Not Giving Up Yet

The game itself was sadly familiar fare. Like a night at your Nan’s, the day before your mates birthday party at Al’s Adventure House, it was all very reserved; mind your p’s and q’s, best behaviour, do just enough to show that you’re engaged so as not to appear rude, but not risking any wise-cracks that might put you in jeopardy for the big one. I sympathise in a way. If you strip away their status and wages, these are a group of young lads on the verge of perhaps the most glamourous night of their careers, so it’s only human that they would have an eye on tomorrow nights game when stepping out at Wigan. Who among us wouldn’t think the same? Unfortunately, with status and wages comes greater responsibility, and a level of professionalism and expectation that our chaps are just not used to. This, friends, is where our problems lie. Forget the striking debate, we’ve ample firepower to finish fourth, but that ‘winning mentality’ we all read about in the newsies and the glossies is what this lot are sadly lacking in any volume. With that in mind, like shining beacons at the DW stood the ever brilliant Modric, and young Sandro who appeared to play every minute as if it was his last. This is the stuff. It’s there, but the doses are too small. Show contextual videos of these 2 over and over until the rest of them get it. Or get that Belgian bloke who done all the studies of footballers psychological make up.

Having said all that, I’m not ready to wave the white flag of fourth position surrender just yet, despite a cringe worthy run of 3 points from games away at Blackpool, Wolves and Wigan, and a home dust up against West Ham. Compounding the gloom was City’s romp against Slumberland yesterday, a result that surprised everyone, not least their own gaffer. 6 points (effectively 7 with the GD) with a game in hand and another potential CL play-off against City at their gaff. Forget chelski. They’ve got too much to be dragged into our scrap. It’ll be an epic run in again, where we’ll slip up, but so will they. We’ll pick up points where we’re expected to drop them once more, and they won’t win every one of their remaining games. Keep the faith, faithful.

Madrid tomorrow then. Apparently Jenas is sitting next to Crouchy on the plane which means there will be ‘bants’. Marvellous.