Every game of football starts with the odds as evens. On the field, it is 11 men vs 11 men. When kick-off arrives a huge game of chance plays out. 22 different individual participants, on a large open pitch. There is many external factors that can affect any of those individuals at any given time, or all at the same time. During the match or before it.
During the match vs Swansea, who came to us as a well drilled side managed by Michael Laudrup, I saw 20-1 odds on Micha scoring the winner. Large odds at halftime or any time, but outside recognition by bookies that anything can happen in 90 mins.
In this big game of chance, Edin Dzeko is often used as the trick up our sleeve. He may not revel in it, but he does well in this role. Who says a striker must be happy to score goals?
We are moving in the right direction, we have a manager who can reduce the odds before the players even get on the pitch, and he is on a 5 year contract.
Bad things can happen at random in a football match, and we made sure in a bad match, the important thing happened to us today. Tactics can change and each match is different, but football is results based. The real task is to retain the league. If that does not happen it won't be panic stations. Or shouldn't be.
We can’t expect to win everything, first time. We can’t expect it to be automatic, just because we have spent a few quid. There is too much chance involved for that. It is for the team and management to reduce that chance element, and produce the important results where they matter.
The next match, just like the one before and after it, will still be 11 v 11 + a lot of chance. We just need to keep reducing the odds and increasing our chances for every game.