Better or worse than last season?

What a strange first week we’ve had. In losing to Burnley, we’ve encountered a disaster but come out the other side with more points than this stage last season. We always start slowly, don’t we? A loss to a newly promoted team at this stage isn’t the worst thing that could happen, they seem to have a knack of hitting the ground running (before spluttering out later in the campaign). The performances have been worrying at times though.

Liverpool are also having a torrid time as they were convincingly out-played by Spurs last weekend and devoid of ideas against a plucky Villa on Monday just past. Their squad really does look paper thin. If you believe some rumours, they want Michael Carrick to replace the departed Xabi Alonso. Even if the rumours are true regarding Ferguson having a bust-up with the Gatesheadian (not a word) I can’t see us selling one of our best midfielders to help a bitter rival strengthen.

The Modric rumours are equally scary. It’s cry time if we swap Carrick and money for the decidedly uninspiring little Croat. He’s no Boban. What a player he was. The 1998 World Cup was really won by Croatia, in spirit if not in reality. I never could forgive Laurent Blanc for his actions in that game. Anyhoo…

Chelsea. Ominous. Arsenal. Surprising. Spurs. Solid.

Interesting season ahead. We need to up our game massively this weekend when Arsenal roll into Manchester (as do I for my first attendance of the season) if we don’t want to be mugged in our own backyard. A draw would do the Gunners very nicely whereas I think we need a win to restore a bit of confidence that we can compete this year.

My prediction: cider on the train, cider in the street, warm Bud in OT (do they ever actually have a chance to get chilled?) and cider afterwards in a nice little pub in Manchester. TV21 makes a good venue, I find.

Berty Mee said to Matt Busby...