Like money? Want some more?

Then bet everything you have on this man winning every player of the year award available at the end of the season. I hate Unireh, but after tonight’s display against City and after all his efforts thus far this season you’d have to hate football to not love watching this chubby git play the game.

Gary Neville’s still a tosspot though.

JJ, ODF

Dear Carlos Tevez

Shut up you spanner!

Bounce, bounce, bounce… it’s the weekend!

Alright folks,

First there’s an A Team trailer; then there’s confirmation that the bloke who directed the first two Ghostbusters is coming back for the third instalment (Rick Moranis is too by the way… I know you were wondering) and then to boot, Fat Sam is in crisis at Blackburn. This week has had its fair share of ups.

But what about Liverpool you might ask? Considering my mood often directly relates to their results, considering how woeful the other night was against Reading and how Torres is out for six weeks, Yossi for four and Gerrard for two, not to mention the fact that the club still pays Ryan Babel’s wages. How can I feel okay after that? Well, after the lows that have been coming all season long this ranks as a mere four out of ten in the footballing pain stakes nowadays.

So, onwards and upwards and here’s a quick blast of predictions for Saturday’s games.

Chelsea v Sunderpants: I’ll plump for 1-0 Chelsea here, while there’s a part of me that’s hoping Guus Hiddink is there to get Roman Abramovich’s blessing to manage Liverpool, which is apparently (well according to a few English rags) needed before he can declare interest in the Anfield job.

Everton v Man City: Regular readers and listeners to the glory days of the pod will know there’s something about David Moyes I don’t like but up until now I couldn’t put my finger on it. Work rate, that’s what it is. The man demands it of his team and looks like a workaholic himself. I just can’t relate to it (he wrote, opening up a can of Arthur). I can see Moyes’ side causing a small upset here and getting the better of City 2-1.

Man U v Burnley: So very easy for Unireh. Plus they have the added bonus of revenge against a side that beat them earlier this year. I’ll go for a Rooney hat trick with three Evra assists. That would be just Fantasy League-tastic. 4-0 (with Evra getting one himself).

Pompey v Brum: A set of new owners worked out well for Birmingham while the guy who bought Portsmouth seems to have only invested around £35 in the club and that’s what it cost to get an extra large jersey for the fat git. However, Birmingham’s great run has to end somewhere and all the bizarre logic that rules football points to a home win. I’ll say 2-0 with the away side never getting out of first gear.

Stoke v Pool: Ah… Christ… Can they not leave this game for a few weeks? Any chance of more snow? A flash flood? A shower of toads? No? Ah well… actually I won’t even depress myself by writing down that Stoke will win, I’ll just trudge to the pub in the morning and hope for the best for Rafa’s misfits.

Spurs v Hull: I can’t see Hull keeping a clean sheet and as I can’t see them scoring more than one themselves there’s little or no chance of them repeating lat year’s win in North London. Easy enough 3-1 for the home side then.

Wolves v Wigan: Who knows. Let’s just play that A-Team trailer again.

Have a good one,

JJ, ODF

Reading and Ryan Babel

I’m currently watching Liverpool labouring towards yet another footballing disaster against Reading. Just thought I’d point out that if Pool get any sort of offer for the man pictured above they should take it.

They should take it and run, and when the suspicion hits that the buyers may have figured out that he has very little idea how to run with the ball and not fall over… run some more.

And as I write Shane Long just scored. Christ what a season. His first for 15 games. Of course it is.

That is all, JJ

Better with age?

Howdy folks,

As Man City ran rings around Blackburn last night the depth of their squad was well in evidence. No Ireland, no Adebayor, no Lescott, no Toure, and no real problems getting past Fat Sam’s army of the utterly average. Amongst all their buys in the last 18 months though if there’s one sulky git who may well be able to unravel everything then it’s the large, moody presence of Paddy Vieira.

This is the man remember who gave Thierry Henry a first hand crash course in dressing room mood-swings.

Now that he’s finally got his chance to return to football in Good Old Blighty (what what what), there has to be some questions asked of the reasoning behind the richest club in the world’s decision to bring in a 33 year-old who, while he no doubt carved out a frankly brilliant few years on the domestic front in Italy, is more than likely well past his best.


That best was six years ago, in the middle of Arsenal’s unbeaten season in the Premier League. Man City’s reasoning is that quality is quality I suppose and that there will be times when he can add a touch of class to City’s midfield against the weaker sides. Also in the ‘plus column’ is his knowledge of former Inter manager Roberto Mancini meaning he may well be a good man to get the manager’s ideas across on the pitch.

Vieira himself has said that he headed to City because of a desire to get back into the French squad before the World Cup comes around and while money was obviously a factor too, his stated aim to get to the World Cup could see City weakened in vital games. Indeed the idea that he can come straight into the team perhaps shows that he still sees City through the eyes of a man who never perceived them as a title threat in his Arsenal days.

If Mancini lines up against Chelsea, Man United or Arsenal with Vieira in his team most top class midfields should outmuscle and outrun him these days. Sacrificing a good midfield combination of Ireland and Barry seems a little odd too (when both are fit obviously), with the latter especially good at doing the running of two men in most games.

There’s something about the Vieira deal that gives me the impression that it won’t last beyond the end of the season too, when more new recruits will no doubt saunter over to City. The Frenchman becoming a weak link in the midfield might mean however that those new recruits for next season line up without a trophy at their feet or possible a Champions League place to look forward too.

Another reason that City’s season is the most interesting in the Premier League this season. Plus it gives an excuse to show this again…

Later folks, JJ