Donal Benson
Pensioner
A WEEKEND where a record 46 goals were scored in the Premiership highlighted for me the crazy world of football in England. When you see the last minute splurge of money in the transfer window by clubs seeking glory, you have to wonder at the logic of it all.
Since Chelsea signed Fernando Torres, I have expressed my reservations about a player who is injury-prone and only a shadow of his former self. The media hype of his debut for Chelsea was completely over the top, and it upset the rhythm of a team that was finding its feet with some good recent results. It made us change our formation, which was a huge mistake and unsettled the midfield.
Chelsea’s performance on Sunday was the worst I have seen all season. We consistently gave the ball away, and our attempts on goal were pathetic to say the least. We did not force Pepe Reina to make even one save, and Liverpool’s win was well merited. Torres’s input was non-existent, and he must have been glad to be called ashore. By the end of the game we were restricted to long balls and it became embarrassing to watch. Instead of closing the gap on Manchester United, we now find ourselves level on points with Spurs in fourth place.
The two players signed by Liverpool – Andy Carroll and Luis Suarez – were not involved, and yet they were the better team. The influence of Kenny Dalglish as manager has transformed the team and a place in Europe is very much on the cards.
As I have pointed out previously, the results each week are unpredictable. Despite their unbeaten run, Manchester United have not played well, but you would have expected them to beat Wolves, who were bottom of the table. The win was well deserved and may give Mick McCarthy the impetus to push on.
In all the results that I have ever seen, the game between Newcastle United and Arsenal produced the most amazing score-sheet . With Andy Carroll gone and Newcastle three goals down after ten minutes, you would have put your life savings (if you had any) on Arsenal to win easily. The result defies logic and only goes to show the crazy world of the Premiership. It is impossible to predict where all this will end, but all the challengers are making it easier for United. In the next month, most of the top teams will play one another, and the table then will not tell lies.
I hate to admit it, but a place in the Champions League could be all we might achieve. We seem to be pinning our hopes on winning the Champions League, but if we meet Barcelona, before the final we will come a cropper.
Today (Tuesday) Ireland play Wales in the the Aviva Stadium and I expect a very small attendance unless we give away the tickets for free. The staging of games midweek is not on any more during the recession. Most fans from the west and south of the country are trying to hold onto their jobs and cannot afford trips to Dublin except at weekends. A lot of the squad have cried off for this match which probably gives Giovanni Trapattoni the chance to look at the less well-known players.
The departure of Richard Keyes and Andy Gray from Sky is no surprise, and they join the likes of Rodney Marsh and Ron Atkinson, who suffered the same fate, albeit for different reasons. The aforementioned come from the dark ages where the role of the male in sport was sacrosanct. Those days are gone forever and no harm in that.
