He just can't get enough

Here he is, ol' Crouchy (long-running joke wherein I insist athletes who are called, affectionately, "Crouchy or the like, are actually called "Croucher" is inappropriate in this instance, though I'll stick to my guns on it in any other situation) ...

Ol' Crouchy wants that striker position for South Africa next summer. It's probably the thing he's wanted most in his professional life. The whip-cracking manager Fabio Capello is deadset on getting the team in his image. They'll behave. They'll train. They'll do things his way, dammit. They'll even ... ready for it? ... respect the team.

It's working for them so far. No one would argue that the England team are wholly unrecognizable from the one under Steve McClaren.

Still ... There's ol' Crouchy ... Sure he's training. Sure he wants in. But we are what we are, aren't we? And Crouchy ... That man needs to dance. Regardless of what he may insist. What's that they say, after all, about men over 6' 5"? I don't know either, but they must say something.

We interrupt this radio silence

Who would have thought?

I've been silent here for more than a month. It's bothered me, but then again, so has football. So has covering every inch of football. So has covering every inch of the covering of football (are you with me on that one?).

Don't get me wrong. I am in love with Arsenal's start to the year. It makes me giggle. There's a lot to be happy and proud of. To get into what has driven me to a certain level of disgust over the last several weeks will take a long time. And frankly, it's old news. No one cares. Reactionary press, managers who deserve to be dropped in the wild somewhere ... I'm a pacifist, I won't directly contribute to the violence that should be bestowed on them. Indirectly? Hey, it's not on me.

Yet who would have thought the one instance that made me stir enough to put a quarter back in the Match Pricks machine came from a comment on an article on the Internet of all places. I mean, those are generally reserved for the leeches, the bottom-feeders of society, aren't they? Not this one. Take note ... and here's the article. Yeah, sure you play to win the games. You play to eventually haul in a trophy. You play to succeed. But, aren't there levels, or degrees of success? It is, after all, a venture there to uncover happiness and joy, isn't it? As treacherous as the path may be ....

lja Albrecht wrote:

Trophies and silverware are for people who need something to waggle in front of other people's faces, be it a t work or in the boardroom.

To declare this the single goal for a club is one of the best explanations for the sad state football is in today: A reckless money-game that will one day culminate in a football-version of the the credit-crunch.
Arsenal are playing the game in all its beauty and, supported by a vast majority of their fans, have the patience to wait until their time has come - winning it with sheer talent and craftsmanship rather than buying titles like most of the others do these days. To achieve this and at the same time manage the club into financial soundness is a masterpiece. Anyone who doesn't see this either has no idea about the game or abuses it for personal/business reasons.

Voronin for Kuyt = Well, we do have that match at Chelsea on Sunday, so ...

Well, at least they have the all-white kits. If you're going to play poorly in Italy and lose, might as well look nifty while doing it.

Back of the bar is me and three Fiorentina supporters. Italian is being spoken at a rapid pace. Ominous doesn't really do justice to the tone right now.

Halftime thoughts: I can only assume Liverpool has been inflicted with some kind of grave illness/Tuscan gypsy curse.

Fiorentina is redefining attacking in space. This is brutal. What I wouldn't give for boring ol' Arbeloa, no attacking fullbacks Liverpool right now.

Carragher put more effort into the offside appeal than he did into defending that attack. Ugh.

And the commentator is taking shots at Liverpool for beating Hull. Whatever.

Is the pitch 25 yards wider? Can't believe how much space is available on these Fiorentina attacks.

Meanwhile, I've added about three of these all-white kits to my Christmas list.

Missed the start, don't know who's playing yet, sound has crapped out for a minute. Perfect.

Love the all-white Liverpool European kits.