Getting Used to the Losing End

Man Utd 3 Aston Villa 1
Southampton 2 Liverpool 0

Both "my" teams lost this weekend. I think I may just have to disown them. Just kidding. Supporting a soccer team seems to be mysteriously uncorrelated to their performance. I know they are hopeless, but I still root for them whenever they play. If Mourinho takes over at the helm of either team, that may just be the deal breaker!

And two weeks in a row, Man Utd has defeated a team I support. I am getting quite philosophical about Man Utd nowadays; don't seem to harbour as much dislike for them (actually, it was mainly Fergie and Keane that I have found off-putting in recent times). Jose Mourinho has inherited the mantle of 'person I can least stand in the Premiership'. In fact, he has done it so successfully, there isn't much hate left to shower on anyone else!

Realistically, Liverpool won't be able to finish any higher than 5th of 6th. Everton has been losing lately, but so has Liverpool (and loosing to Burnley was not morale boosting at all). Champion's League football may not be on the cards next year unless they miraculously win it this year. I think it may be a good thing for them to have a quieter international calendar and focus on gaining some consistency in their Premiership form.

As for Aston Villa, erratic results so far this season makes it hard to predict if they can pull off an UEFA Cup place. I actually think they are playing better this season than last year, although the results don't always show it. Solano's been a good signing although his temper seems to be a worry on occasion. I do think the glory years of Villa in the mid to late 1990s are well in the past. I remember fondly the team that could dream of challenging Man Utd for the title, and which spent some time at the top of the table. With the current cash-tight club finances, Villa simply does not have the financial clout to get the star signings. Until it can do this, a top 4 finish will be nothing more than a pipe dream.

Which brings me to musing about what makes winning teams. Chelsea is running away with the title and it's a team full of expensive signings. The second and third placed teams are bursting at the brim with internationals and stars. Is it possible to win the Premiership with a combination of decent talent, good coaching and disciplined hard work? I think not, anymore. Neither is it enough to have one blindingly bright spark. Collective individual flair will make the difference in a game otherwise characterised by hard hustling and busy bustling. Winning teams are those with the skill to slow down and find space amidst the usually hectic pace of English football. And truth be told, only the present top 3 can truly lay claim to this distinction. Other teams, like Liverpool, may be lavishly talented, but unable to harness that talent within the context of an organic team. And Villa, the big club with a small club budget, can hold their heads up high that they are competitive with the big guns.