Footy, Short Pants

These are the clubs ahead of Liverpool after Matchday 10:

Fulham
Bourne-Cum-in-My-Mouth
Brighton AND Hove Albion
Newcastle
Man-U
Swine Chelsea
Spurs
City
Arsenal 

That's 9th place back to front. They lost today at Arsenal--no shame in that against the best team in England so far--and are now 14 points out of first (with a game in hand so potentially 11); 14 or 11 after 8 matches played; Liverpool has lost, depending on your preference, either 1.75 points or 1.375 every game they've played this season. Of course, it's still early, L has played only 21% of the season's games--but it's already 14 points out after 21%--English footy fans are prone to overreaction, this American fan will risk overreaction: Liverpool is done, finished. They will not challenge for the title this season; they're only six points (two wins and simultaneously two losses by Swine Chelsea) from Champs League qualification but they have to leap over five other clubs just to get to Chelsea and then have to top them. The Champions League is still entirely plausible if they get their act together but "top four" has not been 'Pool's ambition since FSG took over. It is painful to watch such a proud, quality from top to bottom club, laid so low so quickly.

On the other hand it is good to see Man-U right the good ship Buccaneer. The "Red Devils" won again today, 2-1 at now-12 Everton. They are one point out of 4th. The top three clubs are coalescing: It's Arsenal +1 on City who are +3 on Spurs. 

Arsenal is the delightful surprise of 2022/23 and Liverpool the alarming free faller. 

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Concluding on American professional tackle for a moment: It has been the cross I must bear to watch the New York "Fast Planes" in highlights on two successive weekends, something I have not done in 40 years. Last week it was NYJ vs Pittsburgh; this week the same lousy, stinkin' "Jets" against the "Dolphins." In both games the "Jets" looked like Super Bowl contenders against terrible, absolutely awful, competition. Pittsburgh is a SHIT STORM, able neither to defend nor to score, and got totally humiliated in Buffalo today, 38-3. Miami, who started so brilliantly, undefeated, three straight wins, have now lost two straight with the deficit a combined 35. In other words the "Dolphins" have lost their last two by an average of 17.5 points, by two touchdowns and a field goal. Watch this play for an accurate encapsulation of the "Dolphins" in the last two weeks:

I think I could have caught that ball Breece Hall was so open, that's UMG defense there against MTSU, but the horror show was the "Dolphins" "tackling" of Hall. There were about 17 yards of extra real estate Hall devoured as two Miami defenders tried grabbing him with thalidomide arms, finally resorting, ineffectually, to trying to lift him onto one leg to cause him to lose balance, which he didn't. The tackling looked like high school players trying to bring down a pro. 

The "Steelers" and "Dolphins" are a train wreck that has derailed into a Department of Solid Waste facility. Pathetic.