You've Come a Long Way, Baby!

photo by Joost J. Bakker IJmuiden	via PhotoRee

A few things I noticed on an EPL Super Sunday that would have been better off billing itself as "Sleepy Sunday":


o Two years ago Norwich City was playing the likes of Colchester United in the First Division, and yesterday they were unlucky not to take all three points from Stoke City in the big leagues.  You've come a long way, baby.

o Wow!  Someone spent some money on the Molineux in the off season. Last year the turf looked like a goat patch, and this season it looks like the Emirates. Kudos to the shepherds... err, I mean groundskeepers.

o Matt Jarvis doesn't look like a prototypical EPL winger. He's kind of short and stubby, actually. He does wear his socks up over his knees, though, almost as if he's Spanish, and he repeatedly gets the job done: a goal and an assist to show for his efforts yesterday. What in the world was I thinking when I transfered him out of my Fantasy team.....?.

o And speaking of Fantasy Football mistakes, why in the world did I bury Richie De Laet on my bench?  The once and future Man United man -- on loan to Norwich City this season -- had a nice glancing header to give his side a deserved first half lead. He almost grabbed another four points for the shutout, as well, before a late late Kenwyne Jones stoppage time header denied him a fantasy four and his real life team two very costly points. Some amount of blame has to be laid at the feet of referee Neil Swarbrick, who blew the major call in the game and forced the home side to play a majority of the second half with only ten men.


o Wolves' Stephen Hunt has a bit of the Mad Professor look about him, disheveled hair blowing in the wind. Reminds me of Christopher Lloyd playing "Doc" Emmet Brown in Back to the Future.....

o By the way, congrats to the management of Man City: I love the look of your new away uniforms. It appears that even those in charge at Eastlands have come to accept that Manchester is indeed Red!

o And while I'm on the subject of City, I hate to say it, but they looked ominously good at times yesterday, especially over the first 60 minutes of the match. Last week it was Kun Aguero stealing the spotlight, this week it was Edin Dzeko playing the Trotters off the pitch. If Dzeko keeps this up, City will have an interesting mix of strength and finesse to level at the League's other sides. 

o And while the team on the pitch was beating Bolton, City's bench looked as if they were attending a funeral. You just have to know that Carlos Tevez, Mario Balotelli and Adam Johnson were not enjoying the performances of their fellow teammates. I've said it before and it bears repeating: Mancini's biggest issue this season will be keeping all his massive egos happy.



This is farlieonfootie for August 22.