A double bill
for Jan & Feb.
Stan Wawrinka
always had the talent. The Aussie Open showed he now has developed the nerve /
belief to pull out the wins in a major against the two top-ranked players in
the world.
Britain hadn’t
beaten USA in the Davis Cup since 1935, & now play Italy in the QFs. James
Ward, like Dan Evans, again proved he can deliver on the big occasions for his
county, defeating much higher-ranked opposition.
It was the
battle of the meanest defence in the NFL v the highest scoring offence in the
Superbowl. The Seahawks crushed favourites Denver 43-8 for their first title. Peyton
Manning is a future hall of famer, & had set TD & yardage records in
the regular season, but his post-season record is a blemish on his illustrious
career.It’s not news to say that Man. United are having a disastrous season by
their lofty standards. Losing to Sunderland in the semi of the League Cup was
the previous low point, but a new nadir was the abject performance in the UCL r16
first leg v Olympiakos. They still have an outside chance to progress with the
return leg at Old Trafford.
The rapid decline of the champions is something of a mystery. On current
form they may emulate Blackburn who were 7th in ‘95-96 season, the most recent
occasion that the defending champions finished so low in the league.
United have mostly the same team as last season that won title at a
canter, though their rivals underperformed. The summer transfers have
strengthened others (City, Chelsea, Arsenal, Spurs), but the Reds have
stagnated.
As the bad results have piled up, the fear factor has gone and opponents
scent blood. There are weak links in defence & the midfield is a pale
shadow of the glory days of Keane, Beckham, Scholes & Giggs.
Performance of the Month
Seahawks.
