As with my last post, it's more about wee thoughts at the moment than big ones. So here we go...
Which Special One do Manchester United go for?
Any doubts over who should replace Sir Alex Ferguson when the old bugger finally fossilizes should have been dispelled at last at Stamford Bridge last week - for Jose Mourinho once more proved that he can walk the walk as well as talk the talk. He may talk a lot of rubbish...entertaining rubbish, mind you...but Mr. Special One is also, along with Guus Hiddink, one of the most astute tactical managers out there. Who else would play three strikers, plus Wesley Sneijder, in an away game against Chelsea? But Jose gambled it would stop Chelsea's full-backs getting forward, and left them more narrow than the gap between my buttocks. He might just have shown the world how to defeat the diamond midfield. If Manchester United are to continue their incredible era of success, he is the man.
Or so it seemed till 48 hours later, when Fulham gubbed Juventus. Yes, I know Juve are hardly the team of the old days, when Zidane was playing for them, but you expected the football universe to implode with shock.
That's harsh though, particularly because Fulham have come on leaps and bounds in the last 2 years. Thanks to Roy Hodgson. The Cottagers were destined for relegation when he arrived; now they are Europa League quarter-finalists. Another man who knows that tactics are not a sort of mint, Hodgson has managed to get consistency and quality from guys like Danny Murphy, Paul Konchesky and Damien Duff, who seemed washed-up and past their best when they arrived. He has made some great signings, like Brede Hangeland and Mark Schwarzer, without breaking the bank. And, most incredibly, he has made Bobby Zamora good. Jesus might have been able to turn water into wine, but do you really think He could have turned Zamora into a goalscorer?
Hodgson might not be a candidate for Old Trafford, possibly because he is not a fashionable name, but also possibly because he could be Capello's successor in the England hotseat. If Mourinho is The Special One, then Hodgson is the special one, understated, quiet, but increasingly appreciated.
How on earth do you lose to nine men?
The League Cup Final certainly didn't go to script. St. Mirren were supposed to be the plucky underdogs who would put up a determined fight, only to crumble to a second half goal, inevitably scored by Kris Boyd. Isn't that how it always happened?
Ironically, the Buddies were a better team when it was eleven v eleven, and didn't seem to know what to do against nine. It was as if their Christmas had come early, but they had forgotten the presents, and were so embarrassed they went to pieces.
I'm sorry, but it's not hard. You keep your two wide midfielders on the touchline and stretch it as much as possible. Then you stick it in the box as much as possible. Instead of telling his players to do this, Gus McPherson's tactical instructions seemed to be "you are two men up, so now piddle yourselves with fear". I don't care if it's Rangers, St. Mirren have blown the most golden opportunity and their players will regret it for ever and ever. With the club's league form already halfway down the toilet, this sort of bodyblow might send them over the edge; eleventh at the time of writing, I will not be overly surprised if St. Mirren and their anti-football (not as anti- as Hamilton's, but pretty anti-) end up relegated, and Gus ends up in the job centre.
Talking of job centres...
Jocky Scott will be heading for one on Monday morning. As soon as I heard of Dundee's hammering to Airdrie United, I thought it was likely that the trigger might be pulled on him. On the outside, sacking him whilst top of the league seems bizarre, but Dundee have completely cracked and have a tough run-in, plus there is no team spirit left at Dens Park. If he had stayed, one of the other teams would have been promoted.
That said, his replacement seems set to be Ian McCall, who has not eactly achieved wonders at Partick this season. So Inverness, Ross County and Dunfermline (who have slipped, almost unnoticed, into this title race) will still be licking their chops at the prospect of a very close finish.
Arsenal grinding their way towards the title
Arsenal aren't supposed to have backbone.
If one of their players gets badly injured, everyone's supposed to lose their heads, and a couple of points with it. They aren't supposed to come up with two late goals and the win.
If it's 1-1 at Hull City in injury time during a must-win match at the end of the season, they are supposed to run out of imagination and toil to a draw. They aren't supposed to find a late winner.
And when they have a man sent off at half-time at home whilst one up, they are supposed to end up drawing or losing. They aren't supposed to keep out the resulting penalty, or go on to win with ease.
There's still plenty of time left in the title race in England, but Arsenal have the easier run in, and seem to be weathering their injury problems. Man Utd and Chelsea still have to play each other, and I think Chelsea still have away games at Liverpool and Tottenham too. Could this be the year they finally manage it?
Nah. I've probably just jinxed them by suggesting it.
L.
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