Way too early. When last we discussed the footy, ManYoo were languishing in the drop zone and Florida Steve was talking about not being able to give Chelski that kind of lead. And now look at the table. After the final whistles blew on Saturday, the top four had an all-to-familiar look (albeit not in the order that many would have predicted). But then Manchester City decided it was time to recapture some of the form that took them to the top in the first couple of weeks, and Chelski were duly pushed down into 5th place.
In our last look at the table, thirteen places and five points separated Arsenal and ManYoo… now it’s just three places and two points. How did that happen? Arsenal won all their games during this period. Ah, but look closely – Arsenal have played one match less and therefore could go five points clear again. True, they have to win that game in hand. Their next match is against Derby, who with one point from five matches were starting to look like a push-over. Ironically, if Newcastle had managed to give Derby a pasting tonight then ManYoo would have been dumped out of the top four. However, spoilsports that they are, Derby somehow managed a 1-0 win. I just hope they won’t spoil my day next Saturday.
And finally, in my previous football-related post I asked “that guy who writes for the Daily Mail who reckons that Spurs will knock Arsenal out of the top four… how are you feeling about that prediction now?” – any further comments on that idea mate, or would you like to conveniently forget it ever went to print?
Oh dear Chelsea, what have you done.
I have never really been a great fan of the now “Unemployed One” but even I have to admit that he has made Chelsea one of the top teams in Europe. I am sure it will come out over the next few days whether he jumped or was pushed. Either way, the Premiership will be a poorer place without him. Will he return to the top flight of English footy… very much doubt it. There are only a few clubs in the world who can afford him and all the English ones are quite happy, thank you very much.
One man who will be waking up a worried man this morning must be the coach of Real Madrid. Given thier liking for hiring and firing, the availability of Mourinho must look like something too good to miss out on.
Finally, somebody break out the Alka Seltzer…. there must have been some serious celebrating going on at Mssr’s Ferguson, Wenger and Benitez’s home till the early hours.
@1 should make Sunday intresting, I think it will be 3 points for Man U.
Darren, Arsenal top, OK, for the moment true, but come on… nose bleed territory
reds all the way
Mourinho will be the next Arsenal manager…
@3 – Woody, you’ve never displayed a great deal of footy knowledge, and it shows here 😉
@2 – “Reds all the way”… who are you talking about? ManUre, Liverpool, Boro, Barnsley, Rotherham, Wrexham, Accrington Stanley or Darlington (away strip)?
Anyway, I hope it’s a draw – I share a similar distaste of both of them and therefore wouldn’t like to see either of them win. Having said that, the thought of ManUre lose at home is an attractive proposition.
And another thing, having finished in the top two for eight successive seasons (up until a couple of 4th places in the last two seasons) it’s hardly nosebleed territory for Arsenal. But having spent £50 million in the Summer you’d expect Moneybags Utd to do well.
3 points for Man U, but gifted to them by a horrible referee. Sure Mikel’s challenge was not pretty but never a straight red and Saha obviously spends his time off injured at RADA. The way he went down was closer to a Shakesperian death scene than it was making a meal of it.
Still, even against 10 men, Man U still made heavy work of it. I think the Gunners may have to get used to looking down from thier lofty perch.
And Jose as the next Arsenal Manager………. he should be so lucky
@4, Man Utd all the way…….. you may have finished around the top, but in the last three years how many weeks have you actually topped the table?
PS My predication was correct.
@5 – ‘Gunners may have to get used to looking down from thier lofty perch’
Let’s look again after 4 November (after you have played Liverpool and Man U)
As mighty as Derby are, you may get tougher teams 😉
As I arrived at Manchester airport last night, I was (not) amazed at how many people were wearing ManYoo shirts – and if they were flying somewhere you can assume they didn’t live in the Manchester area. And then as I drove towards St Helens a sign said “M6 Southbound congested”. That would have been all the other ManYoo fans heading home.
@6 – Richard, I’d rather support Arsenal and be 2nd, 3rd or 4th than support ManYoo. That’s all there is to it. So you can brag all you like.
“As mighty as Derby are, you may get tougher teams” – very true. However, a minimum of 3 goals a game for the last 5 games is a good trend, a trend that ManYoo haven’t achieved yet this season.
Scum U don’t even reside in Manchester. There’s only one team in Manchester, and that’s blue!!
Blue Moon rising!! Scum U are flapping. They can’t score! The Cov result was hilarious. I don’t care what people say about it only being the league cup, blah , blah. Fergie still wanted to win it, as I am sure the 60 odd thousands fans did too!
Aresenal are looking exceptional at the moment. Time will tell if they can sustain it. As much as I hate to say it, I see some silverware heading to Merseyside (not Everton)
Up the blues.
@8 – Simon… Domino man who doesn’t like ManUre. You’re welcome here. Have you seen the City of Manchester stadium piccies in the wallpaper section?
@8 & @9 Gentlemen (and I use the term loosely!!), no need to start the name calling, as for results, the 1-0 results mean 3 points.. which is good enough for me……let’s see who is top on Saturday (yes, I know Arse-nal will have games in hand, and will play on Sunday)
PS No way in this world will Liverpool will win anything this year…Mark my works!!Rich
Since I posted, Liverpool have been humbled at Home by lowly Marseille! That was a surprise! Maybe Tottenham can take advantage too! I would love to see Liverpool fail again, but their squad is looking very deep – time will tell. You don’t win the league by Chrsitmas, but you can loose it by then!
Scum U have it easy this weekend – but I wonder if Wigan can just plonk 10 men behind the ball and hold on. I keep expecting the rags to run riot over someone, but it just ain’t happening.
City should beat Middlesbrough this Sunday, so hopefully Wigan can upset Scum U and let us climb another position.
Simon it was close 😉 … what is it like in your world ! Do you visit earth much?
My “I keep expecting the rags to run riot over someone, but it just ain’t happening.” finally came true – just wish it hadn’t!
City did what they had to do too!
I would say that was very close to reality!
Both teams have relatively easy games coming up next, so I don’t see any change in the table in the next 2 weeks.
@8 We will see, now let’s see how England fair today, should be easy… I say 3-0, Wednesday will be the harder game..
Good call…….. OK now the tricky one.
I’ll go 2-1 England even on the pitch culled from the from of the local greengrocers.
@15, re the pitch your not wrong… were playing on plastic!!!!. I think it will be a 1-0 England… and the last 20mins will be nervey
From what I have seen of England recently (in both rugby and football!) I don’t think Russia will pose much of threat. Hell, two months ago, I was doubting England’s ability to even qualify. Thanks to some fortunate injuries, it looks like we have ended up with a more balanced team!
I predict a 3-1 for England – just hope that Robinson is not expected to think much or have to try to save many long shots – God help us!!
Robinson in tights, not a nice image!!