Bad-Weather-Pub

Manchester City v Watford

Monday 4^th December

I am on enforced holiday this week and next but cycled down to Bayswater to do a private lesson and beat Paul at squash for a second week in a row. Got back and showered and then waited for Jun to get back from her swim, when we nipped down to the “Driver” for a meal and to watch the Hornets for the last twenty minutes of the first half projected onto a whitewashed wall on an Arabic channel with the sound down and music on. Watford had the better chances but City maintained possession better. It was 0-0 at half-time. The food was good and half-time was solely replays of highlights (no chat) but the absence of sound motivated our move down Caledonian Road to the Dun A Ri.and their big screen.

Richard Lee made an excellent double save in the second half and Shittu was making blocks Lego would be proud of. We worked hard all over the pitch, up front we had no edge though and it seemed to be a case of whacking it up field only to see it coming back again. Near the end they had a penalty shout and with our luck so far this season (“unjust” penalties at Everton and Portsmouth, a 95^th minute penalty awarded at Bolton) and Clattenburg refereeing again (Bolton match), I was nervous but nothing was given and we took a deserved point.

Sheffield United beat Charlton on Saturday and Blackburn beat Fulham, so Newcastle, 3 points above us with a game in hand, and West Ham, 4 ahead with the same amount of games played, are in 18^th and 17^th respectively. With Fulham on double the points we have, I am not sure which 3 teams could go down instead of us. One point at City, where they are unbeaten, after three defeats in a row for us, is not a bad result. Beating Reading on Saturday (they are 6^th), will help turn things around ahead of a difficult three games following that. With Young and Bouazza back and Shittu man-of-the-matching again, I am ready to believe.