Hello one and all and welcome back to the ramblings of a mad man, I mean we are all a little mad for supporting this club right? If you feel you are not… give it time, they will push you there!
Just want to say there is no real reason for that picture beyond I like seeing that guy looking all dejected and hurt, he is a good player but such an ass – one of those that I am sure you would love in your team but I cannot imagine many opposition fans liking him… especially not me, I think he is an absolute bell end, so, seeing him look all hurt at full time was lovely. Enjoy.
The international break ended and we returned to Premier league football, going into the weekend we sat bottom of the table without a win. We still do not have a win however we are not bottom now… a point away having been reduced to ten men. Decent result in the end.
In the first half I really felt I was in Groundhogs day where I watched us batter them and miss chance after chance and then in the second half when they took the lead I was CONVINCED it was in fact history repeating and we were cursed. I was annoyed and then I think that anger clearly spilled over to a few of our players as a sequence of angry challenges led to Luke Shaw running in and pushing over, with two hands to the chest, Rodridgo Bentancur, who then placed his head gently towards the English left back who dropped like he had been said hello to in Glasgow – pathetic little rat – however yes I know the rules. Red card.
For me, accepting I know the rules and this is a red card, not arguing it, it does highlight something quite dumb. Shaw ran, from distance, shoving Bentancur and sending him flying. He could be quite badly injured from that (delighted he was not, he has had terrible luck). This is not deemed aggressive, which is hilarious when you look at it compared to the push Sonny was sent off for in the past – however the fact that is a yellow, but moving your head towards your opening, not a head butt, jut moving head forward, that is a red. I mean, you cannot do that … unless you an Arsenal player of course; Gabriel most recent and big example of the exact same thing – major difference I guess is he is did it to Haaland who just stood there whereas Shaw bought the red by going down and checking his head for blood like he had been really headbutted.
I do get frustrated by these things, not because of club tribalism although that I am sure I will be accused of but because it seems mad to me. One player ran in yet the player who was pushed and reacted is always punished. Man Utd again before the break, Fernandes kicking Foden. Yellow for the violent act, red for reacting to being attacked. Very odd when you think about it.
ANYWAY… down to ten and 1-0 down I was thinking I do not know where our next point is coming from and our season could be over before it ever actually began. HOWEVER then it happened, the sort of goal I have been saying we needed for ages, Solanke especially.. one to go in just off of your ass, your hip, a shin, it doesn’t matter just as long as it goes in.
The game ended 1-1, a point to take back to N17. A point which at the time of writing this has lifted us to 18th, sadly still in the relegation zone but currently we are above Fulham and Coventry (they play Newcastle tonight).
Three points from the opening six games is not good, we need to start winning games and that will happen if we can take the chances we are creating and I do wonder if we do that finally if the confidence will allow that to build and build.
The first team squad having grabbed a leveler when down to ten men I am sure will feel that is a boost, the manager post match seemed keen to focus on that and the momentum it can give, even insisting on Bentancur red card being a potential positive as showed fight.
The team are now away in a warm weather training camp, the idea behind this is not only to escape the Autumn days in the UK but to help the team bond, De Zerbi has pointed out several times he has great players but they are yet to feel like a team.
The next game is a relegation six-pointer against Coventry. Sadly, its at a ground we have a terrible record at and so I have no idea what will happen; of course I am talking about The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
If we are to get back to better times fixing our home form has to be the main part of that and no better time to start than against Coventry next weekend. As always, COYS!
-Admin SJ
