Strange Days

Firstly, RIP Malcolm Allison, a coach who was decades ahead of his time. What would England give for someone of his vision right now?
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"Ever get the feeling you've been conned"


Phew! Having just suffered through 94 minutes of the Mersey derby, which I have to say we won quite easily against the poorest Liverpool team in my lifetime, although that doesn't make watching it any less nerve wracking, a cursory glance at the Premier League table shows the closest start to a season for years. It's just a shame my team are not involved at the business end despite pundits and fans alike predicting they would be before the start of the season. You never know, an unlikely but not impossible win at Spurs next weekend will put us right back up there - you can but dream.

Before today's game against Blackpool, Man City are one of four teams on 14 points, five adrift of leaders Chelsea. The way it's shaping up it looks like an early tussle for top spot will develop between Chelsea and Man City, as the Sky Blues look like the only team capable of being consistent enough to catch the West Londoners. I can see both these clubs pulling away from the rest. Money doesn't talk, it screams.
Of the other three on 14 points, Arsenal have already displayed their customary flakiness on more than one occasion and I can't see them improving on last year's third position. Man Utd without an in form Rooney show flashes of their normal pizzazz, but also show prolonged bouts of ordinariness. All their big name players, Rooney apart, are getting very long in the tooth and they appear to be a team in decline, and with a Damoclean Liverpool financial meltdown scenario hanging over them into the bargain. Then we come to Spurs, who on current evidence are the only one of the "other three" in the ascendancy. Many thought (me included) that they would find the league hard going after the midweek Champions League games, but so far this has not been borne out on the field. I only hope it changes next Saturday!
Expect the battle for 3rd down to 7th to be very close, with Aston Villa and hopefully Everton joining in the tussle.
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I fear for the Cobblers in League 2 after Saturday's farcical result. At home, 3-0 up and cruising at half time against the then and still bottom Hereford, they somehow contrived to lose the game 4-3! Bloody hell, that's shockingly bad. Northampton Town now stand one point above the relegation places. Next season may well see three Northants teams in the Blue Square Bet Premier (or whatever it will be called next time).
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Quote of the day - the Sky commentator at today's Mersey derby:
"Sammy Lee, from a long line of Liverpool in-breds"
That expalins why his eyes are so close together....
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Is it just me, or is Steven Gerrard PIG UGLY?
Au revoir................