Beef Bagel

Even better – at least fourth and into qualification for the Champions League! Fantastic.

All the history’s been coming out today and I heard Cliff Jones on Radio 5 – pictures in the papers and memories of the Benfica tie.

One match to go – do you know when was the last time we won 21 league games in a season? I thought it was further back, but it looks like it was 1987 – the ‘Clive Allen’ season.

It would still be a dream that it can get still better this season – I still would have liked an FA Cup as well for the record books.

By the way, it was the Pitta Bread who was at the Chelsea match. I know you all pine for the Bagel to come back, but you have to admit it, I deliver you even better results!

We won’t get carried away but we can enjoy another small achievement and in some ways the biggest game we’ve played in years. There are a lot of credits to go round – starting with Harry, Joe and the teams off and on the pitch but Gomes is probably the player of the season – some of those saves last night were special and he’s really telling the defence they should be doing more.

Winning the Champions League is a stretch, and it may be harsh, but if Liverpool will have Crouchie back and we can land Torres, then who knows? Dreamland, maybe?

COYS.

The Platzel

I think a win yesterday really would have been jam on the bagel after the previous two wins against Arsenal and Chelsea. If we’d been offered 6 points from the 3 games before we had played them I think we’d have taken them – I reckoned on about 4.

It has been a rollercoaster season. Some real highs and some stupid lows – some games against strugglers and defeats in the Carling Cup and FA Cup semi-final that needn’t have happened. We’re still 4^th with 3 games to go which is not what we had expected at the start, but a Carling Cup or FA Cup would have been nice.

What depresses me is that after a few good performances there’s talk of stalkers for good players but we have to break out of that cycle.

Where have we been – we’ve been around. The Bagel moved into new premises early in the year, nearer the ground, but managed to miss the Chelsea game? I was at the Portsmouth home game – good for 15 minutes – the first time at WHL in a long time. I tried to wave to the Bagel. Have I gone deaf or don’t they play McNamara’s Band when the team runs out these days – that might help bring back the glory days? No peanuts anymore?

Now our expectations are raised – can we finish in the top 4, although winning the Champions League might be a bit of a stretch? Can Harry take us on from here and strengthen the squad even more?

Yes, it’s been a good season, but at the moment I think only the Europa Cup is guaranteed.

COYS.

The Platzel

The Bagel was at the West Ham game but didn’t take Mini Bagel with him. I don’t think his head’s right at the moment? He missed the Wigan game and then Mini Bagel’s first game could have been the Hammers bubbles being burst – come on Bagel, sort it!

11 wins before the end of the year. Now we hear the lads have been out partying again. I don’t care if they stick to soft drinks, but do they? I think you’re going to have to lay the law down, Harry. I don’t think it could happen in Italy.

Over the first hurdle in the Cup and already one of the very big names has fallen. So far, so good. By the way, we’re not going anywhere but we’re not sure how many people are left reading this?

Maybe we only get blogging and ranting when things aren’t going well but that doesn’t make me happy. I’m still looking for something that’s not going to come easily, but I don’t see why the serious football business is beyond us? We were there for a short time in my lifetime!

In short, for the end of year report, a much better term and this year we seem to be interested in school. We don’t want to mention last year. There is a tendency to lose concentration at times and if really good grades are to be achieved this has to be eliminated.

I think behaviour must also improve – no more partying, certainly not without a reason for it, and even then it has to be sensible.

How much do you really want it, boys? I do, so show me you do!

COYS.

The Platzel

At last, after over 9 months of waiting we can announce the arrival of Mini Bagel – not burnt, but baked to perfection! Congratulations Bagel and LB!

Also, we can congratulate Spurs after a great week. Of course I was not happy again after the Wolves match – not good enough. The last two matches have almost made up for it.

A great win against Citeh on Wednesday and the icing on the cake today with another clean sheet at Blackburn. Crouchie, sometimes even you’re world-class! On a video of yesterday’s match you look better than Torres!

So, 10 wins before Christmas – I can’t remember that happening for a long time and it could even have been more. We’ll see about the end of year report shortly.

It’s looking good at the moment, but as we all know it’s always a roller-coaster with Spurs.

I don’t know where you’ve all gone? The bakery is still open all hours, but if we don’t get more customers we may have to review the situation in the New Year. Maybe you don’t like what’s on offer and if you don’t then I’m not going to keep talking to myself, even if you think I’ve been doing it for years and will have to continue to.

To all our customers, a Happy Christmas and Happy New Year!

COYS.

The Platzel

Oh, yes I am still here alright! I didn’t feel like blogging after Sunday – I get too upset.

Just back to Villa for a moment. ‘There’s only one team likely to win it in the second half’…etc, but we didn’t!

Then we’re like wet handkerchiefs at Old Trafford – why? You tell me?

At Everton, it’s all going great. 2-0 up, fifteen minutes to go, then… Not only do we snatch a draw from the jaws of victory once, we do it twice! Come on, we can do better with penalties, can’t we? By the way, what are we doing with Keane and Pav on the bench for the whole game while our two (?) world cup strikers are punishing anyone who comes in their way – with all due respect, Harry? I’ve also had enough of Bale and Bentley!

That’s 4 more points have just gone begging. Not happy.

Mini-Bagel’s late and will be burnt soon – even the Bagel can’t produce?

Let’s hope for a good finish to the year.

COYS.

The Platzel

I had another dream. We’d beaten Wigan 9-1! I was there the last time we scored 9 with Colin Lee making his debut and scoring four against Bristol Rovers. It was second division, but they all count.

No, this time Defoe scored five, but I also dreamt that we had sold him less than a couple of years ago and he could hardly get on the pitch as substitute? I also dreamt that we had sold Keano and Berbatov – was this a nightmare? No, just ordinary goings on at another not brilliantly joined-up-managed football club.

Anyway, here we are and I’m awake again. Great fun last week, but would you Adam and Eve it, the Bagel wasn’t there! It was LB’s birthday and of course he’s been cursing ever since – not LB, just that he wasn’t there. Mini-Bagel is also nearly with us and will be coming out of the oven very shortly.

We were on our way to Villa yesterday until on trying to rebook tickets there they told me I have an order history and wouldn’t sell to me! When I saw we were 0-1 down and with it being pretty wet and miserable I was glad we didn’t get there, but a nice finish and we could have sneaked it.

As we go into December, things are looking good. Let’s hope we can continue the progress. Things can change very quickly, but if you look at Harry’s CV, it reads pretty well and let’s hope he can stay around for a good spell and we can become contenders again.

COYS.

The Platzel

We’re alive again, although not firing on all cylinders.

Seven wins in the league before mid-November – I don’t think that happens very often. Let’s hope there are many more to come this season.

Eventually, a clear win yesterday although again a bit streaky. Crouch winning in the air – not like last week – and a nice finish from Big Tom. We want more of those, but he’s another guy who probably wouldn’t frighten my Mum!

Also, the win against Everton in the League Cup was good but the draw isn’t good although could be OK if we play their third team.

The game against Stoke was an aberration this season. Apart from that blip it’s only been the big playground bullies who have put us in our place. They normally wear red or blue so you should know who to avoid if you see them coming your way.

We’ll sort them out one day!

COYS.

The Platzel

Great, another win and now 6 out of 9. Still third and remember a year ago, we were bottom.

Two decent goals yesterday against Portsmouth and an unstoppable reply from Prince Kevin.

Hopefully the squad will be stronger with key players returning from injury soon.

Top 4 would be nice, but realistically the top six should be reached at the end of the season and the FA Cup would be nice for a change.

I’m sorry if you’re all fed up with no exciting news, but where are you? I’m told you might be reading this, but not commenting? Some of the comments went against earlier blogs so I hope the site is still working properly

Listening to Harry yesterday about his time at Pompey when they flew out to meet Avram Grant, since the Chairman thought he really understood the diamond and needed to bring him in above Harry was priceless. Maybe the Chairmen should do Level 5 coaching, then they might know what they’re talking about.

COYS.

The Platzel

That’s better. A good win and a draw, in a match that would have been nice to win. I know they were 2 tough games before that, but I think we could have done better.

Anyway, five wins and a draw and looking quite good without being good enough to muscle in to the big boys club yet.

At the time of blogging we’re up to third again. Got to tighten up at the back and in goal.

There’s never a dull moment. A story breaks about Harry going, which appears to be nonsense. Let’s hope so! Keano on the move – not yet, we hope.

I sometimes wonder whether there’s a curse on this club to prevent us regaining our rightful place at the top of the league (at the end of a season) and amongst the cream of Europe? We’re well out of the woods but can we find that elusive path to the top avoiding all the predators on the way stealing our jewels.

What I do know is that in the grand scheme of things, there’s probably no one with the aura of Real Madrid – certainly in this country.

By the way, the Bagel may be moving out of the bakery – it’s OK, he’s looking for larger premises.

COYS.

The Platzel

Would you believe it? I know it was Birmingham at home for number 4, but I wasn’t confident and thought they might make it difficult.

Someone tell me the last time we won 4 league matches on the trot because I don’t think it happens very often. Yes, I know about 1960.

Surely Harry can be Manager of the Month now – no-one expected this.

I saw the Bagel yesterday and he was happy and a birthday today – hip, hip…

I told him I’m not as popular as he is and would he make a comeback or give us a match report – we’ll see.

The next two look a little tougher – just a win in the next one would be nice!

Sounds like something will be completed before the window closes – one or two have gone (usual merry-go-round). I like Pav, but what do I know?

What a wonderful Chairman? If you can deliver what we want, we’ll forgive you, but we can’t wait forever and it’s nearly 50 years!

COYS.

The Platzel