Test two for Enzo

T 8PM tonight (BST) the match will kick off down south. I plan to watch that, it’s only 4 hours away; maybe I’ll keep an eye on the score instead, as it’s a late Friday match.

Today we took a look at a large construction project across the road from the stadium. 3 months ago that construction project was still in its diapers, as can be seen in this video of “Pep” inside the taxi (where he picks up the grown up “kid”).

That project replaces a truly awful and high-crime area that was an eyesore and a problem for the stadium’s image… and problem for the pub across the road (where we watched the England-Argentina semi-final), even the Tesco Express down the road. It’ll not look like this when done:

Pubs around that area are dying. They become relics. We run past them sometimes. That makes way for more “modern” things:

Hoping Enzo does “justice” to these investments.

Can Enzo replicate Sunday?

onight there’s another test or a match for Enzo. It starts at 8PM. It’s the second game in days and this rival is less potent then the first, but it’s an away game.

I think for Enzo it’ll be a difficult first season and for the management it’ll be hard to retain all players (Rodri left already). When “Pep” left it really made a profound change, but he wanted to leave on a relatively high note.

HE official highlights have just come out. Many chances. Many missed.

The Enzo Maresca interview (8:30 minutes in) kept saying “work in progress” because he knows they are unprepared or underprepared. Some fan footage shows the goals and the textual summary is optimistic.

The verdict isn’t out yet.

HE change of style of the local “Viking” (born here) might impact the looks or hairstyle of locals. I myself inadvertently imitated Haaland’s style, but I think I’ll stay with what I have. It’s not hard to manage.

It meanwhile seems like City belatedly got its turnaround.

Well done, Enzo. Welcome!

he team without Bernardo, KDB, Rodri and others is still failing to deliver. It made a comeback against Atlético Madrid, then suffered a humiliating defeat to Arsenal. Both away from the local stadium.

It’s looking like this time the disappointment comes home.

When “Pep” arrived it took him a whole season to deliver results. How much time will Maresca get?

oday a squirrel was walking along the fence here (on top of it). It wasn’t the first time, but it’s always a nice sight. Someone near us has begun feeding the birds, so there was a flock of about 200 birds flying there and their population seems to be growing despite weather and climate hardships.

It’s always good to see other people “chipping in” and feeding the wildlife.

Tomorrow football resumes here. First match in nearly 3 month. The trees are still green and owing to recent rainfall the grass is visibly regaining some life.

Maybe tomorrow I can finally write something positive about football. The last game was awful. Didn’t want to even watch it…

Only the past:

T is only a few days away from start of the league and almost all the latest videos are about Pep (mesmerised by past achievements) and Rodri as if the new guy is already worth forgetting after a humiliating defeat.

If Enzo does not win this first game, a home match, it’ll be trouble for him.