Heavy Weather

Lord. It's exhausting just to read about all Liverpool had to do to survive Standard Liege today. So that makes four outings for the Reds so far, and four pretty dismal performances. Still, four good results. A funny old game, etc.

Back to School

Well, where were we then? The Eleven Devils School for Luckless, Brutal and Unskilled Defenders has been quiet indeed during the dog-days lull. Basically, I haven't been watching any football and thus found very little to say as August smoldered away, authoritarian Olympic glories and all. I don't know why the European leagues insist on starting up in August, when it would clearly behoove them to wait until September when I am ready to focus, see.

Still, it is time to grind the gears and get going for another season—not forgetting, of course, that we Americans are actually coming to the end of our stupid off-calendar championships, with MLS all a-flux (Bruce Arena's back! Columbus is still up top of the table! Excitement!) and the Portland Timbers engaged in a desperate struggle for the bottom-most First Division playoff spot. (Consider: they have won six of 25 matches and could still theoretically win the league. Genius.) Meanwhile, a couple of delightfully willful and mean-spirited goals against 'Boro have Liverpool masquerading as title-contenders, and I've got Deco on my fantasy team. Huzzah and hurrah—it's anorak time again!