I have followed English football since I was in secondary school. I was even in Bolton, England. The closest I got to a football match was shopping at Tesco under the Reebok Stadium. My daughter Elaine does not follow football. She asks the odd question and get answers from me (Arsenal fan), Joshua (Chelsea fan), and Matthew(Liverpool fan). Yet she has entered the Old Trafford of the Manchester United 
Football Club and watched a football match where the host played West Ham Utd. You can call this grace! The person who worked got nothing; the one who was not even looking experienced the Old Trafford atmosphere. I sent her a terse message on her wall in her Facebook, “Dear, if you decide to become a Man Utd fan, don’t bother to come home. Love, Dad” 🙂
My daughter Elaine went to stay with my wife’s sister and husband, Amy and Mike in Bolton, England. This is the coldest in England in perhaps two decades. All of us are going to miss her but she is all wrapped up in warm comfort and care.
She will be an exchange student in the University of Manchester for a semester. How the Lord opened the way and provided the funds for her to go there is a testimony in itself. We are grateful to God for his undeserved blessings, and the
generosity of friends and family.
We were with her on skype and she looked happy and spoilt! She showed us a smart jacket and some warm turtleneck from sales there- snazzy stuff. We were happy for her and appreciated the Blyths for the love and generosity in hosting her for the period.
As all football fans know, Manchester is the home of the world’s second most famous football club: Manchester City FC. In case you wonder which is the most famous, and greatest, it is Arsenal FC. 🙂
My prediction has gone awry. In August my prediction of the English Premier League 09/10 was: first, Chelsea; second, Liverpool; third, Manchester United; and fourth, Arsenal.
My prediction of champions still look formidable: physically, technically, tactically and as a team. Best in Europe right now: Chelsea.
Liverpool has surprisingly unravelled quicker than expected. Who would have known that besides losing Alonso to Real Madrid, poor Liverpool would be hit with a double whammy of losses to injury of their twin terrors- Torres and Gerrard?
Manchester United, as usual, grinded out results despite their mediocre football. Mediocre compared to the last two glorious years, when Ronaldo and Tevez were around. They have too many injured. Too many pensioners. Giggs and Scholes will start creaking and make costly mistakes. Other teams, even the likes of Stoke, will fancy their chances of defeating a weakened Manchester United. The despair of teams when facing Man Utd has gone.
Arsenal is currently in second place with one game to play. I watch their goals on footytube and read of their exploits with glee. They have iron, thanks to Song and Diaby. My hope is that when Chelsea’s Essien and Drogba go play for their countries in January 2010, Arsenal will overtake them and not lose the lead until the end of this age.
I want to be wrong about my prediction. Let Arsenal top the table from January onwards.
How do you think the season will pan out?