I'll tell you what, this weekend was amazing for me.
You know what it’s like when you’re team kicks off Saturday at lunchtime and gets a result.
You just sit back and wait to see who’s gonna drop points around you!
As it happens Chelsea were the only team in London to get three points and the performance against a very plucky Crystal Palace was superb!
It’s unbelievable what Frank Lampard has brought.
Who would have thought that after getting whacked 4-0 at Old Trafford on the opening day that we’d be level second, above Manchester City and nine points clear of the fifth spot?
He’s the first coach in a long time that I feel sees the same game we all do. After a number of dodgy outings for club captain Cesar Azpilicueta on the right and Marcos Alonso on the left, he drafted in 19-year-old Reece James and Emerson, which added dynamism to what is the youngest ever Chelsea side (average age 24).
As for Christian Pulisic, what a talent! Exciting times.
The court of arbitration (CAS) will be hearing Chelsea’s appeal on the 20th of this month which could possibly result in the overturning of the two-window transfer ban. The trouble is, which part of the pitch do we need improving?
AWFUL: Unai Emery's side put on an awful performance. Picture: Luis Vieira/AP.
This weekend saw a few telling results with regard to the future of a number of coaches.
Tottenham and Arsenal were awful again and that had to be one of West Ham’s worst ever performances.
I had a wonderful Sunday morning despite a few shots at Pizza Shack on Saturday night.
Feeling a bit under the weather, I stuck a strong coffee on, scratched my nuts and sat back to enjoy Arsenal Fan TV for an extreme set of interviews even by their standard.
These same fools who have elected themselves as the Gooner mouthpiece, have succeeded in creating the negative narrative that is poisoning the club.
They were partly responsible for the outing of Arsene Wenger, now they want Unai Emery’s head.
It is quite telling that, besides Liverpool, the two North London clubs are the highest profit generating businesses in the league.
INCREDIBLE SPECTACLE: Liverpool beat Manchester City. Picture: Carl Recine/Reuters.
After the early games, a Feinberg “Soul food” spectacular and a good snooze, the alarm went off as the teams walked out to one of the best rounds of “You’ll never Walk Alone” I’ve heard in a few years. Wow, what an atmosphere and what a game.
Despite the absolutely shocking decisions that could have swung it either way (particularly the handball before Liverpool’s goal), I have to say, and I tweeted it: “You won’t find a better spectacle anywhere in the world”.
Someone responded “obviously you didn’t watch Chiefs v Pirates”, which was amazing as well, but the sheer quality of the football on show at Anfield was absolutely outstanding.
Barring John Stones, who stood out like a sore thumb, I can’t remember seeing such incredible skill in such an intense game.
While these “titanic” clashes often turn out to be stalemates, they went toe-to-toe and (despite the scoreline) matched each other to the last kick.
I guess that’s why Pep Guardiola said: “We showed why we are champions”.
Ok, bit of a strange statement off a 3-1 defeat, but had they been given the penalty they deserved to go one-up, it could quite easily have gone the other way.
As it stands, even after just 12 games, Scousers are already planning their victory parade in May.
I wouldn’t bet against it, however, a couple of bad weeks, a fixture build-up and things can change.
The two other big winners this weekend have to be Man United (they’re back!) and Leicester City.
I’ve said it before, never REALLY respected Brendan Rogers as a top TOP quality coach, but what he’s achieved so far has completely changed my opinion.
Given the resources at a “bigger” club, who knows what he’d be able to achieve?
Sadly, we hit another frikkin Fifa break but come back the following week with some proper fixtures.
West Ham and Spurs kick off the early one, Liverpool go to Palace which could be a tricky one, Man Utd are at high-flying Sheffield United and City host Chelsea to Eastlands. MASSIVE!