Odds and Sods

There is a golden rule in football - if you are bigger and faster, you are quite often better.

In keeping with that maxim, the New England Patriots have resigned free-agent wide-receiver Randy Moss to a three-year $27 million contract.  The deal includes $15 million in guaranteed money, $12 million from a signing bonus.

Moss reportedly (Boston Herald) declined a more lucrative offer from the Philadelphia Eagles to join the Kevin Kolb revolution.

He had perhaps the best season of his (or anyone’s) career in 2007, amassing 98 receptions, 1,493 yards and an NFL-record 23 touchdowns.

Healthy and happy, he was the physical freak from his Minnesota days, with fleet feet surpassing cornerbacks with ease.

The Patriots reignited Moss’s desire to play last season, and he performed fantastically individually.  But, even more importantly, he served as a powerful decoy that facilitated the flow of the passing game by creating space for others.  Whether he touched the ball or not, Randy Moss elevated the Patriots offense from superb to super-human.

The finalized deal makes sense for fans, organization and player.  Only a nattering negative Nancy could find a problem with this deal and probably one who would do so in trite cliches to boot.

Birmingham 4 - Tottenham 1 Spurs tried on the big boy pants, only to end up wearing them around their ankles. They had a sick party last weekend. This weekend they were simply sick. The rear guard is rubbish. Robinson has evolved from awfully fat to just awful. They are closer to the relegation zone than to tenth place. Pop goes the bombastic balloon.

Arsenal 1 - Aston Villa 1 Arsenal added to a terrible two weeks with this stinker. Walcott was wonderful. Senderos was dreadful. None of the other players decided to show up. Only luck kept Villa from putting this one away with a second goal.  The absence of goal minded players (Van Persie, Eduardo, Rosicky) has left the Arsenal attack impotent, with no one capitalizing upon their superb set-up play.

Bendtner’s substitution seemed quite odd.  Personal issues aside, he and Adebayor cross paths on the pitch because they play the same role in the same position.  This change also neutralized Walcott who had been Arsenal’s most dangerous player in the first sixty minutes.  The crucial goal came from fortune, not inspired strategy.

Fulham 0 - Manchester United 3 United came up fruitful for the first time visiting London this season.  The scoreline does not flatter Fulham, who acquitted themselves admirably.  For a club out-manned, they needed all of the luck, but received none of it, left vacant after a cavalcade of close calls.   Eddie Johnson has not yet earned the right to wear orange boots in the Premier League.

Everton 3 - Portsmouth 1 The Toffees kept the pressure on their cross-town rivals with this victory, keeping their 3 pt lead for a Champions League place.  Yakubu was in the mood and Pompey got the business end of it.  He was a far more prudent investment than Dirk Kuyt.