Bolton v Everton

Buoyed by their result on Saturday, I expect Moyes’s men to follow it up with a win at the Reebok. Everton’s form on the road has been good this season with a 2-1-1 record, and they looked tighter at the back at the weekend, while they are boosted by the return of Tim Cahill. Bolton, however, look short of ideas up front, and any team not scoring against Spurs this season, rings the alarm bells. They are a difficult side to break down, but the Toffees can nick one and win this.

Everton to win = 9-5 @ Ladbrokes and Boylesports

Hull v Chelsea

This run has to come to an end sometime doesn’t it?… and their next two fixtures are as tough as it gets. Chelsea simply don’t lose two on the bounce nowadays and i expect them to take the 3 points here. Hull will afford them more room than Liverpool did at the weekend, and despite the Tigers winning at Arsenal and Tottenham, they were second best on the day and they will be again but the result will be different this time.

Chelsea to win = 1-2 @ Boylesport & VC Bet

Manchester United V West Ham

The Hammers arrive at Old Trafford on the back of 3 straight defeats and without their main striker in Carlton Cole. United will be looking to bounce back after dropping points at the weekend and this looks like a routine home win.

United to win 2-0 (11-2) and 3-0 (7-1) @ Boylesports, Skybet, Coral and others

Treble Chance

Everton, Chelsea, United to win = 4-1 @ Boylesports

Good Luck!

Man Utd V Celtic

Celtic are without both strikers who hold up the ball in Vennegoor of Hesselink and Samaras, while 2 of there better defenders in Hinkel and Caldwell are very doubtful. United on the other hand have all their attacking options at full fitness.

United -1 @ 4-6 Bet 365

United to Win to Nil @ 11-10 Blue Square

Chelsea v Roma

The Italians come to Stamford Bridge on the back of a 4-0 home defeat to Inter, despite the talismanic Totti returning from Injury. They are struggling in Serie A this season, currently 14th, and i don’t expect there season to turn around here. Chelsea, despite some injuries to key players, are in winning mode right now, nothing but a home win here.

Chelsea -1 @ 5-4 Bet 365

Chelsea to win to Nil @ 6-5 Paddy Power

Villareal V Aalborg

The Danes look a very weak side for Champions League standards, and don’t pose much of an attacking threat.  Villareal have 2 clean sheets (one at Old Trafford) and know that this is a must win for them if they are to progress. They have won all 3 La liga games at home, conceding once, while they also beat Celtic 1-0 last round.

Villareal -1 @ 4-6 Bet 365

Villareal to win to Nil @ 4-6 Blue Square

Treble on -1 Handicap @  5.24-1 @ Bet 365

Treble on win to nil @ 6.70-1 @ Blue Square

“Back Where We Belong”
By James Knowles

About the Book
‘Back Where We Belong’ is a supporter’s unique view of the promotion winning season of English football club Stoke City. Starting off in the depths of Austria merely to see his beloved team, James tells his account of the historic season through his eyes, ending with the celebrations of Stoke moving up to the Premier League.

Littered with memorable photographs, there are tales of meeting other supporters- some strange, some normal- goals, misses, laughs and of course, the celebrations! Getting wrapped up in the emotion, you re-live every kick of the season all over again- slowly culminating in the most important match in Stoke City?s history- Leicester City at home. Remember all the joys of invading the pitch yourself, or simply watching it on TV and read defender Andy Wilkinson?s views of what promotion meant to him. ‘Back Where We Belong’ is a must for every Stoke City supporter.

It is a season never to be forgotten so remember it in the best way possible with ‘Back Where We Belong’

Buy it here: http://www.authorhouse.co.uk/BookStore/ItemDetail~bookid~53702.aspx

 Brazil v Colombia

The Seleção were back to their attacking best on Sunday night. The combination play of Kaka, Robinho, Adriano (suspended) and Elano posed too many questions for Venezuala, and i expect the same will be true for Colombia. Despite drawing 4 matches so far, Brazil have scored 15 and conceded only 4, meaning when they win they win convincingly (5-0, 3-0, 3-0 in  3 of the 4 games). While Colombia have scored just 4 times while conceding 8, though that stat is slightly off kilter due to them losing v Chile 4-0.  A year to the date, Colombia held Brazil to a 0-0 at home, since then they have change coach and are short on confidence, while the boys from Brazil look like they are improving.

 Paraguay v Peru

On a high and top of the group the home side will be looking to cement there 1st place, knowing Argentina and Brazil are coming back to form. Peru are bottom and can’t buy a win away from home (tempting fate, i know). They are unbeaten at home with 1 win and 4 draws, but away they have lost all four by more than 2 goals (0-2, 1-5, 0-6, 0-3). Paraguay meanwhile have won 4 from 4 at home, 3 of them by a 2 goal margin (2-1, 5-1, 2-0, 2-0).

Main Bet: Handicap Double, Brazil -1.5 + Paraguay -1.5 = Roughly 5-2 with most firms

Side Bet: Brazil to win 2-0 (6-1) and Paraguay to win 2-0 (6-1) Back 2 singles and a double (49-1)

Value Bet: Pato 5-1 First goalscorer Each Way (1-2-3) - Adriano is suspended (though most bookies have him as favourite!) and Pato is most likely to get the nod ahead of Jo.

 England V Belerus

Two out of the three qualifiers have seen England drawing at half time and win at full time, but for a fortunate ricochet in Croatia it probably would be three out of three. I believe there’s still value in it at 7-2 with a number of firms.

Draw HT - Eng FT = 7-2 with Coral, Ladbrokes, Skybet, VC and Totesport

England to win 1-0 (11-2), 2-0 (11-2) with Ladbrokes

If like me, you suffer from a paranoid disposition, think the majority of newspapers have it in for Liverpool (emanating from growing up in a time when the Reds dominated), or echo thoughts of conspiracy theorists and wonder whether that whole missing piece of the jigsaw thing wasn’t just another contrived ideology by the media to keep Liverpool’s hands off what was once ‘their’ trophy, then you’ll most probably agree that our most recent tag as ‘bona fide title contenders’ is just the latest ploy to derail an unusually auspicious start to our season.

I know we are not meant to say these things as they do usually come back to haunt us, but when I examine the attributes of this current Liverpool team, I am sure that come the end of the season, if we don’t win it, we will be closer than we’ve been since that killer ‘Fever Pitch’ Michael Thomas moment, and the opposition will have to be nearly faultless to stop us fulfilling our destiny. I just hope I haven’t jinxed us.

Michael Thomas scores 'THAT' goal for Arsenal against Liverpool 1989

You see, Benitez seems to have solved the riddle which has been niggling everyone for almost twenty years, and in the process, he is liberating Liverpool FC from the shackles of such self-defeating pursuits as searching for missing links. Think how predestination kept servile Catholics in their places for hundreds of years and you’re close to discovering the crux of what has been stunting this football club since they last won the title in 1990.

What seems astonishing to me, yet so utterly ingenious at the same time, is how Benitez has allowed such contrived notions to pervade during his tenure, as though to create a smokescreen, allowing him to sedulously chip away at his master-plan. Like say, how a master conjurer uses subterfuge in his act, allowing the person who is supposed to be chopped in-two, to slip away unnoticed.

Now, it is no great secret that it takes two major things to be successful in the Premier League, however, whereas a great wad of cash is painfully obvious, the other is less so, and it’s the amalgamation of both the money and the right contingency which is a modern day requirement for all the serious challengers. Having worked all this out in his heady days at Valencia, where local heroes Canizaires, Albelda, Vicente and Mista were pivotal to his success, it is a formula Benitez is only too familiar with, and there’s evidence to suggest he’s been working towards achieving this synthesis since his arrival on Merseyside. Now the Rafalution looks to be in its final stages.

Albelda - Homegrown talent, one of two reasons for Benitez's success at Valencia

Often accused of relying too heavily on ‘Roy of the Rovers’ Gerrard, Liverpool now look like a team filled with match-winners who are adequately supported by the doggedness of Mascherano, Carragher and the steal of Skertel (prior to his injury). I just hope the latter’s injury does not prove decisive and he’s back on his feet for the business end of the season, as he has become indispensable to this new blend of worthy title contenders.

It’s funny, watching Guy Ritchie’s ‘Rocknrolla’ the other evening, bizarrely offered me an unexpected ray of optimism, when in its best moments, for which there weren’t too many (though I’d give it an entertaining ***’s), this Russian ex-military bloke who bore an uncanny resemblance to our Slovak (same difference) warhorse Skertel, wouldn’t stay down no matter what they threw at him, unremittingly chasing the cockney protagonist. I’m not sure Ritchie intended to insinuate that Eastern Europeans are like machines, or it was playing on my own scandalous prejudices (for which I sincerely apologise), but it evoked such assumptions in me and left me hopeful of Skertel’s speedy recovery.

Skertel - The Indestructible Russian (sorry, I mean Slovak)

Then there’s been the reinvigorating resurgence of the bellicose Kuyt; the growing understanding between the irrepressible Torres and the now monkeyless Robbie Keane (who has the credentials to become yet another Kop icon); and let’s not forget Steven Gerrard, the heartbeat of Rafa’s title hopefuls.

On route to approaching this threshold of building a squad that is there or thereabouts, there have arguably been three key moments for Benitez which have laid the foundations for what seems like imminent success. And I don’t mean his gargantuan achievements in Europe. His biggest achievements to date were: 

• 1) Persuading Steven Gerrard to stay at Liverpool, where he would become the lynchpin and captain of a side, which Rafa would build around him, that would be challenging for the coveted title (Thankfully Gerrard saw this his destiny and displayed venerable ambition in his decision)
• 2) Converting Jamie Carragher to centre back, where he has become one of the most revered defenders in Europe and central to this side’s cause.
• 3) And finally his unanimous public backing during the exasperating Yankee feud which must’ve give Rafa the assurances he was looking for, or he could’ve left us in limbo.

These will prove the most significant and preparatory events in Liverpool’s most serious assault on the title for decades. These three events also confirmed for Benitez, if for no one else, that everything is in place for his master plan to finally come into fruition.

His plan hasn’t been solely to emulate other successful teams in England, whose conjugations of cash injections and an insertion of talented locals coming through the ranks (though there is a lot to be said for the premise that if you have a player who supported his team since boyhood, he will work his absolute balls off to see that they win, even on freezing cold afternoons in the northeast, ahmmm…Arsenal!)led to continued success, but there has been a deliberate and sustained vision by Benitez to create a team of like-minded individuals with one team mentality.

Sammy Lee's return has given Benitez more focus

Of course, the Spaniard hasn’t always got it right and the importance of Sammy Lee’s return cannot be underestimated. Nevertheless, you have to admire Benitez for his ability to correct his own mistakes insuring nothing and no one gets in the way of his vision. Not one for sentiments, he unceremoniously gets rid of unsuitables, drops star players to the bench and changes systems if things aren’t going to plan. This is a sign of a great manager.

I think it all boils down to ambition. Much is made of Benitez the tactician, the strategist, the tinkerer, yet rarely do people commend him on his judicious insight and perspicuous talent scouting. Simon Cowell has nothing on Benitez.

He often seeks out players with an appetite for success and destiny, particularly players who want this for the team, and not for individual recognition, as an Owen or a Kewell might stand accused. Players of fortitude and burning ambitions; of immense character and desire, whom he will infuse into his formula for success of the highest order. This was integral to his achievements at Valencia and this has been key to his successes at Liverpool in Europe and in Cup competition. Now he’s achieving a level of consistency so that these methods can be applied to the league.

Now, many cite Robbie Keane’s signature, who as the song testifies (Robbie Keane - \’Fiesta\’) has always dreamed of playing for Liverpool, and that of Torres, who indubitably adds the gloss, as final pieces to a jigsaw which is nigh on completion, but for me that theory has already transpired and it is last-gasp goal hero Dirk Kuyt who best personifies what this Liverpool team is about. And his goal at City and the reaction it received from his team-mates only demonstrates further how Kuyt’s infectious spirit typifies a new found belief at the club.

Dirk Kuyt's Herculean work-rate personifies new belief at Liverpool

The only thing proving elusive to me, are those stats that tell us how far a player has ran during a game. If we had them, then I’m sure it would be much easier to fathom why this team is successful. I am in no doubt that Liverpool players, Kuyt in particular, figure high up on these tables (please enlighten us if you have access to them!), and the results would prove conclusively, that this team work their bloody socks off for the cause.

It is this importunate and ambitious character, coupled with the vision of Benitez which makes me certain that this team has what it takes. I just hope to God (cri de coeur!) this inclination materialises and Liverpool win the league, and that I haven’t just played straight into the hands of those who despise us. In Rafa we trust…

The following is a letter I wrote but never sent, to a gentleman I sat with on the 10.22 Liverpool Lime Street - Scarborough train, one Saturday last month. If you think you might know him, please add a comment below or get in touch with efp direct…

October 9^th 2008

Dear Huddersfield fan

I’m sorry to address you like that, but I never got your name. You may or may not remember our recent conversation as you travelled to Huddersfield for the match (I was on the way to York for my folks’ anniversary). Our discussion made me think, a lot, inspiring me to write this letter, and to post it on that website I was telling you about.

So, thank you.

We talked at length about many things, didn’t we - and you predicted some events which have since occurred. I was so glad to see the 3-2 victory over Northampton Town that day, especially as your parting words when you disembarked were “if they don’t win today, that’s it…” Therefore I hope you’ve made it back since, even if results haven’t been great.

So many times I’ve said the same - none more so than recently. On the way back to Liverpool the day after our acquaintance, I was embarrassed to cheer Osman’s equaliser away at Hull, as I listened to poor reception commentary whilst the train yawned its way across the Pennines. That journey was made all the tougher by having to spend at least a portion ‘enjoying’ Manchester City’s demolition of Portsmouth. Since I wrote my last article, I honestly agree with you when you say that football might have changed somewhat.

Jury's still out on Fellaini

 Like I told you, transfer deadline day was one of the strangest events of recent times. Sky Sports News was my companion for most of the day and became more and more ludicrous as the clock ticked down. Like I said, I went to sleep that night at twenty to twelve not just amazed at the goings on at Eastlands but with the genuine fear that Everton had missed their chance. When I got up the following day I was pleased we’d broken our transfer record - but for who exactly?

Having preferred a romantic meal to watching Fellaini’s apparently majestic performance at Anfield, I was more than a little dubious that Moyes had spent so much - panic on the streets of Walton, you could say. And so far, the jury’s out, though I was quite impressed with his performance and goal last weekend.

However, your Everton for relegation tip (14-1 I believe?) is looking a bit sounder after the last few weeks. Defensively questionable, things don’t exactly look set to improve given our next couple of fixtures, and without a UEFA Cup adventure to look forward to this time around, you might just have pulled off a coup.

If you recall, our discussion started with your noticing my t-shirt. Well I’ll be honest with you here, I sat opposite from you that day as I had noticed your centenary shirt and I hoped to comment on it at some point during the journey. I was a little taken aback that you thought me brave (or stupid) to be wearing such a slogan but given the behaviour of some of our fans at the derby I’d have to agree that sometimes ‘One Evertonian equals Twenty Liverpudlians’ might not be the case.

Torres proves two good in the Derby

Now I wasn’t at the derby, I was celebrating my birthday in another church witnessing a more friendly match, but from what I’ve heard and read the old ‘Murdererers’ / ‘The Baby’s Not Yours’ ad nauseum chants were resurrected, despite the plea for Merseyside to reunite in honour of Rhys Jones. When I heard about the bottle being thrown at Gerrard, I was disappointed, though not very surprised. I’ve written about all these issues, plus Torres’ claims for Footballer of the Year, before in greater detail, so will just say my lack of faith in LFC has been restored by the recent behaviour of a couple of their fans I know. Let’s leave it at that, other than to say they do look bloody impressive at the minute.

I’d also missed the admittedly exciting Standard Liege home game, my ticket went unused as more important events came to light. Given Shankly’s links to your hometown club, there’s a nice symmetry there. However, the away leg was hugely anti-climactic, and something will need to be done soon.

The Northern Landscape of Hudderfield as depicted by L.S.Lowry in 1965

I’ve been looking out for results from the Galpharm Stadium since our meeting, and have even found myself recounting your tale about that bar in Bangkok. In fact, that reminded me a little of yet another article I wrote about wearing football shirts abroad, though was much funnier. Please don’t think I’m an obsessed stalker, but there were some strange coincidences that came out of that hour and a half, and it left a lasting impression on me. Indeed, your tales of travelling also left me with a desire to see some of the world you described. India, New Orleans and those other places all sounded wonderful and inspired me to start saving up for a long-distance trip.

Meeting you also made me wish I supported someone else. Not that I regret picking Everton, you must understand, but it reignited an interest in football outside of the Premiership and Champions League and Match of the Day. Your tales of travelling that distance every other Saturday, and of discounted season tickets, and the overweight journeymen that fill the blue and white striped shirts. Other things in my little life have meant that I haven’t yet followed up this moment of inspiration, but I haven’t forgotten it. One Sunday soon, I might even get up in time to watch the Championship.

Best wishes to your family, I hope your son’s decided what he wants to do in the near future. I’ll look out for you next time I’m in your neck of the woods, when Stan Ternent’s on TV or David Unsworth misses a penalty.

Yours Sincerely

The Everton fan

Well, the column is back, and hopefully it will be here for the remainder of the season.  A multitude of time and personal circumstances, led to it being absent for the opening few months, so apologies for that.  Anyway .. enough of the chit chat, lets get stuck into this week’s international games!

Banker Bet

Germany V Russia 

What a game we have in prospect here! The Russians were the neutral’s favourites in the later stages of the Euro’s, where they won many off with their attacking brand of football, sadly they fell flat in the semi’s against the Spanish, but they showed the rest of europe they are a force. Last time out they beat Wales in Moscow 2-1, who were unlucky not to come away with a point, while the German’s showed their defence frailties in a 3-3 draw with Finland. The injured Pavlyuchenko will be replaced upfront by Pogbreynak, the Zenit forward, who scored the winner against the Welsh, while Germany have been dealt a blow with their new No 1, Robert Enke,  breaking his hand in training, so, either Rene Adler or Tim Wiese will earn their first cap in goal. With both sides looking better at going forward than defending, the preference is for goals, and while the over 2.5 market is normally the route i would take (17/20 @ Bet365), the 4-5 on both teams to score looks a better bet, as it gives you the cushion of the game throwing up a 1-1 draw.

Tip = Both teams to score 4-5 @ Bet 365

England V Kazakhstan

Last time out we were treated to the Theo show in Zagreb and that performance has the nation on the team’s side again, this has been reflected with Saturdays game being a sell out.

However, i believe a more straight forward victory will occur on Saturday, as Kazakhstan will be more or less 10 men behind the ball, in stark contrast to the Croatians who set up to win the game and were exposed through Walcotts pace getting behind the full back. His pace will be a danger no doubt, but the room will not be there this time.

Kazakhstan have lost 3-0 to Croatia (a) and suffered a 3-1 defeat to the Ukraine last time out at home, and I expect a similar scoreline here, with England looking to keep something in reserve for Wednesday’s difficult trip to Belarus.

Tip = England to win 3-0 @ 5-1 with most firms

More to follow………….

The season is in its early stages, yet already there seems to be a familiar pattern emerging. But with Manchester Utd off to a slow start, neighbours Manchester City rivalling Chelsea in the annoyingly ‘we’re richer than you’ claims, and Euro-beaters Arsenal slipping to a shock 2-1 home defeat to an audacious and plucky Hull City, it’s not one we’d envisaged.

Plucky Hull City defeat the might of Arsenal

These early season surprises provide further evidence of the increasingly fragile nature of football, reinforcing the belief that nothing can be taken for granted.

Presumably in time, these trends will inevitably alter (how long before foreign investors get bored playing around with English football clubs given the current economic climate?); nevertheless, some things in English football look less likely to change. 

But whilst the Anfield-curse threatens to thwart the career of yet another striker harnessing the burden of a lofty price-tag, it is another unsuspecting goal-threat who is grabbing all the headlines. And he’s grasping them with both hands. Yes it is highly predictable, possibly even Neanderthal - as some have suggested - but Rory Delap’s huge throw-ins are reaping havoc in the Premier League, proving unstoppable for some of the world’s top defences. It hardly seems real?

More bizarrely, the term ‘a Delap’ may even become immortalised in football folklore as many derisively call for its inclusion into the English dictionary. And they say football has become predictable.

On a more serious note, I am slightly perturbed by Stoke’s limited variation of play this season, lack of attacking guile, and our over-cautious style of football. And if we don’t address this hastily, then I’m afraid our admirable team spirit will not suffice and our stay in this prosperous division will be a sojourn one.

Rory Delap could be writing himself into Stoke City folklore

My main consternation, is soon teams will figure out a way to nullify the danger ‘a Delap’ poses (which weaker defences managed to do much earlier in the Championship), meaning Stoke City will run out of ideas, struggle despondently, and Rory Delap, God love him, will be out of a job. ‘A Delap’ therefore, may tragically become a euphemism for an entirely different act, usually done fortnightly down your local job-centre. It is a disturbing notion.

Furthermore, do we really want to get relegated known as a team who came to defend, who were never brave enough to really go for it, relying solely on long throws and set-pieces?  

Not only do I find it rather absurd to assimilate that such tactics can be adopted, in a game which has become so fast and technical, but it just seems so primitive, not to mention, extremely ugly to watch. That it has worked beautifully (!?!) up to now, the fact Greece won the Euros using similar methods, probably means most of you think I’m being extremely negative about the whole thing, yet my cynicism, I assure you, is constructive. And unless people – including Tony Pulis – step out from their comfort zones, we’ll get nowhere (please make me eat my words). 

It’s just so frustrating to watch, as I’m certain we are capable of producing some good football and this negative stifling approach is robbing us of our best opportunity of securing sustained top flight football for quarter of a century.

We don’t have to resort to route-one football, or rely heavily on suffocation tactics, and I do feel we have it in us to be more positive and progressive. We not only display a lack of confidence but we are showing a lack of ambition also. Granted, we haven’t spent the money Hull City have on certain types of players, but a more adventurous style akin to that of the Tigers is what’s needed, as we simply aren’t utilising the attacking players we have at this club.

Not only has record new signing Dave Kitson struggled - starved of any sort of service - but so too has Ricardo Fuller (our chief goal-getter last term) as he just hasn’t been provided with the kind of through-balls we know a man with his skill and pace thrives on. Ball-playing midfielder Glenn Whelan (in the form of his life for Giovanni Trappattoni’s Republic of Ireland) has rarely figured this season and provides yet another stark reminder of our manager’s over-vigilant mentality.

Glenn Whelan has become a firm favourite of Giovanni Trappatoni for Ireland

Having watched the classy Whelan in all his games for the Republic, I am shocked he isn’t a mainstay in this Stoke City team. He has a very bright future in the game and it’s players like him we should be building our team around.

As Pulis prefers to play safe, opting for physical prowess and crunching tacklers; men closer to resembling heavy-weight boxers than Premier League footballers, who attempt to strangle the life from opponents, I cannot help but feel aggrieved somewhat, and soon when all this is over, we will look back on our return to the big time with acrimony and regret. If we are to go down, we have to go down fighting.
 
There used to be a time when Stoke City widened their pitch to accommodate such greats as Sir Stan & Jimmy Greenhoff; Terry Conroy & Mark Chamberlain; and (the legend that was) Peter Hoekstra, enhancing the effectiveness of our magical wingers, which, like the oatcake, were once a staple diet for the people of the Potteries. Now the manager – judiciously it appears - has narrowed its width to maximise the carnage that ‘a Delap’ missile causes. How times have changed!

Sir Stanley Matthews 'Wing Wizard'

A recent pilgrimage to my homeland (or ‘binge’ as it’s also known) not only eliminated all lingering doubt which had surfaced about my year old (exactly to this day) emigration to Ireland, but by becoming the unsuspecting victim of a daunting scally-attack in the gloomy streets of Manchester (somehow managing to escape unscathed!), I learnt something so utterly profound and life-defining that not even a self-help book could have protruded. And somehow, it can be associated with the situation at Stoke City.

In a blink of an eye (or more aptly, the flick of a knife) my life could so easily have ended, which is not only terribly disconcerting (and raises wider issues about the increasing problem of street violence in the UK), but was also responsible for granting me some much needed perspective on a life that was beginning to pass me by.

Thereupon, I felt an overwhelming sense of responsibility to myself to make the most of my time I have left and to quench every last moment (heck, I may even start this Friday by going along to watch Galway United Vs Cork City despite my reluctance in the past). You see, I want to make the most out of my new surroundings, instead of pining to be in the Britannia, I want to appreciate everything my new environment has to offer me. I’m even lucky enough to get to see Stoke City on the Television this season and I desperately long for this to continue.

Terryland, home of Galway United where I'll be spending Friday night

I’ve begun to realise that life is short and precarious, precious and vital, and in a footballing sense, so is the Premier League. Stoke City may only get one crack at it and I would hate to see their opportunity slip by without them giving it absolutely everything.

By being negative we are cutting off our noses, by lacking adventure we are stifling our chances of survival. Maybe it’s idealism, I’m not so sure, but I want to see us play some football this season. However, if Rory Delap’s supernatural throw keeps us in this marvellous division, thus winning that place in the Oxford dictionary, then who am I to argue. Roll on Sunday.