Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Ryan Giggs: Missing you already... - PremCorrespondent

No meaningful football for almost two weeks! This must be the longest break since the big freeze of 1963, when your correspondent was obliged to light bonfires on the pitch to thaw the ground - in April! Undersoil heating has put a stop to that (and promoted the global warming that means that undersoil heating isn't necessary after all). So, with England qualified for the World Cup and very few people caring much about how the Scots, Irish (x2) and Welsh manage to fail this time round, the maw that is the football media needed something to fill it until the team news starts filtering through on October 16. So it's a big thanks to Sir Alex Ferguson, whose criticism of referee Alan Wiley's fitness has given everyone something to be sanctimonious about until "Rooney - injury scare?" takes over next week. Is there no end to this Scotsman's commitment to English football?

The games themselves. Portsmouth found a new owner, a win and a referee who was the only person in Molineux who failed to see a blatant penalty box handball. Wolves will have their chance to avenge that injustice next season - in the Championship. In the other Saturday games, Hull got a much needed win over Wigan, not that it'll keep them in the Premier League and Burnley got their usual home win, this time over Birmingham, whose Sebastian Larsson failed even to raise his arm after scoring in the last minute proving again that a "consolation goal" should be called a "no consolation goal" (as we all know). And Manchester United were behind for all but 15 minutes of their home game to Sunderland, but still salvaged a point, which either shows great self-belief or an unhealthy reliance on an absent 36 year-old. Tottenham either got a good point at Bolton or surrendered two vital points - being Tottenham, we just don't know and probably never will.

Come Sunday, Arsenal took turns to shoot the ball into the net against Blackburn with six of the youngsters getting to run around looking smug - especially Bendtner - but you don't win trophies by letting goals in at home, as Arsene has proved for years now. The two Blackburn goals told more than Arsenal's six about where they will finish in May. Everton and Fulham eked out post-Europa League draws, as the fixture burden stymies any chance they have of kicking on from last year's high placings, whilst Stoke consolidated admirable mid-tableness and West Ham wait for their season to start. The big one saw Chelsea's huge beasts run over a Liverpool XI that had Lucas in centre-midfield and therefore will never win anything of substance. Monday finished off football for a yawning eternity with little to separate Villa and Citeh, as, indeed, there will be at the end of the season.

Man of the Weekend was the fourth official at Old Trafford, who failed either to deck Sir Alex or to laugh at his antics. Win of the Weekend's was Chelsea's, showing that last week's defeat was a blip and that they are back on track for what should be a comfortable Title. Loss of the Weekend was Ryan Giggs - he is needed to provide elegance and dignity to his league and club, both of which lack those qualities without him. I'm off to hibernate.


9 comments:

guitou said...

Nice comeback premco , yes for Chelsea they look scary good, double yes for Gibbs the last of the greats, as for Arsenal ,I am tempted for a may be yes, may be no.
I think It seems a little too harsh to ignore their potential or to speculate about their chances based on 2 goals conceded by a rookie n° 3 on the Roster-So far they scored more goals than the other teams and the 10 goals against, are less than Tottenham or Liverpool have.Not to mention they play the most fluid football in the league-
To be honest, I am more concerned that much sooner than later we will have to go to the Pub on
Saturday bringingour lap top with us to watch a football game-

Unknown said...

I'll have you know Lucas is the youngest man ever to win player of the season in Brazil.

I expect great things from him, and probably leagues - if not on Merseyside.

munni said...

Disclaimer: I didn't see ANY football this weekend*, so the rest of you may know something I don't know. (*I did, however, score a hat-trick and an own goal at five a side).

I can't see Chelsea winning the league. They're formidable of course, but I think we've already seen the best of them - they won't be getting better than they already are, at any rate.

Man United, hmm. Don't know if that self-belief is a strength or a weakness. Sir Alex seems worried already, and he ought to know. Can't disagree about Giggs though, he is one of the best.

offsideintahiti said...

Believe it or not, the game selected for broadcasting by French satellite TV this weekend was Burnley - Birmingham.

I wasn't too excited at first, but then I got caught up in it. The very English looking ground, the first half of 100 mph pinball (I don't recall a third pass from either team), Lee Bowyer's snot and open goal miss...

I enjoyed it immensely, in a perverse kind of way.

mimi said...

Giggs, naturally is Welsh and so a druid. Drinking the blood of pigeons and other game birds keeps him sweet and young.

munni said...

Alright, I've just watched Chelsea-Liverpool and I have to concede Chelsea had a terrific second half. But, I also think the ref was a tiny but generous to them.

mimi said...

there are problems so ...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_u-Ka4E7k8&feature=related

mimi said...

Shine?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyqgjCKm9nQ

mimi said...

It's going to be bright. Arsene is accused of being old. Fergie even more. Blimey, what you are to be fun? And Blimey, why not have the F1 thing I sent to Ebren?
Weierd that.

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