So here we are, the first international break, and remarkable unscathed. We could have asked for better, but let’s be thankful for what we’ve got.
It’s been a brutal introduction to the Championship, for players and fans more used to the rarefied air, glamour, glitz and the massive exposure of the top flight, oh and VAR. I can’t say we are missing that.Nobody cares about us now, eliminated from the Sky/Premier League spotlight, unless of course you count the ridiculous over-hyped build-up to that friendly little trip across the Thames at the weekend.
The Dockers Derby, but without the docks. Not sure I’ve heard it called that much these past decades. Maybe I’ve just missed it, that name, 14 years since we had to lower ourselves to visit the Lego stadium they now call the New Den. I’d actually forgotten they existed.
The media generally cotton on—apart from the BBC who ignored it in their early day bulletins. But everybody so wanted it to be a good old-fashioned punch up, they desperately wanted it all the kick-off. That was why ITV ventured into the arena surely.
And it went worldwide. Even Donald Trump’s favourite new channel, Fox, discovered a way to slag-off the Brits in their time-honoured style. They dug up footage from the dark ages, passed it off as today, and generally made it clear that this is how these English hooligans behave.
But I’m getting ahead of myself. The Championship has been fun, if you like that sort of thing. Hell, we are not even in the same competition to take the Michael out of rock-bottom Spurs, £300m spent and still only two places above us.
They have a manager who doesn’t think Matty Fernandes works hard enough—successive relegations haunt him, maybe he can make it a hat-trick? Here’s hoping. But that’s them, we’ve got lesser fish to fry.
They tell you, you have to play three games a week, well forever it seems, and everybody will be looking for your scalp. Ankles and knee caps too, if you are Millwall.
We’ve played 11 games in 43 days, lost only two and are second in the Championship. We're the nation’s top goal scorers and with a positive goal difference. Not seen one of them much over the years, have we?
Now it’s two weeks break for those not on international duty. That means you, Jarrod. At least you get the chance to watch the wife on 'Strictly' without all that pointless travelling and England training.
There are some who feel he should be in Thomas Tuchel’s squad. Never going to happen. He was left out of the World Cup because he was playing for a team in the relegation zone. He’s hardly going to be picked now he’s not even in the top flight.
Only six players from the second tier in 26 years have been selected for England. And three of them were goalkeepers—including David James. The days when Trevor Brooking was told relegation wouldn’t affect his England career are long gone. I think that train has now passed, as far as Bowen is concerned.
We have a collection of young hopefuls in various England, Danish and Bulgarian age-group squads, including four in the England Under 20s—Divine Mukasa, Fin Herrick, Ezra Mayers and Airidas Golambeckis. Edvin Austbo is with Norway’s Under 21s while Dinos Mavropanos and Mads Hermansen are with Greece and Denmark respectively.
Is it true we used to have JJ Gabriel in our academy. The over-hyped kid Manchester United are going to see stolen from them. I’d love to know how we coped with his crazy father.
Strange also that big clubs plunder youngsters from smaller clubs all the time, and moan when it happens to them. Spurs, even though not a big club, have taken four of our lads already this season.
So this international break gives Nuno Espirito Santo that chance to get Tomas Soucek fully it, and decide what to do with Soungoutou Magassa now he’s decided he does want to play for us after all, having spent most of the summer—along with Malick Diouf—saying he didn’t want to play for us in the Championship.
Diouf got his wish, but Magassa now finds midfield slots hard to come by at West Ham. Such is life, pal.
Strange though, isn’t it, that with very reasonable stats this season, Nuno still divides our fan base. Two weeks ago he heard “you’re getting sacked in the morning” coming from the underwhelmed away fans at Watford, and then is being hailed a visionary after the 6-0 slaughter of Wrexham.
The Carabao Cup defeat with Fulham followed. Where we found a side in the top flight relegation zone, could leave out nine players, and still run rings around us at times. Pace, good technique, crisp passing and movement reminded us of the world we had left behind.
And then came Millwall. A terrible first half against a side who had been warning us of mayhem all week. What did we expect? The Lions tore us apart in the opening half, we seemed totally surprised by their long throws, free-kicks and corner routines. We were bullied and battered at every turn.
It’s hard to believe we didn’t prepare for that onslaught. We got no help from Premier League referee Paul Tierney, a disgraceful performance by an official who almost contrived with the home side, and in particular letting that nasty piece of work, Jenson Metcalfe, get away with blue murder all game.
But the main reason for that first-half debacle in my eyes, was Nuno putting Arne Engels and Mukasa against three ferocious, bullying, aggressive midfielders. It’s decisions like this from Nuno that annoys many fans, his refusal to use a defensive midfielder while clinging to his 4-4-2 formation, exposing our erratic defence.
That changed at the break. Mo Kante came on to provide muscle, strength and running power in midfield which altered the game, while Pablo’s introduction at least provided graft and strength to the proceedings.
Kante’s goal was a beauty and he had little choice with the professional foul that cost him a red card. He’ll only be banned for one game, though.
Then came Mav’s customary header—that's four in five games now—and sheer mayhem in the away end. The giant Greek gets far too much criticism, I feel. Yes, he makes mistakes, but he gives everything for the cause.
Now we are in a group of eight clubs separated by four points, or a top 12 separated by six points. It’s going to be a long, tough season.
Incidentally, there were just six arrests and no bloodbath on Saturday. That suggests that we can hurl the customary abuse at each other, have a cracking day out, and everyone returns home in one piece. Fox News must be gutted.
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