THE INTERNATIONAL break looms and for the majority of us that means a break from the roller coaster ride that is domestic football, for a brief while anyway.

Arsenal stare down upon us all courtesy of their position at the head of the Barclays Premier Division.  This week they were successful against Roy Keane’s dogged Sunderland who came back from two-nil down to level proceedings before Arsenal nicked a late winner.  I think it would be fair to say that the match was so thrilling because of the contribution made by Southampton (stay with me on this).  You see ex-Saints players littered the field and aided Arsenal’s early surge i.e. Danny Higginbotham showed the defensive skills he’d learnt on the South coast, before Porthwydd’s very own Kenwyne Jones equalised.  To finish, Arsenal’s Velcro shoe wearing Walcott set up the winner.  Where would we be without the Saints?

I tell you what that Abramovich chappy ain’t half got an eye for talent.  In dispensing with that pompous Portuguese know-it-all and allowing Sir Avram to come into his own, Chelsea look sure to enjoy a period of electric football and trophies galore.  A tremendous victory in Valencia (wasn’t lucky in the slightest) preceded a colossal performance at the European powerhouse that is Bolton.  The Blues won 1-0 and Bolton threw away the game in a style that could have seen them up in the Central criminal court in other sports. 

Another team looking through European tinted glasses were Everton, who performed a great feat in defeating the daunting Ukrainian dole-office XI in mid-week and went into their clash at St James’s on a high.  But they came across a Newcastle side that was fresh off the back of an “Elano-ing” at Man City and were keen to impress.  The Toon Army were successful with Michael “two new groins” Owen amongst the scorers.  Newcastle may be known as serial losers but it seems their owner certainly isn’t.  It’s reported that he plans to sell the club to outgoing Birmingham owner David Sullivan for £220m netting a tidy £90m profit.  Success at last!

West Ham travelled to Villa Park on Sunday hoping to repeat the scoring prowess of their London rivals Spurs, who slipped four past Villa last Monday.  Unfortunately they were unable to do so, partly because frontman Dean Ashton limped off with an “injury”.  I don’t know about you but it may have been the infamous tactical injury because the last time he was called up for England he broke his ankle and missed the season.  They’re not as dim as they seem down the East End.

Moving onto the Championship Southampton won again making it two wins out of two (no there wasn’t any game in mid-week, what are you taking about!).  Southampton went two-nil up before some Slovenian bloke called Richard (from Slovenia?) levelled it up.  Luckily for the St Mary’s faithful, Stern “you got me in a part deal for a sheep farmer” John grabbed his second of the game and the Saints won 3-2.Yay!