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A glimmer of hope

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Lots to cover off since my last post as the games have been flying thick and fast these past couple of weeks. It’s hard to imagine that back then Everton were plodding along in 11th. Fast forward to today, and errr, well. Actually, it’s 11th, and smooth Italian sound bites of “safety was the priority”. Ah well. 

El Wonderlandico happened. With nothing on the game for us, I was certainly open to us slipping up against Villa to ease Birchy’s anguish. Certainly more open than the Villa forwards were apparently when 2-0 and open goals beckoned. A fitting tombstone to the game that the mostly anonymous Theo Walcott came on to replace the mostly anonymous Alex Iwobi to notch a towering header, that said as much about Everton’s recruitment policy as it did Villa’s ability to see out the game. 

At least our local rivals aren’t ridiculous world beaters. Uggh. Kudos to a great season, TAA is some player. Thankfully, Sky evaporated all of my begrudging acceptance pretty quickly by wheeling out a fawning Mrs Dalglish, John Barnes, Souness and Carra to objectively interview the team. Come on season 20/21, Letsbehavingya! 

However, beyond the mist of fireworks in L4, there’s actually a meaningful set of games remaining, and my most enjoyable game of project restart so far. Villa v Arsenal had everything, that made you feel like....wait a minute, maybe it is really back!  Villa players actually played like they realised how important the game was, Grealish actually put in a shift instead of practicing his Range Rover lockdown pirouettes in the area, Arsenal underwhelmed, Villa blew a brilliant chance for 2-0 and Pepe Reina made beautiful love with the match ball after it implausibly came back off the post 30 seconds later and Birchy picked himself off the floor. Phew...a glimmer of what the real thing should be like.

Surely Arsenal will complete project relegate Elton at the weekend. Between stealing Z cars as their walkout song, convincing us that Marco Silva was a bundle of potential and dumping on poor Nigel Pearson, I will not be upset to see Watford slip through the trapdoor. Keeping everything crossed Villa close out the season now given they’re so good at that...😬.. although West Ham should be “on the beach”....(or is the appropriate term for the current age “keeping their social distance”?).

It’s a great match up at the other end between Leicester & Man U. I think the best outcome here is a Utd win that wipes the smile off the Brodge and keeps Ole in the job for a lot longer... 

So football is back finally? And then it will be over by the weekend. And all we will have left is a helpless void of wonder as to what Arsenal squad player was starting to pack his suitcases of potential for Merseyside.....




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