Brumingham Away- Some Thoughts ‘n’ ‘at

... because showing the BalNon would be, frankly, too terrifying

We enter this weekend’s fixture in various states of disrepair. Gallas and Bassong look a nailed-on centre back pairing, but with whispered reports of Daws looking sharp and ready to go, Harry may yet pull a fast one and throw him in. Good news saw The Atomic Kaboul tweet on Wednesday that he’s only out for 15 days, which by my reckoning makes him a possible for the beano to Blackpool. Another 2 weeks should see us ok in the centre back department, so attention turns to the middlers.

VdV (Breaking News!- hopefully back for Blackpool as well), Thudd, Jenas; all out with various wonk’s, and suddenly we look a bit lightweight. The ever-improving Modric will be first on the team sheet, to be partnered by, if Jenas should fail to make it, the out-of-form Wilson, or the not-quite-ready Sandro. Krankie and Bentley seem well out of favour, and Harry likes a DM away from home, so seeing either of them start would be a surprise. Hope, again, will rest of the shoulders of the dual fuelers, Bale and Lennon. Unleashing the Balnon should ensure we shall indeed pass the backline, but getting past the star of their last home showing v Chelski, Robbo lobee Ben Foster, will be the bigger challenge. Let’s hope he doesn’t have another ‘one of them days’.

2 home league defeats to Bolton and Villa in the space of 13 days was the sum total of Brum’s full surrenders at home last season. They even nabbed a point off us late doors, Liam Ridgewell in injury time I recall, after Lennon had done the same to them at our house. Only Everton have taken 3 points off them at St Andy’s this season, while Scott Dann and Roger Johnson continue to get the plaudits for some top defending. Linked to England caps and ManUre transfers nonetheless, a curse if ever there was one. Deeply unpleasant human being, Lee Bowyer, will also be one to watch for whoever plays the DM role.

Some unsavoury stuff on Wednesday night at this weekend’s coach trip destination, St Andy’s, so let’s hope it’s taken their mind off the job in hand. Midweek derbies, as we know, can either distract or galvanise, so let’s start quickly and catch them cold. It’s not against the rules for us to go a goal up, so I’m told, so why not give it a try?

Prediction: Gloves, tights and snoods aplenty, and a 1-2 victory for the Totters Hotters.

… and a final word on yesterdays farce. To paraphrase Mrs Merton: ‘’So FIFA, what first attracted you to unregulated, oil-rich, billionaire havens Russia and Qatar?’’