearless predictions for the fixtures ahead, and tune in below for all the stats and barely interesting stats that go along with them.
Crystal Palace 1 Brighton 1
Aston Villa 4 Sheffield Utd 0
West Ham 1 Man Utd 1
Fulham 3 Burnley 0
Luton 1 Newcastle 0
Nottm Forest 0 Bournemouth 2
Spurs 2 Everton 1
Liverpool 2 Arsenal 0
Wolves 2 Chelsea 1
Read on for the match-by-match full preview and stats.
Season Progress: 49% – 78/159 – Correct Scores – 7
(Tech Issues GW 6)
2023-24 English Premier League Current Stats
A quick look at the current state of play in the Premier League.
2023-24 English Premier League Week 18 Best Stats
Here are some of our favourite stats from the match H2H stats below. But read on for ore….
CRYSTAL PALACE v BRIGHTON – ANYONE FOR A DRAW?
An underrated local derby in the Premier League is Crystal Palace and Brighton, and this is probably the reason of Thursday 8pm. Maybe the other reason is the number of draws.
50% of the 12 games played in the league since Brighton were promoted have ended in a draw. Better still, the last four games played at Crystal Palace have ended in a draw. And even better is that all four of those draws ended with the exact same result 1-1.
Brighton and Crystal Palace also hold the season high for drawn games with five. Four of Brighton’s draws have come in their last eight games. Crystal Palace may not have that late run of draws, but they have only won once at home this season. So wins are scarce and a draw it shall be.
ASTON VILLA v SHEFFIELD UNITED – HOME COMFORTS
No team is going better than Aston Villa at home this season, and even at the end of last season.
Aston Villa have won 15 in a row at home, with their last non-win being a 4-2 loss to Arsenal in March 2023. A solid nine month record of winning. In the League that it is. Their last seven home wins to end last season came at the combined total of 14-2, and this season it is 25 goals scored and five conceded in eight games.
Aston Villa a out-performing their expected goals at home by over six goals, which is the second biggest gap behind Manchester City.
In addition to Aston Villa’s awesome home form, Sheffield United are yet to win a game away from home. Good for Premier League to a degree is that Sheffield United’s winless away run is the only one. In France and Germany they have two teams with zero wins away and Italy (4) and Spain (5) so the EPL is ahead on those terms with just the one team with zero sway wins.
BEST OF THE REST
WHU v MUN – Man Utd’s draw last weekend v Liverpool was their first of the season.
FUL v BUR – No team can better Fulham’s 17 goals in the last six games in the Premier League.
FUL v BUR – Fulham and Burnley haven’t met at Fulham on a Saturday since 1998, where Fulham won 4-0.
FUL v BUR – Fulham are 3/3 at home to bottom six sides and 2/2 v promoted sides.
LUT v NEW – Newcastle top the Premier League for Expected Goals this season but do drop to seventh best away from home.
LUT v NEW – Newcastle last beat Luton at Luton in 1981. Since then it’s W5 D3 for the Hatters.
NFO v BOU – Bournemouth are undefeated in their last six games v Nottingham Forest (W4 D2).
NFO v BOU – Nottingham Forest are one of just three teams not to win a home game v middle eight sides (at time of match). Bournemouth are 2/2 v promoted sides.
TOT v EVE – Everton are equal second for last six form, and have won more games this season than all of the teams from 9th down, including Chelsea.
TOT v EVE – Everton are 3/3 for away games in London this season.
TOT v EVE – Spurs have lost just one of their last 15 home games v Everton (W10 D4 L1).
LIV v ARS – Liverpool last lost to Arsenal at home in 2012, since then it has been W7 D4. Even more impressive it has been five straight home wins on a Saturday v Arsenal with a combined winning total of 20-4.
WOL v CHE – Wolves are undefeated in their last three home games v Chelsea.
WOL v CHE – Wolves are yet to win on a Sunday this season (D1 L2). Chelsea have won a game, but their Sunday record isn’t much better (W1 D3 L3)
They say there can only be winners and losers in sport, but of course they’re wrong, there’s always the draw, and who doesn’t love a draw where everyone wins. Those winners include canny punters who look for value, and here to help is our Best of World Football Draws Tips for the week.
Each week during the football season our resident football draw expert Frankington Stanley runs his keen eye over the many football divisions around the world to find the best draws for you. He’s sort of like the John West of Football draws.
Frankington Stanley is not fussy, no country or continent is out of bounds, and the more obscure the better. And some of them are quite obscure. They don’t even feature on the Who Scored website.
So get yourself ready for another weekly serving of the finest Football Draw tips from all over the world, where The Gurgler and Frankington Stanley take the stale out of stalemate. It’s all you can eat draws.
December 15-18 Best of World Football Draws Tips of the Week
All odds courtesy of Sportsbet
DRAW OF THE WEEK
Here is the best of the best draw tips for the week.
National League South – Slough Town v Farnborough FC
ODDS – DRAW $3.50
FORM / STATS – A 2-2 draw was the result the last time these two teams met in the league just a few months ago. Slough Town have won four and drawn two in their last six home games, which is good because they lost their first four home games. Farnborough have won just one of ten away games, with four draws, so might settle for a draw to get any points on the board.
Mexico Liga MX – Tigres v CF America
ODDS – DRAW $3.50
FORM / STATS – Last start 0-0 draw just the way we like between these teams just over a month ago. What more do you need or want.
Polish 1 Liga – LKP Motor Lubin v Lechia Gdansk
ODDS – DRAW $3.00
FORM / STATS – No draws in the last three between these teams, but there are draws nearby in the recent form. Just two home games ago Motor Lublin were involved in a 2-2 draw. Lechia Gdansk was an even W3 D3 L3 record away from home, so they will be up for anything. Even more interesting is both teams have the exact same set of results for their last six games – WWDLWW. Matching results overall equals draw.
Serbian PRVA League – FK Mladost Novi Sad v FK Smederevo
ODDS – DRAW $2.90
FORM / STATS – Just the one meeting between these teams we could find, and what do you know, it was a 1-1 draw. Also, FK Mladost Novi Sad have played out three draws in their last four home games. Including two 0-0. FK Smederevo have four draws from nine away games this season.
UK DRAW SPECIAL OF THE WEEK
With so many divisions, there should be so many draws to choose from. Frankington Stanley chooses his draw from any and every division in the UK.
Premier League – Crystal Palace v Brighton
ODDS – DRAW $3.50
FORM / STATS – If six draws in the last eight games between these two sides isn’t enough, how about the last four games at Crystal Palace between these two teams have ended in a draw. And not any old draw, all four were 1-1.
BIG FIVE LEAGUE DRAW SPECIAL OF THE WEEK
Some have accused us of picking easy leagues for our draws. First of all, how dare you, secondly we introduce of Big Five League draw of the week, where we scan the five biggest leagues in Europe for the finest draws. It could be Serie A, La Liga, Bundesliga, Ligue 1 or the Premier League, but what it will always be is a quality eye for a draw.
Serie A – Lecce v Frosinone
ODDS – DRAW $3.30
FORM / STATS – Leece have drawn their last four matches and three of their last four from home. Lecce have also drawn eight of their 15 games so far this season. Frosinone drew 0-0 last start, and their terrible record away from home this season D2 L5 means a draw might be enough.
2023-24 is becoming a classic Premier League season, and who knows who will eventually take the title at this stage. And talking of knowing nothing, here our 2023-24 Premier League Week 17 Predictions + Stats Summary for the weekend ahead.
Each week we provide a meandering look into the upcoming round of Premier League football, with not only our predictions for the upcoming Premier League fixtures but offer up a wide range of H2H and in-season stats and barely interesting facts.
There’s so much to go through we can barely contain it to just one long page, but it’s worth it for our Premier League Week 17 Predictions plus all the stats.
2023-24 Premier League Week 17 Fixtures
2023-24 Premier League Week 17 Predictions
Here are our fearless predictions for the fixtures ahead, and tune in below for all the stats and barely interesting stats that go along with them.
Nottingham Forest 0 Spurs 3
Man City 4 Crystal Palace 0
Newcastle 3 Fulham 2
Bournemouth 2 Luton 0
Brentford 0 Aston Villa 2
Burnley 1 Everton 1
Arsenal 2 Brighton 1
West Ham 3 Wolves 0
Chelsea 4 Sheffield Utd 0
Liverpool 2 Man Utd 1
Read on for the match by match full preview and stats.
Season Progress: 47% – 71/150 – Correct Scores – 6
(Tech Issues GW 6)
2023-24 English Premier League Current Stats
A quick look at the current state of play in the Premier League.
2023-24 English Premier League Week 17 Best Stats
Here are some of our favourite stats from the match H2H stats below. But read on for ore….
NFO v TOT – Spurs (W6 D1) are unbeaten in seven games v Nottingham Forest. NFO v TOT – Spurs are 3/3 v Nottingham Forest on a Friday. MCI v CRY – Man City (W2 D1 L2) have won only two of their last five v Crystal Palace at home. MCI v CRY – Crystal Palace have lost all four games v teams in the top six (at the time of game). NEW v FUL – Fulham have scored 13 goals in their past three games – five more than the next best teams – Liverpool & Spurs. NEW v FUL – Newcastle (W4 D2) are unbeaten in their last six games v Fulham, conceding just two goals in six games and scoring 12. CHE v SHU – Sheffield Utd have lost all five games v big six clubs this season so far. BUR v EVE – Burnley have the H2H advantage over Everton in recent seasons on a Saturday with W6 D2 L2. Everton last beat Burnley away on a Saturday in 1970. BUR v EVE – Burnley are the only team in the top four divisions to have won only one game at home this season. ARS v BHA – The home side has failed to win the last four games in the Arsenal v Brighton fixture (L3 D1) ARS v BHA – Arsenal, Liverpool and Crystal Palace are the only teams not to lose on a Sunday this season. BRE v AVL – Aston Villa’s last win at Brentford came in 1953. It has been D1 L4 since. WHU v WOL – West Ham have won the last three home games v Wolves by the combined score of 7-0. Two of those wins were the only two Sunday games between these sides. LIV v MUN – Manchester United are still the only team not to have drawn a game this season in all of the top four tiers of English football. LIV v MUN – Liverpool are unbeaten in their last eight home games v Man Utd (W5 D3)
2023-24 English Premier League Week 17 Extra Stats
Want more stats? Well here are some points of interest or seasonal stats.
The F1 season is done and dusted for 2023, with Max Verstappen winning a third straight title with absolute ease. But was he the best driver overall in 2023, we say a big yes but go through the entire F1 field with our 2023 F1 Season Driver Ratings & Stats.
Our 2023 F1 Season Driver Ratings & Stats is based is not based on Championship points, nor the use of our G-Power Rankings, it is a purely subjective piece of work which factors in many stats from the 2023 F1 season.
There’s some thoughts, key stats and a prediction on 2024 shapes for all of the drivers.
2023 F1 Season Quick Stats
99 = DNF
2023 F1 Driver of the Season
Below is our Driver of the Season in the order of our selection, but we threw in the season stats for some barely interesting comparison. Champ. Rank is the overall Championship position of each driver and G Rating Pts Rank is the rank using our in-house Driver Ratings system, which is based on various stats from all over the F1 weekend.
Driver
G Rating Pts Rank
Champ. Rank
Poles
Front Row
Wins
Other Podium
1
Max VERSTAPPEN
1
1
13
3
19
2
2
Fernando ALONSO
2
5
0
2
0
8
3
Lando NORRIS
3
6
0
3
0
7
4
Charles LECLERC
4
4
4
5
0
6
5
Lewis HAMILTON
5
3
1
0
0
6
6
Carlos SAINZ
6
7
2
3
1
2
7
Oscar PIASTRI
10
9
0
1
0
2
8
Alexander Albon
9
13
0
0
0
0
9
George RUSSELL
8
8
0
3
0
2
10
Liam Lawson
21
20
0
0
0
0
11
Yuki TSUNODA
12
14
0
0
0
0
12
Sergio PEREZ
7
2
2
1
2
7
13
Pierre GASLY
11
11
0
0
0
1
14
Esteban OCON
13
12
0
0
0
1
15
Daniel RICCIARDO
19
16
0
0
0
0
16
Valtteri BOTTAS
16
15
0
0
0
0
17
Nico Hulkenberg
14
18
0
1
0
0
18
Lance STROLL
15
10
0
0
0
0
19
Kevin Magnussen
17
19
0
0
0
0
20
Guanyu Zhou
18
17
0
0
0
0
21
Logan SARGEANT
20
21
0
0
0
0
22
Nyck de Vries
22
–
0
0
0
0
2023 F1 Driver of the Season + Stats
Here we dive more into the stats and our opinion on each driver this season.
2023 SEASON THOUGHTS
The greatest season in the history of F1 and a season that will only be matched by his 2024 effort. Had one of the cars of the season, but never before has driver enjoyed so much success. With a bulletproof Red Bull, which arguably the best F1 car of all time, he qualified on pole more often than not, but most times didn’t take him long to recover ground. Strangely quiet in Singapore and played second fiddle to teammate Perez in a few early races, his low points of the season would have been highlights for half the grid.
2023 STAT
Max Verstappen’s average grid position on classic tracks this season was 1.44, his street track average qualifying position was 5.5.
2024 PROSPECTS
Will probably win the next three World Championships but qualifying proved much closer in the second half of the season, where Max wasn’t always first. So perhaps, and hopefully wins fewer races in 2024.
2023 SEASON THOUGHTS
Simply an outstanding year, and a season not many, if any would have expected. Alonso turned back the years, and some unfortunate career choices to shine in the first half of the season. He was often the next best challenger early in the season as he made a mockery of Alpine’s driver recruitment for 2023. Piastri of course sealing the case against Alpine. Imagine playing Alonso off against Piastri then both leave. But back to Alonso. His form dipped off in the second half of the season as the McLarens caught up and the Mercedes and Ferraris did better, but Alonso’s moment of the season came in Brazil where he scored a podium by stealing third place back off Sergio Perez on the last lap when the Red Bull driver looked to have settled the argument the lap before. Alonso’s hunger to do well continues to shine despite the advancing years, and it was a pleasure to see him back towards the front in 2023.
2023 DATA
Fernando Alonso topped the best average final grid position after six rounds of the 2023 season with an average of 3.67.
2024 PROSPECTS
Will fall out with Aston Martin eventually, could take a one-year Red Bull contract for a bit of fun.
2023 SEASON THOUGHTS
Another outstanding season and surely will be the next driver taken by one of the big teams, if his McLaren isn’t at the front itself. From the British Grand Prix onwards, the McLaren often was at the front anyway. Lando Norris was kept honest by Oscar Piastri, but he usually had the rookie Australian under control, like most of the other drivers. Any other season he would have taken a win or two, but it wasn’t a normal season, and the McLaren not consistently quick enough. But he got the most out of it most of the time and deserves to be in the top three drivers of the 2023 season.
2023 STATS
Lando Norris finished 2nd six times, which was the highest driver by position for 2023 behind DNFs and Max Verstappen winning.
2024 PROSPECTS
Will win a race and almost challenge for a title. If McLaren start the season as they finished it.
2023 SEASON THOUGHTS
Brought life into qualifying in the second half of the season when Saturday at least became competitive. Showed tremendous speed at times in a Ferrari that was occasionally the second best car but not always.
2023 STATS
Outqualified Max Verstappen on street tracks in 2023 with an average final grid position of 2.83 v 5.5.
2024 PROSPECTS
Depends on the car but can see a season-long battle with Max Verstappen for pole positions. Ferrari probably won’t turn the Ferrari into a consistent race winner too quickly but can see Leclerc having the odd good day out, maybe at a street track where he and the car are currently so effective.
2023 SEASON THOUGHTS
A second consecutive winless season for Lewis Hamilton, who must thank his team’s out-there design in 2022 for ruining two seasons. 2023 was a much better season despite the lack of wins and came close to nabbing second in the Championship. Although you could argue that said more about Sergio Perez than Lewis Hamilton. The double DNF in Round 17 and 18 put second place to bed. One hopes he gets the car he needs next year as F1 needs a title race.
2023 STATS
His four fastest laps in 2023 was the second-best total behind Max Verstappen’s nine. Great consistency in qualifying across the three types of tracks.
2024 PROSPECTS
Needs to win a race. Will win a race. Maybe Monaco.
2023 SEASON THOUGHTS
A harsh ranking for one of the two non-Max Verstappen race winners in 2023, and his race win in Singapore was superb, but he was a little inconsistent and quite unlucky. Las Vegas being a low point when his car was torn to shreds by a manhole cover, and then was penalised ten grid places by a completely absurd piece of F1 stewarding. Just the three podiums for the season, and all came in the second half of the season and was generally outqualified and outraced by Charles Leclerc. But he did have his moments. Singapore was magnificent. Came third in the Sprint Championship, if that existed.
2023 STATS
Was second behind Max Verstappen (12) for gaining/losing no place on the first lap this season with 11.
2024 PROSPECTS
The gap widens to Charles Leclerc and Sainz joins either Red Bull for Sauber/Audi.
2023 SEASON THOUGHTS
Best rookie season in a long time, possibly since his teammate came into F1. But even then Piastri’s first effort was probably better. Helped by the incredible development of the McLaren from the British Grand Prix onwards. Outqualified Lando Norris seven times in 2023, which is about six more than most would have thought going into the season. Took a Sprint Race win, and secured first podiums of a career that looks like it is going to be long and prosperous. Showed a coolness and lack of emotion you’d expect from a Finnish driver and certainly gave the finger to Alpine following their driver retention strategy in 2022.
2023 STATS
No driver improved more than Oscar Piastri from Round 10 onwards in terms of the final qualifying time compared to pole position. Piastri’s % from pole improved from 101.83% to 100.80%.
2024 PROSPECTS
A couple of race day podiums and another sprint race win Will secure a first pole position at some stage too.
2023 SEASON THOUGHTS
Often dragged the Williams to places in qualifying that were hard to believe, in fact Albon was there or thereabouts in a lot of qualifying and free practice sessions. Albon thrashed his teammate in qualifying by an invincible 22-0 and his seven Q3 visits feels like more than the combined total for Williams in the last decade. Races often didn’t go as good, but he’s certainly did himself no harm with his tremendous 2023 campaign.
2023 STATS
Was 9th quickest overall by average position in 2023 for all Q1 sessions.
2024 PROSPECTS
A better car in 2025 if he repeats his 2024 form. A front row start and/or a sneaky podium in the right circumstances in 2024 with Williams.
2023 SEASON THOUGHTS
Glimpses of real speed mixed with mistakes sums up George Russell’s season. A solid 11-11 H2H in qualifying is a very good effort against a driver of the calibre of Lewis Hamilton. And was more than a match for his multiple World Champion teammate from race to race but was too inconsistent on race day.
2023 STATS
George Russell and Charles Leclerc were the only two drivers to make it to Q3 in every race after the summer break.
2024 PROSPECTS
A few podiums, the occasional crash, and no wins.
2023 SEASON THOUGHTS
You call us mad for having Liam Lawson this high on our 2023 Driver Ratings list, but we were seriously impressed. Lawson has been good in F2 without being a superstar, so expectations were reasonably low when he was drafted in last minute at the Dutch Grand Prix. But his five-race stint gave the Alpha Tauri team and drivers something to think about. Scored points in his third race and finished 11th twice and beat Yuki Tsunoda in races four times. Deserves more, but at least with Red Bull he has a chance to taken over a sacked driver’s seat at some stage next season.
2023 STATS
Liam Lawson’s average final qualifying position (14.2) for his five race stint was higher than five other drivers. And only just short of Daniel Ricciardo’s for the 2023 season (14.0)
2024 PROSPECTS
Hope he likes the F1 simulator. A frustrating year of waiting for when Red Bull sack a driver.
2023 SEASON THOUGHTS
A very solid season from Yuki Tsunoda who remained the constant in the Alpha Tauri team where the second seat was more a revolving door. Beat his teammate in 16 of the 22 races this season but spent the first half of the season thrashing Nyck de Vries. Showed real glimpses of speed in a car that was among the slowest for most of the season. And blew up deluxe over the radio from time to time this season which always ticks a box for us.
2023 STATS
Did 1,224 laps in Free Practice this season, five fewer than the overall distance leader – Valtteri Bottas.
2024 PROSPECTS
A tough year with a beaming Daniel Ricciardo as his intra-team yardstick for the entire season.
2023 SEASON THOUGHTS
Sergio Perez’s season was like a chocolates….melted away as soon as the hotter months came. Yes it’s pretty tough to award a driver a rank of 12th best driver for the season when they won two races, but Perez had one of the best Formula One cars in the history of the sport and bog ordinary at times. Qualifying has never been a strength, but Perez’s qualifying was terrible at times, and this eventually led to poor results as he was caught up in midfield moments. On the occasion he stormed through the field he got praise, but we think that was generous, because he should have plonked that car in second on the grid at least in many, many races.
2023 STATS
Perez’s average final grid slot from Round 6 onwards was 10.2, which out him behind both Ferraris, Mercedes, McLarens and Fernando Alonso.
2024 PROSPECTS
Probably sacked after the Monaco Grand Prix as 2024 starts like 2023 finished off.
2023 SEASON THOUGHTS
There was talk that Pierre Gasly was going to replace Daniel Ricciardo as the Netflix Drive to Survive man of interest. Sadly, Pierre Gasly is a better driver than he is an interesting one. Like his teammate and team, there was a heady mix of good, bad and ugly in 2023, with the one podium. Placed just ahead of his teammate in our ranking because we like him slightly more.
2023 STATS
Between Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon an Alpine qualified 12th nine times in 2023.
2024 PROSPECTS
Thrash his teammate in qualifying and score tow podiums.
2023 SEASON THOUGHTS
Great effort at the Monaco Grand Prix to secure a podium, but 2023 was a mix of speed and ordinary weekends. Rated behind his teammate only because we like Gasly slightly more.
2023 STATS
Had the most DNFs this season with seven.
2024 PROSPECTS
Drive the occasional good race but can see an early season clash between teammates derailing his season.
2023 SEASON THOUGHTS
Just great to have one of F1’s great personalities back on the grid, but was his comeback a success? Hard to say. The injury sustained at the Dutch Grand Prix hurt the return to F1 when he missed five races. His Mexican Grand Prix was sensational and showed some of his speed from back in the day, but a few of the GPs were pretty ordinary too. Good enough for now, but certainly not enough to be bashing down the door at Red Bull for the top drive. Yet. But still great to have him back.
2023 STATS
Daniel Ricciardo gained a place on the first lap just once in 2023.
2024 PROSPECTS
As much as we would love to see it, just can’t see him doing enough to get that Red Bull drive he covets. That doesn’t mean there won’t be the odd sensational race in 2024.
2023 SEASON THOUGHTS
Had to check he was in the races at times. Not terrible but almost invisible for many races.
2023 STAT
Valtteri Bottas had the lowest net loss of positions from grid to end of first lap of all the drivers this season. He lost at least one place from his starting grid slot 12 times from 22 races this season.
2024 PROSPECTS
Almost as invisible as 2023.
2023 SEASON THOUGHTS
The Hulk produced some great qualifying moments in 2023 including a second on the grid, impressing many in his comeback season, including Red Bull’s Helmut Marko who remarked that a good hybrid F1 driver would be Nico Hulkenberg in qualifying and Sergio Perez in the race. Just a shame that the Haas was poor on race day. And ripped off at the Australian Grand Prix where he should have got a first ever podium.
2024 PROSPECTS
A wet pole position and a few more points.
2023 SEASON THOUGHTS
Looked like he wanted to be anywhere else at times. But did look speedy from time to time with some good point scoring drives to end the year. But ultimately overshadowed by the rejuvenated Fernando Alonso, which is no shame really.
2023 STAT
Lance Stroll had the highest net gain for grid position to end of first lap position this season with 35 places gained. He gained at least one place 16 times in 2023. Lance Stroll also made the biggest improvement for % with Pole Position from 2022 to 2023, with an improvement of 1.33%.
2024 PROSPECTS
Ask his dad. Can see him calling it quits at the end of 2024.
2023 SEASON THOUGHTS
The occasional glimpse of speed where the car and conditions allow saw Magnussen make Q3 three times, but the Haas wasn’t great on race day, and with a much stronger teammate in 2023 had a quieter season than the year before.
2024 PROSPECTS
Last season in F1.
2023 SEASON THOUGHTS
F1’s most unseen, obscure driver of the 2023 season.
2024 PROSPECTS
Replaced at season’s end by an Audi aligned up-and-comer.
2023 SEASON THOUGHTS
Although he was a rookie and excuses can be made, it wasn’t a great season for the American.
2023 STATS
Logan Sargeant qualified 20th eight times in 2023 and the bottom three slots 14 times.
2024 PROSPECTS
Sacked before British Grand Prix.
2023 SEASON THOUGHTS
The only driver who failed to score a point this season and the only driver sacked.
2023 STATS
Every driver except Nyck de Vries made it to Q3 at least once in 2023.
2024 PROSPECTS
Probably wins Le Mans or something good. Still a good driver and rebounding Red Bull drivers have done well in recent years.
The football is coming thick and fast with almost too much to keep up with. And talking of thick and fast here our 2023-24 Premier League Week 16 Predictions + Stats Summary for the midweek and beyond.
Each week we provide a meandering look into the upcoming round of Premier League football, with not only our predictions for the upcoming Premier League fixtures but offer up a wide range of H2H and in-season stats and barely interesting facts.
There’s so much to go through we can barely contain it to just one long page, but it’s worth it for our Premier League Week 16 Predictions plus all the stats.
2023-24 Premier League Week 16 Fixtures
2023-24 Premier League Week 16 Predictions
Here are our fearless predictions for the fixtures ahead, and tune in below for all the stats and barely interesting stats that go along with them.
Crystal Palace 0 Liverpool 3
Brighton 1 Burnley 1
Man Utd 2 Bournemouth 1
Sheffield Utd 1 Brentford 1
Wolves 2 Nott’m Forest 0
Aston Villa 2 Arsenal 1
Luton 0 Man City 3
Fulham 2 West Ham 2
Everton 2 Cheslea 1
Tottenham 1 Newcastle 2
Read on for the match by match full preview and stats.
Season Progress: 48% – 66/140 – Correct Scores – 5
A quick look at the current state of play in the Premier League.
2023-24 English Premier League Week 16 Best Stats
Here are some of our favourite stats from the match H2H stats below. But read on for ore….
Liverpool (W8 D1) are unbeaten in their last nine trips to Crystal Palace. It is W10 D2 to Liverpool in the last ten clashes at either ground.
The home side has won just once in the last 12 games in Brighton v Burnley clashes. Burnley (W2 D3) are actually unbeaten in their last five trips to Brighton.
Man Utd (W9 D1) have never lost to Bournemouth at home.
Sheffield United have broken through the 40 goals conceded barrier. They are on track to concede more than 100 goals this season.
Wolves (W4 D2) are unbeaten in their last six games at Sheffield Utd.
They say there can only be winners and losers in sport, but of course they’re wrong, there’s always the draw, and who doesn’t love a draw where everyone wins. Those winners include canny punters who look for value, and here to help is our Best of World Football Draws Tips for the week.
Each week during the football season our resident football draw expert Frankington Stanley runs his keen eye over the many football divisions around the world to find the best draws for you. He’s sort of like the John West of Football draws.
Frankington Stanley is not fussy, no country or continent is out of bounds, and the more obscure the better. And some of them are quite obscure. They don’t even feature on the Who Scored website.
So get yourself ready for another weekly serving of the finest Football Draw tips from all over the world, where The Gurgler and Frankington Stanley take the stale out of stalemate. It’s all you can eat draws.
December 8-11 Best of World Football Draws Tips of the Week
All odds courtesy of Sportsbet
DRAW OF THE WEEK
Here is the best of the best draw tips for the week.
Belgian Second Division – Club Brugge B v Anderlecht B
ODDS – DRAW $3.40
FORM / STATS – They may be B sides in the second division in Belgium, but this is an A Grade game for a draw. Three of the last four games between these sides ended in a draw. All score draws for those who love a draw and a goal, or two. And for good measure, Club Brugge B drew their last game at home.
Turkish 1 Lig – Genclerbirligi v Goztepe
ODDS – DRAW $3.00
FORM / STATS – Two games ago these teams fought out a 0-0 draw, which may be of little interest to either sets of fans but is maximum interest for draw fans. Genclerbirligi’s recent form gives confidence of a stalemate this weekend. They have drawn four of their past five in the league and drawn three of their last four at home. Goztepe may not have the draws on the board this season – one each home and away in seven matches, but they have only conceded three goals in all their away games this season.
Hungary NBII League – Tiszakecske v Kozarmisleny
ODDS – DRAW $3.25
FORM / STATS – The last time these teams met at Tiszakecske it ended up in a draw. So that box is ticked nicely. 50% of Tiszakecske’s home games have ended in a draw too.
Polish – GKS Jastrzebie v KKS Kalisz
ODDS – DRAW $3.25
FORM / STATS – GKS Jastrzebie drew at home three games ago. Which means our draw draft is off to a slow start. And GKS Jastrzebie had their last draw 4 games ago. So not much draw form but the odds say draw.
UK DRAW SPECIAL OF THE WEEK
With so many divisions, there should be so many draws to choose from. Frankington Stanley chooses his draw from any and every division in the UK.
National League South – Taunton Town v Farnborough
ODDS – DRAW $3.25
FORM / STATS – So no draw in the last six meetings between these sides, but never fear, the draw is lurking in each team’s form. Taunton Town have drawn two of their last four home games and Farnborough have drawn four of their 10 away games this season. Looking deeper than just the league Taunton Town have drawn three of their last four in all competitions.
BIG FIVE LEAGUE DRAW SPECIAL OF THE WEEK
Some have accused us of picking easy leagues for our draws. First of all, how dare you, secondly we introduce of Big Five League draw of the week, where we scan the five biggest leagues in Europe for the finest draws. It could be Serie A, La Liga, Bundesliga, Ligue 1 or the Premier League, but what it will always be is a quality eye for a draw.
Serie A – Salernitana v Bologna
ODDS – DRAW $3.25
FORM / STATS – Bologna were included in the Big Five League Draw of the Week last week, and they duly saluted with a solid 1-1 draw with Lecce away. That made it six draws out of seven away games this season so far. So why wouldn’t we stick with them. This week they play Salernitana who have a modest three draws from seven home games this season but are dead last on the overall Serie A ladder so might settle for a draw.
Good news too, that the last three games between Salernitana and Bologna ended in a draw. What more do you need or want?
It’s time to go a little midweek with an assortment of Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday games to sample. And talking of Happy Days here our 2023-24 Premier League Week 15 Predictions + Stats Summary for the midweek and beyond.
Each week and midweek we provide a meandering look into the upcoming round of Premier League football, with not only our predictions for the upcoming Premier League fixtures but offer up a wide range of H2H and in-season stats and barely interesting facts.
There’s so much to go through we can barely contain it to just one long page, but it’s worth it for our Premier League Week 15 Predictions plus all the stats.
2023-24 Premier League Week 15 Fixtures
2023-24 Premier League Week 15 Predictions
Here are our fearless predictions for the fixtures ahead, and tune in below for all the stats and barely interesting stats that go along with them.
Wolves 1 Burnley 1
Luton 1 Arsenal 1
Sheffield Utd 0 Liverpool 2
Crystal Palace 0 Bournemouth 2
Brighton 1 Brentford 2
Fulham 3 Nott’m Forest 0
Aston Villa 2 Man City 1
Man Utd 0 Chelsea 0
Everton 1 Newcastle 1
Spurs 3 West Ham 1
Read on for the match by match full preview and stats.
Season Progress: 48% – 62/130 – Correct Scores – 3
A quick look at the current state of play in the Premier League.
2023-24 English Premier League Week 15 Best Stats
Here are some of our favourite stats from the match H2H stats below. But read on for ore….
Burnley (W3 D4) are unbeaten in their last seven games v Wolves. Wolves are unbeaten in five Tuesday games v Burnley (W4 D1).
The only two sides not to beat a side from the middle eight team of the table (at time of fixture) are Burnley and Wolves. Burnley’s L7 D1 is the worst of the records.
Arsenal have won both of their away games v bottom six sides this season (at time of fixture) and haven’t conceded.
** But Luton won the last fixture between these sides at Luton and in fact Luton are unbeaten in their last ten home games v Arsenal (W5 D5).
Liverpool have won the last five matches v Sheffield Utd and have conceded just one goal in that run.
Sheffield Utd have lost 3/3 v top six sides and 4/4 v big six clubs this season.
Crystal Palace (W5 D1) are unbeaten in six games v Bournemouth.
The last Crystal Palace v Bournemouth game on a Wednesday was in 1954.
Brighton (W2 D1) are one of five teams who are still undefeated v middle eight sides (at time of fixture).
Fulham (W2 D1) are unbeaten v Sheffield United on a Wednesday.
Fulham are one of only five teams with a 100% record v bottom six sides this season.
Aston Villa and Liverpool are the only sides left with a 100% record at home. That’s 13 in a row if you count the seven games EPL winning streak at home from last season too.
Only Aston Villa and Wolves have won two games v top six sides this season.
Manchester City are unbeaten v Aston Villa in 12 games, with Aston Villa’s last win coming in 2013 City have also won nine midweek games in a row v Aston Villa whose last midweek win came in 2000.
Five of the last six league games between Man Utd and Chelsea have ended in a draw.
Chelsea (W1 D3) are one of three teams who remain unbeaten v London sides. Arsenal and Spurs the others.
** Man Utd have won just one of 14 home games v Chelsea on a Wednesday. There have been 10 draws in that 14 game run.
** Manchester United are the only team not to draw a game this season in the Premier League.
Two of the teams playing on Thursday – West Ham and Everton – were the only teams not to win on a Tuesday to Thursday last season.
Newcastle have won five of their last six v Everton in the league.
2022-23 English Premier League Previous Season Stats
A quick look at last season’s efforts for midweek games.
Despite what our 2023 Jerk of the Year voting says, 2023 hasn’t been all doom and gloom and so The Gurgler is fighting through the cynicism it so regularly swims in to celebrate the good and the great of the year that was with our 2023 Gurgler Person of the Year.
The Gurgler’s 2023 Person of the Year isn’t your usual list of celebrities or person that have necessarily done anything outstanding. They have simply provided a cut of jib that we like, and who doesn’t like a good jib or cut.
Determining 2023’s The Gurgler’s Person of the Year is down to the readers of The Gurgler to decide. Yes that means you. Of course you got no say in who you are able to vote for, but that’s like any government election full of polished turds. But The Gurgler’s Person of the Year are hardly polished turds, in fact they are solid gold.
So…..
#VoteEarlyVoteOften
VOTE NOW – The Gurgler’s 2023 Person of the Year
There’s only one way to determine The Gurgler’s Person of the Year for 2023 – your vote.
Vote for one, vote for two, vote for them all, there’s no upper limit. They all deserve to win and now you can deliver.
If you missed it or don’t care, it’s your loss truly. Not Jarno Trulli.
Mr Maximo and his European Cricket Championships bring joy to those looking for good, honest sporting enjoyment every September and that joyous month is enough to not only get a nomination for Gurgler 2023 Person of the Year but to lead off the list.
And while there were a lot of great redemption stories, or career breakout moments, nothing caught The Gurgler’s attention like Ray Stone.
Not that Ray Stone seems to like attention. In fact, he’s a footballer in the Dallas Johnson style of looking like he hates everything and everyone on the rugby league field.
Ray Stone certainly lived up to his surname with rock-like defense and rolling boulder-like charges at the opposition in attack.
Normally a player like that would go under the radar, but not for Ray Stone who became a cult hero with Dolphins fans and admirers alike. And of course us.
Sporting Mascots give so much yet ask so little. That little is usually “please don’t punch or kick us” which isn’t always obeyed. Especially by children.
Although, two or more sporting mascots punching on is possibly one of the funniest things that happens at a sporting event.
Whether a sporting mascot can do gymnastics, annoy opposition players, or has a kindergarten level of mischief, they are often the real stars of a sporting contest. Or at least a welcome distraction.
So for their generosity it’s only fair to attempt to give them the credit they deserve.
After leaving McLaren and Formula 1 with his tail between his legs to a degree after one of the worst seasons in recent years, we thought the beaming smile of Daniel Ricciardo was lost forever.
But 2023 saw the Australian stay in the scene as Red Bull reserve driver, and the smile slowly returned.
But then halfway through the season he got the call up to drive the Alpha Tauri and the beaming smile was back.
Sure his broken hand delayed his comeback season, and fellow Australian Oscar Piastri starred, but there’s just something about Daniel Ricciardo that makes him extremely likeable, and a nomination for Gurgler Person of the Year for 2023.
Big Ange is a winner. He wins stuff, and people love him.
Of course he arrived at Tottenham with loads of doubters, like he did at Celtic and probably everywhere he coached before, and three Manager of the Months later, and so many eye-catching results he is one of the most talked about people in the Premier League.
A real winner, and a solid nomination for Gurgler 2023 Person of the Year.
PAUL BURT
Paul Burt’s relentless enthusiasm is a real welcome in a world where anyone involved in news seems to be hell-bent or obliged to be negative.
Sure his job of weekend weather person is pretty good, but few do it better. Actually, we’ll say none.
But there’s more to him than just a live cross in front of a bridge, he has his own show, and even earlier this year left a broadcast to help save someone from potentially drowning on a Gold Coast beach. What more do you want from a Gurgler 2023 Person of the Year nomination.
If Paul Burt is nominated for his enthusiasm for life, then one must include TV’s happiest person in Costa Georgiadis.
Any interview at anytime shows a man who simply loves doing what he does. He looks like he’d do it all for free. And he probably would.
While gardening is a bit like watching grass grow, Costa tries his best to bring the art to many households across Australia, like kids, bored 20 something adults and baby boomers who own those white metal table and chairs that sit in the garden waiting for a cup of tea and no chat.
Best F1 commentator going around, and his grid walks which mixes awkwardness, entertainment and the odd barge in the way have become a legendary must-watch.
The Big Show certainly put on one when he scored 200 on basically one leg v Afghanistan in the Cricket World Cup. That’s after breaking the record for fastest World Cup century earlier in the tournament.
Enough for us, Person of the Year nomination sorted.
After so many years of mediocrity, Ipswich Towns fans like us have something to cheer for.
Out of the third division and the promotion to the second tier Championship hasn’t slowed them down. They are second in the Championship now and looking the goods to be a Premier League side next season.
2023 is coming to an end it’s time to name and shame the year’s worst people and things, and time to vote on who was The Gurgler’s 2023 Jerk of the Year.
War, Weather, Politics Internationally, Politics within your own workplace, cost of living, and many other things were awful things to come out of 2023, and in most cases, all the years previously too. We used to do this month, but the increased level of jerkdom around the world made it too depressing to do monthly.
But these things and people all have one thing in common, they have been a jerk sometime or all the time in 2023, and we need to name and shame the worst.
Determining 2023’s biggest jerk is ultimately up to you, the reader of this website. So read the form guide and vote now. Feel free to vote early and vote often. For as many of the candidates whose cut of jib you dislike.
The 2023 Jerk of the Year “winner” needs to be decided and you hold the power. So…..
#VoteEarlyVoteOften
VOTE NOW – The Gurgler’s 2023 Jerk of the Year
There’s only one way to determine the biggest jerk for 2023 – your vote.
Vote for one, vote for two, vote for them all, there’s no upper limit. They’ve asked for it and now you can deliver.
An evil overlord who has presided over the downfall of the great state of Utopia and ruled with a snarl and scant respect for his subjects from afar, rarely visiting the land he rules over. Respected only by the Rung tribe in the highlands through necessity and fear, his disregard for the common people of Utopia through complete arrogance has led to a ground swell of dislike for the pseudo-dictator. Thankfully for the people of Utopia he will step aside as the constitution of Utopia demands but will no doubt spruik his supposed great deeds during his time to go and ruin another empire. Meanwhile, the loyal subjects of Utopia remain with low morale and need to pick up the pieces of his disastrous rule.
Peddlers of hate across Australia masquerading as a 24 Hour News Hour.. Have copied the formula from Fox News in the USA, which is never a good thing. Essentially a 24 Hour advertorial channel for conservative politics. Brainwashed the regional places in Australia with their free offering.
FREE-TO-AIR TV NEWS
We shouldn’t just pick on Sky News, all TV news is awful. The shift from reporting news to pushing agendas is almost complete to the stage where TV news will become as irrelevant as newspapers in Australia. The lowest common denominator bar has been set low and Free-To-Air News is tunnelling under it. The coverage of the Australian Voice referendum was the final straw.
MICROSOFT EXCEL
For the automatic adding of Quarter to every date-based pivot table.
A good example of no matter how much technology you have, if you are useless, then you are still useless. The NRL’s Bunker is guaranteed to ruin one rugby league game every couple of weeks, The Bunker is a constant source of annoyance and frustration for all rugby league. Over to football and VAR is another sporting killjoy that turns millimetres into misery. Worse still, VAR has taken away the joy of when a goal is scored fans are not as sure whether to cheer or not these days. And of course they don’t get it right all the time either – with Spurs v Liverpool in mind. Then onto Formula 1 and the stewards taking laps off drivers for going too far across a line, often minutes after it happens, or penalties are applied after race has finished. No matter the sport, video refereeing doesn’t make the sport better.
Politics in just about every country has got so bad with the constant one side or the other mentality meaning normal debate and views of the quiet people are rarely heard.
The ultimate jerk birds. Sure Magpies swoop and cause temporary menace in the leafy surrounds of Australia, by the Myna bird is by far a bigger jerk in the bird world. They are the cane toad of the trees.
PEOPLE
No matter what you’re doing in life, you’ll come across people, and they can be such jerks. Be it just a little lack of courtesy when you do something thoughtful onto full ignorance and beyond, people will ensure they get in the way or annoy the good people of the world, especially the ones washing their cars on their lunch breaks.
