Fair's fair, I didn't exactly get a clean sweep with my UEFA Cup predictions, but with the first leg down, only Deportivo & Standard Liege look dead and buried, both succumbing to shock 3-0 defeats. I'm confident that more than half my choices will prevail and even the unlikely Ukrainian treble is on - so the Editor’s assertion that I got "most of them wrong" is somewhat wide of the mark. I think he’s just bitter after recently being outed as a Mark Owen wannabe/lookalike.
Crucial game for Villa tomorrow, I really think it could make or break our season. Earlier in the campaign Chelsea humbled us at the Bridge, when it seemed the gulf in class between us and the 'Big 4' was still apparent. Times have changed and Villa now sit above the Blues in the Premiership; we also haven't lost to Chelski at home since 1999.
However, new managers tend to herald changes of fortune, especially in the short term. The new broom seems to have swept away a lot of the negativity that had been brewing amongst the squad under Scolari. If Hiddink can lead his side to victory it would take them back above Villa, and with Arsenal likely to duff Sunderland at the Emirates, our grip on a Top 4 slot would be weakened considerably. Hopefully, Martin O'Neill’s men can avoid such a demoralising blow.
I mentioned Arsenal and it seems that Andrei Arshavin is set to make his Premiership bow. The Russian would appear to be a perfect fit in the overtly meterosexual Gunners dressing room. You have "I love my pink boots" boy Bendtner, mango body butter merchant Djourou, 'doughnut party' Fabregas and now Arshavin - so whipped by his wife that he allows her to treat him like a prize poodle, with a personal stylist being flown in from St.Petersburg to crimp his barnet.
Footballers wives, eh? Who'd have them. Looks like Frank Lampard was shamed by a recent 90minutesonline article about rancid WAG's as he swiftly parted company with his moon faced latino wife, Elen Rives - although some newspapers claim it was her decision.
There was to be no claims of 'mutual termination' in the case of Michael Chopra, who was unceremoniously dumped by his wife on Facebook. The Sunderland striker considered rising above it and taking the high road, but, instead, he sought revenge by cancelling her mobile phone contract. "Pow, take that! Try calling your lawyer and getting 50% now bitch!" Chopra is alleged to have bellowed.
Still Lamps & the Chopper should look on the bright side. Their soon to be ex-wives may be ugly or bitchy, but at least they aren't actual bitches. They should spare a thought for the poor chap in India, who a couple of days ago, was betrothed to a dog.