International week is over and life returns to normal: Chelsea nine points clear after eight games, all their foreign stars flying home to their mansions and fast cars — and Bolton set to become the latest side to bow before the record-breaking £330-million army.
It makes you sick. Normally we’d talk about the league being a marathon not a sprint, but when you’ve got Chelsea’s depth, talent and money, it’s hard to see anybody coming close to matching them. And, if anyone does, they’ll buy another three or four players.
Luckily, Sepp Blatter is none too happy about all this either. The Fifa president had a right go at the Stamford Bridge billionaire-who-shall-not-be-named.
He said: ”What makes this a matter of concern is that, all too often, the source of this wealth is individuals with little or no history of interest in the game, who have happened upon football as a means of serving some hidden agendas.”
Roman Abramovich’s agenda is far from hidden. He believes that, by creating a superclub in West London, Tony Blair will never be able to extradite him from Britain if the Russians want their roubles back.
The Fifa boss talked, too, of ”semi-educated, foul-mouthed players on £100 000 a week holding clubs to ransom” — but enough of Manchester United, let’s talk about Chelsea.
What Bolton need to do this weekend is go out and batter them, not sit back and hope they don’t score too many. I don’t think Sam Allardyce is that brave, but here’s hoping. C’mon Sam!
Chelsea vs Bolton
Top versus fifth should be good stuff. But don’t hold your breath.
Verdict: Chelsea 1 Bolton 0
Reds vs Blackburn
Expect fireworks at Anfield. In fact, expect fireworks wherever Blackburn turn up these days. Anfield would be another glorious scalp for boss Mark Hughes.
Verdict: Liverpool 1 Blackburn 1
Boro vs Portsmouth
I keep suggesting Steve McClaren as the next England manager (starting tomorrow, preferably), but then his Boro are hardly setting the world alight, are they? But this one should be comfortable. Portsmouth are going down.
Verdict: Boro 3 Pompey 0
Sunderland vs Man United
Sunderland aren’t quite the push-overs they appear to be, and if Wayne Rooney and Ruud van Nistelrooy are exhausted by their international endeavours, who knows?
Verdict: Sunderland 1 Man United 1
Spurs vs Everton
Tottenham are back up above hated neighbours Arsenal and in a wonderful third position. Last season, David Moyes’s men finished fourth despite selling Wayne Rooney and Tomas Gravesen. This season, they’re paying for it. In spades.
Verdict: Spurs 3 Everton 2
West Brom vs Arsenal
I suspect Arsenal will be glad to get through the season as a top-five side, given their current squad and injury situation. West Brom will settle for survival.
Verdict: West Brom 2 Arsenal 2
Wigan vs Newcastle
If you’d told Wigan boss Paul Jewell when the season began that his side would be eighth, four points better off than Newcastle as we head into mid-November, he’d have giggled hysterically. Graeme Souness would probably have quit.
Verdict: Wigan 1 Newcastle 3
Birmingham vs Villa
Blues goalkeeper Maik Taylor is arguably the best in the Premiership at the moment and he could be the difference between the two mediocre Midlands outfits.
Verdict: Birmingham 2 Villa 1
Man City vs West Ham
These are my two favourite sides of the season so far. Both prepared to attack, both doing a lot better than expected. It’s good to see.
Verdict: Man City 2 West Ham 2
Charlton vs Fulham
Tale of two London clubs here: Charlton doing so much better than anybody expected, Fulham really starting to feel the loss of Mohamed al Fayed’s enthusiasm (and cash) this season.
Verdict: Charlton 1 Fulham 0