For the record, this is the longest ever post title on the blog and as such I think it needs something to get the banter flowing because all we've got at the moment is the World Cup 2010 qualifying that really isn't as interesting and as normal, I'm not doing it in the same order as I title it.

First off is Gabby scoring the winner for England U21's yesterday against the Welsh. It was Carew like in so much that Carew scored a similar goal against Sunderland the other day - maybe having an experienced player alongside Gabby is actually going to teach him something. I didn't watch the game but when I saw the highlights and the goal went in, I jumped - it wont' be long until he is picked for the full squad.

Martin Jol is a very good manager and he's got a team, that for me, are the biggest threat to us winning this group we've found ourselves in. Ajax and Slavia Prague will be tough, no doubt, but Hamburg are the team to fear.

However, Jol seems to think we are favourites - but I guess he has to say that because it really is between them and us, however I think he is right but I also think that the Hamburg match is the match that could determine who finished top of the group, so I'll be heading out to Germany to support the team.
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Right, I really wanted a trip to Amsterdam as I hear they have some great museums worth a visit but I didn't get it. Instead I got a trip to Prague in November; anyone else going?

Right, the draw has just finsihed and we've ended up with Hamburg, Ajax, Slavia Prague and MSK Zilina. I quite fancy we'll get through that group.

Just in case you didn't know and I'll be honest I had to look up the actual loaction of MSK Zilina, here is a little information on our competion in this group.
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I'm going about this backward because my attention span at the start of this really stupid international break starts to go a little strange and relaxed, but it's important to look at yesterday for exactly what it was.

We lost to the team that is likely to win the Premier League this season with a team of players that are probably all internationals, who would probably all walk into the Aston Villa team. I don't mind losing to Chelsea, it would be losing on a regular basis to teams like Middlesbrough, Manchester City or Spurs that would worry me and I don't think that is going to happen this season.
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Most of this week I fancied we could get something out of this game because I was reading a lot of press about all these injuries Chelsea had. When I saw the team Chelsea put out I lost a bit of my confidence.

It's not that they have more heart or run harder than us, it's that they have more quality than us and today that was the difference. The Chelsea team that played today could win the league and if they play like they did in the first 45 minutes for the rest of the season, they probably will.
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I had a few bets yesterday and still have a few outstanding and I'm up, up in a very nice way, so I'm quite happy with things at the moment and really looking forward to Chelsea later. It's also Sunday, which is my favourite day of the week, so things are good.

If Arsenal had won yesterday I'd have made a further profit of £75 so it could have been a little better, but Arsenal are not the team I thought they were and for what it's worth, we could go three points ahead of them by close of business today.
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First off, it's in the Mirror; the same paper that Bill Howell works for so you can take this with whatever you want, I'll take it with a pinch of salt. The thing is, it really wouldn't surprise me.

Despite Reo-Coker so far having a great season and for me having bags of talent and most definitely one that is going to get better, he's been played out of position and with his form as of late, I wouldn't be surprised if there was some interest and he's been tapped up.
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Chelsea haven't lost at home in something like 85 matches and while I'm not going to be putting my mortgage on it, I am going to have a cheeky fiver that we do it this weekend, mostly because we've come so close the last two seasons under Martin O'Neill.

Sure, they have a new manager but it just feels like we're getting closer against Chelsea and this will be the third manager Martin O'Neill has faced at Chelsea so I think it's more about how to play against Chelsea as a team, rather than the man in charge.
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