Galacticos

 Since I last posted, a few weeks have passed, the transfer window has closed and the season has bedded in. I'm sat now, watching a certain Cristiano Ronaldo playing for Man United. Astonishing. United, for all their relative woes in the post-Ferguson era, have an unbelievable knack of signing great players in the twilight of their career. Players other teams presumably have no hope of attracting. Ibrahimovic, Cavani and now Ronaldo. He will presumably keep the shirt warm until Lewandowski decides to play a year or two at Old Trafford. 

Ronaldo's signing seems to have given United a lift, with many talking about them as title contenders. Varane helps their defence to look genuinely solid, the resurgence of Pogba (however temporary it is) alongside Fenandes makes their midfield a real threat, and Ronaldo will succeed with robotic predictability. But they don;t have great depth, and in Solsjaer they still have the Lampard effect in the management department, fond memories rather than real talent. Certainly United do not look a force to be reckoned with in my mind. Despite the good players in all departments that I listed above, they still regularly field Fred and Matic - neither of whom inspire me, and any injuries to their defenders starts to leave weak links. I expect their good start to tail off and the dissenting voices to take hold by Christmas. 

All this said though, the Premier League has something of a business-as-usual feel about it again. With crowds back in, the home advantage seems to have taken hold. The top teams seem to have found their money again, with huge amounts of money spent, and the squad depth is definitely paying off for bigger teams who can handle sporadic absences of covid victims and players missing games because of internationals and quarantine. I'm expecting a very familiar look to the top of the table with Man C, Liverpool and Chelsea fighting for the title, and Man United taking fourth. Then a small chasm to Spurs, West Ham, Leicester fighting for 5,6,7th and then the pack, including Villa, chasing down 8-12th. Norwich, Newcastle and Burnley all look like they will be in trouble. 

Villa's fortunes have been up and down. We were smashed last week by Chelsea -despite actually playing and competing really well. Yet this week to smashed Everton with some sublime second half goals; despite them having competed really well up to that point. We've endured the Argentinian international fiasco, with key players of ours missing matches and the prospect of a repeat next month which is frustrating. The idea I shared, about having international qualifiers run as an intense, tournament style format compressed into one month, is starting to look better and better; as it'd require just one set of air fares (carbon friendly), one set of covid quarantines (less impact on their club teams) and it would provide that sense of jeopardy and outcome which we all enjoy about football. FIFA, get in touch, I'll accept a six figure bonus for my 'living with the pandemic, game saving idea', thank you very much. 

I was in touch with Stevey C (Everton fan) during the Villa v Everton game yesterday and he was dismayed at the lack of James Rodriguez in their team. Not only was he left out, but they only named 8 of 9 possible subs; in what is an ultimate snub. Certainly that sort of thing would trouble me if the result was seeing Iwobi and Townsend as my attacking options. The media is all in love with Townsend after his worldie the other day, but there is little escaping from the fact he is an astondingly average premier league player. 

As I write, Ronaldo knocks in another goal - his 4th in 3 appearances for United now. 

So the league is taking shape. Relative normality is being restored, usual teams at the top, fans in the stadiums, Steve Bruce attracting the wrath of whichever poor team he is managing - and my love of football is energised as ever by a Villa win. Expect me to go quiet until we next bag a result, at which time all I will want to do is write about football.