Heart to heart

It takes a lot of discipline to blog every single day. That aint gonna happen.

I took a break and wondered whether blogging achieves anything. Then I remembered that if you influence just one person you may be that butterfly that flapped a wing that after many multiplications turned into a gale on the other side of the world.

My enthusiasm for Arsenal was renewed with the 5-1 win away at Fulham. It is funny how a big win can make a huge difference to a football fan. At the time it took us into 3rd place ahead of Tottenham, always a good thing. Unai Emery has a very difficult task building a defence from nothing as Arsene Wenger only ever cared about his creative players. I saw him take off defenders when there were obvious defensive problems and put on two forwards with the intent to score more than we were going to concede. It was a short term plan that allowed the defence to deteriorate year on year. We have good defensive midfielders now but they have to be allowed to defend.

In the Championship I am worried that the Brentford journey may be over. Dean Smith has elected to abandon the safety of Brentford for the thrills of Aston Villa and he may have arrived at the right time as Doug Ellis has just departed this world. I can see the ghost of Doug Ellis hanging on to watch a few more matches before he moves on. Dean worked wonders at Brentford but we still have Neal Maupay and the rest of the team including Alan Judge who formed a great partnership a season or two back. I must check my blog back to find out who that was.

When I look at the scores on Saturday I am so glad Arsenal produced that outstanding away performance on Sunday. Brentford were leading Leeds 1-0 but threw away the lead and drew 1-1. Southend United drew 0-0 at home to Oxford United. What a game that must have been. Exeter City drew 2-2 away to Yeovil Town. Four goals but I always find draws unsatisfactory. Sometimes I would rather lose and get angry and frustrated rather than suffer the "Meh" of a draw. Three draws from my Football League teams and I am falling asleep.

Eastleigh did me proud in the National League. This is the first season that I have followed this particular team as my choice last year, Torquay, were relegated to the National League South. I kept Weston-super-Mare as my choice at that level as I love the online presence including the teams running out before each match. Eastleigh travelled to Braintree Town and got a 2-1 win in my home county of Essex. SO, I am happy with a win for my number 1 and number 5 selections.

Weston-super-Mare, my number 6 selection played at home in the F.A.Cup and beat Coggeshall Town 1-0. This was expected and now we have to face Bath City in the fourth qualifying round. Bath City are in our league so this should be an even contest but we are at home. Maybe that match should be my introduction to the ground.

Tiverton Town, my number 7 selection were also in the F.A.Cup and drew 3-3 at home to Metropolitan Police. The replay saw the Police win 1-0 so that is the end of the Tiverton run in the F.A.Cup. "We can concentrate on the league now".

Barnstaple seem to be on a collision course with the Western League as they lost yet again at home, this time to Larkhall Athletic. This season is probably not the best one to make my maiden appearance on the terraces at the far north of my county.

Buckland Athletic, my number 9 pick, gained an away win, 3-1 at Clevedon Town. This puts us firmly mid table and likely to remain in this league for another season.

Finally, my number 10 selection, Exmouth Town, produced a comfortable 5-0 win at home to Ivybridge Town. We are now in 6th place in the league and could push for promotion by continuing to play well.

My number 11 selection, Elmore Eagles, not part of this blog, are top of the table in the South West Peninsula League Division One East. They should arrive in this blog next season and then I will have to choose between Exmouth and Elmore.

Right, I now have to watch Croatia against England in an empty stadium on TV.