Apologies for missing our disappointing defeat to United last weekend. I'm going to admit I was hopeful that we'd take something from there especially after the bizarre results which included Chelsea, Tottenham and City all dropping points in games they all should have won. But in football you can't win everything and eventually something had to give just annoyingly it had to give there.
We all knew that eventually we'd overplay or it just wouldn't click or whatever. But the most important thing about losing is how we respond. In football every teams loses, it's just a fact but the best teams, the title contending teams, respond by putting in a real performance. Players have left for internationals which may or may not be at the best time following the defeat but when they return we face Southampton at Home which would normally be a match we'd expect to win. However Southampton sit 3 points behind us in 3rd which is just ridiculous and I expect they will eventually drop away but while they're playing the way they are it's dangerous.
The second best attack (due to City's 7-0) vs. the best defence in the league. Should be interesting but on our day we have more than enough to break them down with the quality we have in our ranks. Reports suggest that Walcott may be back which will give us pace down the flanks, something we have lacked in one or two games this season but how he will perform after a decent spell on the sidelines is anybody's guess. It'll be tough but first we have a number of players that need to come through internationals.
In other good news SZCZ has signed a new deal at the club and although it has not been disclosed it is a long-term one. For a goalkeeper 23 is nothing and he's career has a long way to go yet and the fact that he's happy to spend them with us is fantastic. He's had problems but as a keeper that's to be expected and he has learnt from them and become a better player because of them and being a keeper that's the most important thing. He has an advantage over his counterparts in that he might get another 17 years out of football if he has a very, very good poke and that gives him a long time to become the polished article which I think he can be.
Anyway that's about it, I'll be back Friday with all the news and build up to the Southampton game. Till then.
