Early Kick-off View

Another week goes by as the Premiership compacts once more and the top of the table changes yet again. Five draws from the 10 matches played means no one is setting any pace as every team continues to take points off each other. 
Compare the tables from this season with last, after 14 games it's all very tight. The statisticians are working out the points required for Chelsea to make fourth place and telling us how many games we have to win to achieve this. As it stands I can't see previous seasons statistics being of much comparison. It's really all to play for…

Performance of the weekend

Britain's tennis players Davis Cup win against Belgium. Brilliant !

Here's another recently discovered track from years ago.

Every Sunday on BBC Radio 6 Cerys Matthews (formerly lead singer with Catatonia) presents her show 'Cerys on 6'. It is never short of a real mixture of interesting music from around the world. I'm forever jotting down the names of someone or other whose music she is playing. 

The track today was heard on her show a few weeks back. From 1982 it's Rory Gallagher. Great riff !

Stocking up for Christmas

As we approach the season of goodwill, time to get some extra supplies of medication to see you through the celebrations. 
This will not be the first or the last time you'll hear me say this, but a visit to your nearest Lidl supermarket could save you pounds, especially on pints.
Their craft beer section has been revamped and the choice is bordering on the bewildering as much as the intoxicating. See full list at: http://protzonbeer.co.uk/news/2015/07/08/beer-range-grows-lidl-by-lidl 
Traditionally bottled beers at Lidl have been cheaper than most other supermarkets and these latest additions are priced at £1.49 or less, significantly cheaper than Oddbins and similar outlets.
I recommend checking out their Hatherwood beer selection. My personal favourite is the IPA 'The Green Gecko' at £1.25, and with a lager, a stout and even a ginger beer to tempt you, along with the cheaper Ruby Rooster and Golden Goose, there's quite a choice. They're all brewed by Wychwood - who make Hobgoblin and since 2002 Brakspear beers - so this is the real McCoy. 

Well stocked for Christmas - my medicine cabinet.

View from the BRIDGE

I lost my voice after the game on Saturday. All that screaming at Diego Costa to get in the centre and into the box and score a flaming goal. I'm glad he eventually heard me, so maybe it was worth it.
Chances not being taken have been another of our problems so far this season, but a good performance finally yielded 3 points and a clean sheet. Onwards and ever so slightly upwards, due to this seasons trend of teams beating each other and no one stretching a lead at the top. This time last season Leicester City were bottom of the Premiership, now they are top! Well done to the Foxes.

One-name team

"New York, New York, so good they named it twice" - goes the song. But in Football it's the opposite. Edison Arantes do Nascimento, was known throughout the world as simply Pelé.
This weekend Chelsea started the game against Norwich with Kenedy, Willian and Pedro playing. Before the end replacements Ramires and Oscar were on the pitch with the final addition of Cesar Azpilicueta, who is known as 'Dave'. 

Who can argue with this one-named team as four of the last five Chelsea 'goals of the season' have been scored by Brazilians. "Ramires, he's just called Ramires". 

Dodgy Penalty Award of the week goes to Andre Ayew of Swansea in the 2-2 draw with Bournemouth. Contrast his attempt to stay on his feet with that of Loic Remy leapfrogging to avoid Jack Butland at Stoke, two weeks back. One was a penalty, one wasn't, just not the deserving one. Just saying!

The bit of luck award is shared in my opinion. Well done to Jamie Vardy for scoring in 10 consecutive matches, but Saturday at Newcastle he was lucky to not to be flagged offside when he scored. Most of his body was offside, even if his feet weren't, but when the lucks with you. If it had been called offside, it would have only been written off as marginal, just a bit of bad luck.
West Bromwich Albion share this award with scoring twice against Arsenal with only one shot on target all game. Also, I think, WBA's Olsson blocks Mertesacker off, as the free-kick comes in and is volleyed home by Morrison. 

That's my view.

Out today is the latest in the incredibly successful series of compilation albums 'Now That's What I Call Music!' This one is number 92! Not that I possess any of the previous 91 in my CD collection and I'd be fibbing if I told you I knew more than a handful of the 46 tracks contained on this latest offering.
One track I do know, and like, is 'Wings' by Birdy.


One week on from the Paris terror attacks this seems a suitable song for this weeks music spot.

Newsdesk

In a week full of bad news here's some welcome better news.

To heard the song, to see the people smile and to listen to the story click here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-34849465

Date(s) for the diary

Congratulations to the final qualifying teams for the European Championships 2016: Hungary, Sweden, Ukraine and especially the Republic of Ireland.

Margaret's mother is Irish <Edenderry, County Offaly> and as a result I am related in-law to various aunts, uncles and numerous 'once or twice removed' cousins in the Emerald Isle. Therefore Monday night I found myself supporting them against Bosnia-Herzagovina as they won their play-off match.

See 34 seconds of mad celebrations at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/34841990

With 4 'Home' Countries involved in the tournament my continued support will be a different matter next year. The Draw for which - 24 teams in 4 pots into 6 groups (A to F) - takes place on 12th December.

The tournament runs from 10th June to 10th July 2016.

PS: Congratulations also to Iceland - as a country of only 329,000 people, that's quite an achievement. See more at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30012357

Every now and then you discover a track from way back and can't imagine how you'd missed it until now. A month ago this track came to my notice and 'blew my mind' just as it no doubt would have done in 1971 when it was first released.
'Maggot Brain' is not typical Funkadelic (which might be why I'd missed it). For this one you'll need your Hippy Hat on and maybe long hair as opposed to your dancing shoes!
In the words of John Peel "This one fades in slowly". The video image below will ask you to go direct, so Click here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dh3bleXWaCk

If you like this there's more on YouTube. Guitarist Eddie Hazel played the original but was replaced in Funkadelic by Mike Hampton. Check out the live versions featuring him.

I'm hoping to make 'The Friday Music Spot' a regular feature. It's finally Friday and the weekend starts here, so turn up the volume.

Test Entry

This is only a test…
And sharing the mandb blog profile, it's not quite as separate as I'd intended.

This Blog in the future may shift its location but for now it starts here.

Your host: contemplating what to do next.

"Looking at my introduction to Bill Blogs I see I've covered most of the six 'Trivial Pursuit' categories. That sounds about right, presenting a slice of life, in colourful wedges."