"High flying Wigan"

In  a weekend when Burnley picked up their first win of the season, Arsenal managed to let a goal lead evaporate into a 2-1 defeat, Everton  drew yet again, Newcastle keep winning, Spurs keep losing and Joe Hart forgot how to take a goal kick.

Yep, what's the biggy?   I kicked it twice.

In the championship nobody seems to want to go top of the table as this week it was Derby who had a go at top spot.  All other league teams were involved in the FA cup albeit briefly in the case of Coventry,  Exeter and Southend.  There were also a few other league teams that just managed to hang on to their place in the cup with a draw against lower opposition, my own Dagenham and Redbridge team being one of them after their emphatic 0-0 draw with conference side Southport.

Craig Robinson can't hide his delight as he scores against Exeter for Warrington.

Worcester celebrate dumping Coventry out of the cup.

There was plenty of  football on the telly over the weekend Match of the Day live, Match of the Day, Match of the Day FA cup specials, Match of the Day extra, Match of the Day 2 and of course the football league show which although was missing 48 members who were on fa cup duty decided to show extensive highlights of the 12 games that took place on Friday and Saturday.  I just had to check on catch up to see whether or not it had been shown on Saturday night and in the little blurb it said they had extended highlights of Derby's game against Wolves and Bolton's game against high flying Wigan.  Oh yeah is that the high flying Wigan who are  currently sitting in 22nd place in the championship.  Great work BBC!!  I look forward to watching highlights of the 24 games involving league clubs on the football league show this weekend, oops how silly of me there won't be one will there as it is International weekend and the championship isn't involved in domestic football.

You guessed it, no football league show this week lower league wankers!!

 In a country where the FA are constantly bemoaning the fact that there isn't any talent coming from the lower reaches of English football maybe the BBC could see this as an opportunity to showcase the lower leagues by dedicating the program to them instead of just not bothering because the top tier of the football league are not partaking, just a thought BBC.

England will be looking to continue their winning run in the qualifiers with a home game against Slovenia.  There were some interesting call ups to the three lions squad, the biggest being the inclusion of West Brom's new striking sensation Saido Berahino, also there was a recall for in form West Ham attacker Stewart Downing and also a second call up for Southampton's Nathaniel Clyne.  Hopefully Clyne will start on Saturday against Slovenia as I think that the right back position has been one of a weakest over previous years, don't get me wrong as an attacking full back sometimes Glen Johnson can be quite good, but I think he loses the ball to often and wanders out of position a little too much, I would rather see a right back playing there who can defend and attack, and lets face it the boy Clyne certainly ticks those two boxes as well as the fact he is probably the most consistent right full back about at the moment and he is English, what a result!!  I really hope he gets his chance and I also hope he can make that position his own.

Nathaniel Clyne was well happy  having been deservedly called up for international duty

England should win this game on home turf and it would be a good time for Wayne Rooney to add to his England tally and edge ever closer to Bobby Charlton's record.  After the Slovenian game we will face the Auld enemy Scotland in a friendly at Celtic Park, Gordon Strachan's boys will be playing us on the back of an enormous qualifier against Eire, this is a very important game for the Scots and they will be looking to get all three points, especially being at home and as the result of this game could be the difference at the end of qualifying as to who progresses and who doesn't, with the other two challengers in this group in Poland and Germany up against inferior opposition in Georgia and Gibraltar respectively, a positive result is a must for both teams, although a draw would suit the Irish a lot more than Scotland.

What do you mean there is no football league show?

Wales will be hoping again on the fitness of Messrs Bale and Ramsey as they travel to Belgium for what surely will be their biggest game of the entire qualifying campaign.  A win or even a draw will surely mean that the Welsh  would be right on course to qualify for their first major tournament since 1958.

As for me this weekend I will be listening out for a minor miracle of my own as my beloved Daggers travel to high flying AFC Wimbledon in search of a much needed and long awaited 3 point haul.  To be honest I would take a point right now if it was on offer but you never know, if the Daggers back line can contain the power of Ade Akinfenwa and the prolific scoring of Matt Tubbs up front we may just sneak a scruffy goal and get an overdue win.  I live in hope.

Enjoy the football

Come on you Daggers!!!

Come on Englaaaand!!