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Project restart

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It is at this time of year that I'm normally unboxing a new [bigger] telly, dragging the sofa to within a metre of it and pulling the ring on a can of lager, ready to settle down for a month of the Euros or World Cup.

This realisation struck me this morning, just as I kick off another day of home nursery, on the dawn of Project Restart. My beloved Villa have bookended the footballing lockdown. We were the last game played before it [getting panned horibly by Leicester] and will be the first game played after it - against Sheffield United tonight. They (Sheffield) are, according to some accounts, the most fit, hungry and prepared team in the league. Typical. 

I am a muddle of emotions about this whole return. I think it is too soon. I think it sends the wrong message about social distancing and the virus. I wish the season had been scrapped entirely, voided, and thus Villa saved from relagation. I dislike the advantage the 5-sub rule will inevitably offer to the ultra rich clubs with deep squads. I think football is about the fans and empty stadia is a complete nonsense. 

Yet with all this said, I am SO EXCITED, thrilled it is back, glad the league can finish and Liverpool lift the title they deserve, love the positive message this sends about life slowly getting back to normal, and can't wait to see a few of our youngsters make the matchday squad and get game time. 

But most of all - and this is the realisation I had whilst washing up the cheerios bowls this morning - we've essentially, by stealth, just introduced an additional summer of tournament football; and with it we now have a third branch in the Wonderland series (to go with Stevey and Birchy's World Cup Wonderland and Stevey and Birchy's Euro Wonderland).

Ladies and Gentlemen, I bring you Stevey and Birchy's Premier League Wonderland.

As ever it might just be me writing, but I have excitedly messaged and invited Steve just now (before realising it is 4am in the States - sorry about this if I woke you Steve). I expect we'll be able to offer some lazy opinion about the Premier League season, the league in general, Corona and the tricky navigation of the ever competing responsibilities of fatherhood, summer and 4-8 hrs of football on telly each day.

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