Splendid Saturday

Wow! What a phenomenal day of football it was today. I am so glad I skipped watching 'District Nine' because nothing could have compared... nothing!  I saw Sunderland-Burnley, Arsenal-Wigan Athletic and the West Ham - Liverpool games and can't pick my favourite. I loved that all the teams I was predicting would win .. won. The Burnley match was particularly satisfying because all the pundits and the bums on the street had written off Burnley. They thought Burnley had had their time in the spotlight and were now going to simply fade away. A 'pundit' actually went as far as to say that Burnley would find it very tough to win any games till after Christmas, a little unfair I thought for a team that beat Manchester United and well well well.... they beat Sunderland 3-1. So as is fair, I took my revenge and teased my friends who had ridiculed me when I had predicted a Burnley win... Oh victory is sweet! 


Saturday evening was being very good to me. I wasn't expecting much of a match at the Emirates. I thought it was an easy enough game for Arsenal but was looking forward to seeing the goals, of which I was positive there'd be plenty and as is the trend today I was right. A stunning goal by Vermaelen (and the fact that I might just have a teeny-tiny crush on him) made me wish he was a Chelsea player. Arsenal played their beautiful brand of football which like always was a pleasure to watch (Inter-Milan - Barcelona take note). Strange club Arsenal are and I am not talking about the very obvious body part fixation that they seem to have. I mean,  they have a great squad  of very talented players, a super manager, yet they almost always just fall short of that something required to win the league. Also, their highest goal scorers this season are their defenders and they hardly have a defense. Yep, they are queer but also absolutely lovable.


The saturday football excitement was now at it's peak and I was praying that the last match lived up to the expectations and that Liverpool won. I think the Stevie G and Toress partnership is an absolute joy to watch. Also I admire Liverpool FC for its history and its wonderful fans. They are infectious and before you know it, you are supporting Liverpool (except of course when they are playing Chelsea, when miraculously the same fans become quite irritating). I had predicted that West Ham would probably score a goal but never had I imagined that they would put up such a fight. The first half was like watching highlights and it left me breathless and impatient for more. It was the kind of match that makes you wish there was no half-time interval.  The Toress goals especially the one in the first half was brilliant and my favourite goal for the day and perhaps the best goal of the season(right behind the Drogba goal against Stoke City). Poor Jamie Carragher had one of his rare off days at the office but the penalty was uncalled for and according to me Diamanti did touch the ball twice. Even though West Ham played very well, I felt Liverpool deserved to be leading. The game sorta evened itself out and  a Liverpool win by one goal was a fair result of an incredibly entertaining well- fought match. I really wish Fernando(Isn't Fernando a real fun name, it simply transports you to the middle of a narrow street, with flamenco music playing in the background as you run from a charging bull and for some bizzarre reason refuse to let go of the extremely ripe red tomato! sigh... Where was I? Oh yes, I really wish Toress (no more calling him by his first name, barely survived the bull, the last time) had gotten his hatrick for old times' sake. 


It's days like today, when Chelsea aren't playing and are comfortably (and rightfully) top of the table that I realize that football is in fact relaxing. If today was any indicator, then I guess everyone should cancel everything they are doing tomorrow because missing the Manchester and the London Derbys surely can't be risked. Sunday promises to be quite a treat. I can't wait!!!

Chelsea, Yeah?

Oh what a beautiful day! Innit? Something about a weekend that fills you with positivity, even a person like me who doesn't have a regular job, looks forward to it and I have a sneaky feeling football has got everything to do with it. But today, I  think will be an exceptionally good day for I found something stellar....and God knows we, 'the mighty fans of the mighty blues', could use some positive news after that nightmare of a ban . Also, we lost Deco to injury for a week or probably more, I just couldn't take any more of the bad news so didn't read the news about his injury... only the headline and I was ready for some chocolate! (Oh boy, could I blame FIFA for the pound I put on?)
I went on a quest for positivity, and like always when you go looking for positives (or trouble), you find them. It was right there on my desktop- the fixtures list. The common perception of all the 'haters' (read people who are rooting for Chelsea to slip-up) is that Chelsea will have a tough time coping in January when our African players are off to play the 2010 African Cup of Nations. Hah! (and my sincere apologies for dashing your hopes... Not!). Here are our fixtures for January: Hull City (A), Sunderland (H), Birmingham City (H) and Burnley (A). Blimey! Surely the likes of John Terry, Frank Lampard,Michael Ballack Ashley Cole, Carvalho, Deco, Joe Cole, Nicholas Anelka must be terrified of Burnley!  Another feel-good factor in this fixture list...imagine how it must be bugging Sir Alex. Also, we are going to send Stoke packing today. Chin-up all ye Chelsea fans for its a beautiful day.

This video never fails to amuse... positivity, yeah?