Hello everyone and thanks for another barrage of messages following Chelsea’s loss to Everton at Goodison on Saturday.
It’s all good. Despite being properly pissed off, I take the banter on the chin. I’d give the same.
In fact, watching Spurs throw away all three points at Selhurst Park to a late Crystal Palace equaliser and a very average-looking Liverpool dropping points at Fulham made me feel a whole lot better.
The Scousers have now dropped 11 points after 12 games this season, having only dropped 15 in the whole of their title winning campaign last year.
Anyway, just as well, as it was my anniversary on Sunday and going out for dinner with the missus would have been dampened by my spirit.
But hey. That’s how it goes, as they say “you win some you lose some”.
There was, however, a couple of things that made losing to the Toffees a bit different.
One, I’ve just got so used to the Blues not losing (we were unbeaten in 17). And secondly, where the f*** did that performance come from?
OK, on another day the two shots that hit the woodwork might have gone in. We really lost to a poor goalkeeping blunder. But looking at it objectively, Chelsea were lacking that intensity that has taken us from a shaky start to the season to one of the best sides in England.
Why I’m scratching my head is that Frank Lampard made nine changes midweek last week in a Champions League fixture that had no relevance – saving his first-choice 11 in large for the weekend trip to Goodison Park.
Why did they look like they were playing at 70 percent? It was horrible, not that feeling of 2005, or 2006 when you just knew we’d win whether we went 1-0 down or not.
It was a feeling I’d started to get used to following an ever improving campaign.
But reality hits, you delve back into the subconscious and reiterate to yourself exactly what you’ve been preaching since the £200m splashing, that is... this won’t be Lampard’s year, that’s coming next season!
My feeling is that strategically, we may have save the energy for Molineux. But, of course, with a squad that boasts depth (barring the injured wingers) that philosophy should never come into play.
There are a few really tasty games this week, not least Liverpool v Spurs tomorrow night.
That’ll provide Jose Mourinho with a proper test to see where he’s at now that the season seems to have settled into its rhythm.
Then on Thursday night (and they need to start getting used to it again) Man Utd travel to Sheffield United.
It’s a BIG one, ok, the Blades have only got one point this season, but United’s luck might just be up for this one. I know you’re all rolling your eyes and saying to yourselves “what k@k is he on about again?” But seriously, I think it’ll be closer than you think.
While I’m on United… I’m looking at what’s going on with Paul Pogba with real distaste. I’m a big fan of his from a footballing perspective. All United fans who say he’s rubbish have never actually watched him to see what level he’s really at.
Yes, he’s put in too many bad performances and appears to want out, but that doesn’t make him a bad player. With his head in the right place (at the right club with the right manager) he’s a world beater.
I could only wish he comes to the Bridge.
As for his agent. Well… can anyone out there name me a scrupulous one? An agent who doesn’t put money first?
They’re about as common as a dodo. I don’t know the figures, but let’s conservatively say an agent is on 15 percent of a deal.
If the Pog can be sold for £100m, that’s £15m in the bank (or should I rather say R300m) to make my point.
Of course, the agent wants him to move on.
Despite Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s support and positive words about the kid, it does look like he’s gonna be on the road, definitely at the end of the season (if not January).
It’ll be a huge loss. My prediction is that Ole will be out at the end of the campaign, someone like Mauricio Pochettino will come in, make changes, buy the right players and provide the sort of environment Pogba would thrive in.
Ladies and gents, this Covid-19 second wave thing ain’t no joke. The amount of people I know who have it or have had it is scary.
We have to do the little we can and not wait until it kills someone close. Keep your distance, stay masked up and wash dem handies.
*The Beautiful Game, is on hold on Monday’s but catch Nick on Heart 104.9FM on Wednesday’s at 3.30pm. You can also follow Nick on Twitter @thehonestnick, e-mail: [email protected] and Facebook: nick.feinberg.
BELOW AVERAGE: Liverpool drew