So once again we can awaken on a Monday morning after a derby and smile Like every other derby, I was worried before the game that the unthinkable may happen, but as usual the lads did not let us down. Despite claims from the unwashed that we had lost our best players and our leaders, the players showed that they still have that strong will to win and a great team spirit. I accept that we did not play expansive, free flowing football, but it is early days and the new lads will take time to gel, hopefully, with the return of Marveaux and HBA we will see more creativity. Plus derby games are normally battles, very often being won by the team with the biggest hearts and strongest minds. (The phrase "feeble minded mackem" seems quite apt after Saturday) If we can now sign a decent left back and another striker, whilst keeping hold of our most influential players, we should have the makings of a pretty decent squad, and the spirit and confidence in the squad will have been bolstered by our opening two matches. (I did worry that we could have been on 0 points after 2 games) So, things are looking relatively bright in God's favourite city. However, the same cannot be said for our unhygenic neighbours! As the shadow of St. James' threatens once again to plunge them back into darkness, (someone less charitable might say that the cockroaches prefer that environment, but not I) many of the soap dodgers are already calling for the sacking of Mrs Doubtfire..........after just 2 games! I think this just proves that, like their teletubbyesque manager, their sole ambition is to beat their bigger and better neighbours, and having failed to do this yet again, the chubby loser could soon pay for this failure with his job. So onwards we go, with a tricky cup tie at Scunthorpe to look forward to. Hopefully Pardew will take the cup competitions seriously this year, as, with a decent draw and a little bit of luck, I can see us doing well in both domestic cup competitions as they are one off matches and the top 4 sides will still play weakened teams. Fulham at home will be a good test and should give us a clearer indication as to how the team is progressing. I know that they are a bit of a bogey team for us, but we need to beat these type of teams if we are going to improve on last year's league position. That's not disrespecting Fulham because I am sure that they will be a mid table team. So I am going to savour and enjoy this victory, it's been a tough summer so far, but the last 2 results make it all worthwhile.
Damn! This sobriety lark is strange. Had the hangover from hell on Sunday and a nagging wife to boot. I did lose track of time and ended up getting home at 1am instead of the promised 4pm so perhaps she had a reason for her ire. I have very little recollection after 3pm of what happened or where I went so I'm going to check my bank online and pray there are not too many payments to houses of ill repute and naked chicks on poles. Sunday began badly. I'd forgotten that I'd had 4 tonnes of slate delivered on Saturday that had to be shifted to the back garden so with a very unimpressed wife berating me I began to shift the damn rock at 8am. I threw up a few times in front of her to try and win some sympathy but it just seemed to annoy her more so I toiled away. Feeling like crap I opted for a cure and opened the first beer to keep me going. Once my alcohol levels were restored I carried on and finished 9 hours later. I expected a thank you and perhaps a little sympathy for my aching body but got none. Worth it all though. When do we play them again?
