The ennui is almost overpowering, so I need an international break to recharge my faded batteries. After losing to Ipswich (which BFS noted was a disappointment), I wondered at my air of resignation. After all, we had a whole game at home and didn't manage a shot, and in the ninetieth minute we failed to mark at a corner, either for the cross or the midfield player to whom the ball eventually fell. Now while Kevin Nolan is a pointer and gesticulator in the Ian Bishop class (and a real leader of men according to one of The Pornographers), that didn't translate into doing the marking. But hey, it's another lesson to be learned.
Which we hadn't, apparently, four days later when we went away to Crystal Palace. Since the last time we played them, at the Millennium Stadium we managed to let the barrage balloon in waiting that was Neil Shipperley score to put Palace and not us into the Premiership Promised Land (from whence Iain Dowie led them at the end of the following season, never yet to return), this could have been a grudge match if anybody could be arsed. But nobody could be, as was obvious from the 'defending' that BFS castigated. Well, you trains 'em Big Boy. And at least we came back for a draw.
But we're ten games into the season and doing OK. Unbeaten away from home, but at home as safe at the back as a seven year old left alone with Gary Glitter. In (almost) a quarter of the season we're nicely tucked into fourth place and only two points of BFS's magic figure of two points a game. If only you could get two points a game instead of none, one or three .... The defence, apart from the time between the 85th and the 95th minute, has seemed to be more secure than for some time with two centre halves who can head it and tackle and two full backs who mark the wide men and tuck in when necessary. BFS did the necessary in replacing Ilunga (now gone on loan to Doncaster) and realising Faubert was only ever a faux full-back. The midfield has not looked terribly secure without the Superman (and how Spurs fans suddenly appreciate him) and while Lansbury is class, Bentley, so far, is dross. Faubert is a better midfield player than he is full-back, but that's not high praise, Taylor is variable and Jack not yet getting a run to prove his worth. Despite the grumbles of home fans who don't readily appreciate one of their own, Mark Noble remains dependable. If Nolan performed as well as he struts he'd be some player.
But we're still lightweight up front. Carlton Cole has high balls played up to him and Carew gets them played into the channels when he replaces Cole. You'd almost think Carlton couldn't run and Carew couldn't jump. One of those things is true. Baldock it's too early to judge and Piquionne's best days are way behind.
So, all-in-all we've not done bad to be where we are. BFS says the team will get better over the next ten games, and then better again. I hope so. I'm enduring the Championship but not liking it.
And I could do without The Pornographers and Lord Sugar's Suck-up dreaming up the publicity stunt of suggesting King Carlos comes back on loan. It only reminds me what we're missing. If it wound Neil Warnock up again, it might be worth it. But after losing a derby 6-0, wind-up might be unnecessary to make him self-combust. You can but hope.
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