good position to kick on from

here's where the season really starts imo.

10-15 games in and the table shows some form and shape. the xmas period will be crucial if we are to keep in the top 4.

i know dopeman has criticised our less than blistering start(Boro etc) but personally i'd rather we gather momentum as the season continues than open up guns blazing only to fade away into the winter. who was it who said it's a marathon and not a sprint? well, there's a long way to go.

lets hope the japan jaunt doesn't interfere too much, i've been putting off checking what happened to manure went they went to south america for their shot at the WCC. of course that wouldn't really reveal too much anyway. we're the inform side atm and despite what people say about us only playing and beating the minnows of the league you can't do much more than beat comprehensively what is put in front of you and see off the in form sides home or away.

kudos to rafa as he has instilled some sense of urgency and a great work ethic in the squad. how far we will go in this league remains to be seen but ATM all i can say is that we have put ourselves in a good position as of today.

every point is crucial from now on(otherwise we undo all the hard work) so right now i will say draws vs scum,arse and chavski away would be acceptable. Looking a what bolton have done to arse today i think it's crucial we go there(reebok) and mix it with them, i'd say arsenal are one of the least capable sides of doing this or least willing to do this now vieira has gone.

the post match comments from mick mcCarthy on weds were great to hear, despite SAFC being one of the weakest sides in this league, he said he was in awe of the workrate right up to the final whistle of the whole team.

this more than any other single factor has produced this run of results. we are not barcelona, arsenal,lyon(!!) if anything we resemble chelsea for sheer work ethic, not particularly pretty but effective and efficient as can be. I'd like to say ruthless as well but the strikers are far from in full flow.(we haven't got a single player in the top 15 goal scorers in the league but have scored more than twice as many goals as manure at home) we have the same GD as arsenal. we've also had some great fortune at home, cisses free kick, cisses fluke cross and crouch's opening fluke today for example but that's part of football.

Pope won't like it too much but i'm sure he's got a bit of a smile on his ugly kipper that we are gathering some real form in the league.

-- "i'm just a soul whose intentions are good, Oh Lord, please don't let me be misunderstood"