So I’d just arrived at the bar in anticipation of some long-awaited proper football for me and a bit of egg chucking for the missus when I saw a young chap in a claret and blue shirt.
As you do, I thought I’d have a bit of friendly banter and said “I nearly told you I liked the shirt then”, thinking he was a West Ham fan. “We’ve got your lot tomorrow, haven’t we?”
To my surprise, he answered with a northern accent and proceeded to tell me they’d got Brentford.
I’d even looked at the badge on his shirt but it still took me a while to realise he was a Burnley fan.
The shirts are far too similar to me. There should be only one (ours, of course, as we all know any other claret and blue shirts are just imposters!).
We’re in Gran Canaria for a bit of sun, but it was all a bit of a letdown yesterday. I lost a tenner backing Arsenal (a holiday one-off, as I normally detest betting), England lost (not that it bothered me, but it upset the missus) and to cap it all it poured down for about an hour.It wouldn’t be so bad normally, but the bars here are not at all waterproof, which sort of destroys the “it doesn’t rain in the pub” argument. I suppose it could be a lot worse, going from what I’ve been hearing of the weather back home.
Anyway,I told Mr Burnley fan that we’d got spam tomorrow and his reply was that it should be a good game, which I thought was interesting as it obviously means we’re seen as a good watch for the neutrals.
I suppose it makes sense, as we do tend to score goals, but I wish I thought we were that good when I’m watching us.
I found the Liverpool and Arsenal games quite entertaining really, although the Preston-Milwall game that was on a different screen stood out as a real bruiser, quite reminiscent of a 70’s game.
Proper footy, where the ref just let the game flow, as opposed to Ashley Young getting a red for having his foot stamped on by Mo Salah (or at least that’s how I saw it).
I’m rattling.
Squad news and the good part (if you like the look of him, as I do) is that Nicolo Zaniolo will be available after he seemingly gave Monchi a plausible explanation about his involvement in an illegal betting scandal. Given that he was sent home by Italy, assumedly for not being in the right frame of mind, you have to wonder if Emery might think the same. I don’t think he will, personally.
Otherwise nothing has changed.
West Ham are in a reasonably good position with Full-backs Aaron Cresswell and Ben Johnson close to being fit, but probably not quite ready.
It should indeed be a decent game and it will be interesting, not least because we’ve won ten on the trot at home, something we haven’t done since 1983 while they have beaten us at home the last three times running. So one of those stats has to give.
I’ll be off back down that bar for the game and am quite looking forward to it. I might even have another conversation with the bookie’s runner. But which way to go?
A point apiece would see us move above Newcastle into 5th and Spam into 8th above Man U.
And if I do actually have a bet, I think that’s how I’ll go.
Villa 1-Spam 1
I do have a sneaky feeling though, that we will win this.
And if we do, I might just begin to believe that we’re better than I think we are.
Up the Villa!
