NICK FEINBERG: VILLANS MADE MY WEEKEND

HELLO my good football people, I trust all is well as we get into full sunshine mode!

Look, I’m never going to deny it, I’m not a factual, subjective, highfalutin journalist. I’m a football fan. I say it as it is, like I would with you in a bar over a beer and a game. Do you know what I mean?

I’m saying that because I hate Arsenal and that’s the way it is. “Hate is a strong word Nick”. Great observation Mr unpassionate, plastic football fan. Go away. I don’t like most clubs, but the Gunners, Spurs, Manchester United, Leeds and a couple others hold a special place in my heart.

There are reasons for that, for example Chelsea hate West Ham (and vice versa), but my dad used to take me to Upton Park sometimes as a kid. As for Liverpool, I have a “political” understanding with the fan base etc.

But Arsenal sit on top of the pile. I was surrounded by them in my area in north London for my first 30 years and they were always on top, football-wise.

Okay 1970-71 the Blues had a historic season, but generally we were always in the shadow of Highbury. When Chelsea weren’t playing (and you paid a pound or two through the turnstile), I’d be in the North Bank watching some of Arsenal’s greatest years.

On top of this, there was an annual football match that took place on a field in our area… Kasrils v Feinbergs. Us Chelsea, them Arsenal, as Ronnie Kasrils was (and still is) a loyal Gooner. Thankfully, because my older brother was a pro-standard player, we’d beat them more often than not, which as we all know was generally the opposite when the real teams met! Mind you, we were always on top from a hooligan perspective. So yeah, history!

And to make a long point short. My weekend was absolutely made by Aston Villa scoring in the 95th on Saturday to end Arsenal’s unbeaten run and all of a sudden turn a very one-sided looking Premier League log into a close three-horse title affair!

It’s still so early. We’ll do a proper assessment mid-January and see what it all looks like.

It’s all gone a bit quiet in north London, AFTV is buzzing again and Manchester City look like they might just have turned a corner. I pray for Pep Guardiola. I pray that following such a dominant start followed up with constant Arsenal banter, these w*****s, despite spending over a billion pounds (R23bn) strengthening all areas of their squad to conquer the league, will fall lame again like a racehorse called Spurs running up to the last hurdle, tripping and ending up limping to the finish line.

Phew…Thanks for allowing me to unload. I don’t get too emotional these days over football, but yeah, it’s ingrained in the blood, I just can’t let it go.

Elsewhere, pre-season title favourites Liverpool are f*****g finished mate. What was that? I mean hats off to Leeds for their perseverance. They rolled Chelsea over last week, but the Scousers looked ragged. Virgil van Dijk “aura defending”? Standing off, almost twerking, in his head thinking he is on top psychologically. Nah mate, not like that anymore.

And then Mohamed Salah coming out after the game with what can only be described as a “candid” interview, throwing the club and coach under the bus in the process.

Many are accusing Salah of being an a*****e considering his form… “he doesn’t deserved to be picked, he shouldn’t complain”. I look at it another way.

In the modern world of football, like with corporate business, employees simply don’t go public regarding internal problems. I believe (as the powerful player he is) that he is setting the ball in motion to get rid of Arne Slot. I don’t think they’ll sack him mid-season (unless things get even worse). But he has lost the changing-room and once that goes, it’s usually curtains!

Meanwhile, there were some notable performances from Everton, City and Spurs at the weekend, while bumpkin billionaires Chelsea (after destroying Barcelona and looking the better side against Arsenal with 10 men) jogged through another s**t performance following Leeds, this time away at Bournemouth.

This is about the coach Enzo Maresca. Players don’t need much motivating in the Champions League against European royalty, nor against top-of-the-table London rivals, but a cold Wednesday night in Yorkshire, or a grey Saturday at a “small” seaside town needs the coach to inspire.

Should I mention Donald Trump being awarded a Fifa Peace Prize by president Gianni Infantino? What has this world come to?

Chat next week, bye bye.