The Blues

I am currently writing this with a head full of Lemsip/flu tablets/coffee and a tissue box within reach. Seems like the flu can reach us all eventually. Baring that in mind, I was hoping for an exciting Sunday in which I could settle down in my room, and be entertained from the start of the Japanese Grand Prix at 7 am, which I just about managed to wake up from my comatose state for, until the end of the Ravens vs Chiefs game a full  14 hours later. Needless to say, things didn't quite go to plan...

F1 Japanese Grand Prix - Okay we shall start here, although this wasn't technically the start of my sports viewing week. Having pulled myself out of my bed, I trudged downstairs and made a Lemsip before the start of the parade lap. Hoping for more excitement than the Singapore Grand Prix, I was not disappointed. Yet again, Romain Grosjean was in the thick of the action on the first-lap, taking out Mark Webber with an ill-judged sweep into turn 2, clattering into the Aussie's Red Bull. After the race, the pragmatic Webber came out with another golden quote, this time labelling Grosjean a "first-lap nut case". He has a point though, it was the 7th time that Grosjean had been involved in a first-lap collision, and it appears that even his one race ban from the insane move he pulled at Spa has not changed his reckless, gung-ho mentality. Nico Rosberg also was an unfortunate victim of this battle, his race lasting just 22 seconds, something he humorously pointed out in his video blog after the race. However, the first-lap's biggest talking point was from an incident far less controversial, but far more significant in terms of the championship. Fernando Alonso retired after seemingly collecting a puncture from a passive Kimi Raikkonen's front wing, and as a result span on the very first corner. How no-one managed to plow into his prone Ferrari pays testament to F1 drivers' lightning reactions (unless you're Rosberg...), but for Alonso, the damage had already been done. With Vettel inevitably winning from pole, the Spaniard's lead now stands at just 4 points. With a car that isn't in the same league as the Red Bull's, McLaren's, and dare I say the Lotus', he will struggle to top the standings for much longer I feel. For once, it was the other Ferrari driver left to reap the rewards of Alonso's failure to finish. Felipe Massa, along with Sauber's Kamui Kobayashi, produced drives yesterday that might just secure their seats going into 2013. Massa finished second and on the podium for the first time since Korea in 2010. To be fair, it was the end result of a renewed  sense of belief in the Brazilian, having seen his performances improve dramatically since the mid-season break. Kobayashi also gave his home fans something to smile about, coming home third after a tough battle with Jenson Button, just holding him off before the finish. It was Japan's third driver to be on the podium since Takuma Sato at Indianapolis in the 6 car race in 2004 and Aguri Suzuki at the 1990 Japanese Grand Prix. With his team-mate Sergio Perez performing well enough over his two seasons in F1 to earn a drive at McLaren next year, and in the process outperforming Kobayashi, questions were being raised over his future. Nevertheless, I feel he has done enough to warrant a drive next year, and this podium finish should put to bed any doubts over his continued participation at Sauber.

Oh and just a word on Lewis Hamilton moving to Mercedes, and Michael Schumacher retiring. The move is good for both McLaren and Hamilton. Why? Hamilton became too big for his boots at McLaren, and has not been consistent enough to warrant such a lucrative contract that he was demanding. Also, he needed a change of scenery, and should feel more settled at a team that can cater more to his needs to be the number 1 driver (poor Rosberg... again). As for Schumi, he leaves (for good?) with his reputation still intact, and will still go down as the most successful F1 driver to date. Though I thought maybe he would go to Sauber, which Sauber wanted to happen, stepping out of the game now probably is the sensible course of action for a man that has been there and done that multiple times in his career. So we bid you adieu Michael, and long may your legacy live on.

Liverpool FC - It seems we're playing two games every week at the moment, this time a Europa League clash with Udinese on Thursday before playing our Premier League match against Stoke on Sunday. The Udinese game really encapsulated Liverpool's season to date. Great performance marred by several defensive lapses in concentration. Yet again our young players shone where our experienced individuals were found wanting. The best performance of the night belonged to Udinese's Antonio Di Natale however. His touch was impeccable, his finish for the first goal sublime, his work-rate unstoppable. He can be compared to a fine wine or a strong cheese: he has gotten better with age. How he remained at Udinese, who he effectively carried on his own for the whole match, for so long defies belief. Stick him at a league winning club, and he would still be the best player. I have a feeling that AC Milan may be enquiring into his availability before too long. Another loss at Anfield will only dent the confidence that the win at Norwich bought, but we had a chance to rectify that on Sunday...

Yet things never go to plan. The less said about the Stoke game the better. It was boring, tepid (insert similar adjectives here). For all our possession, we bought just two half decent saves from Asmir Begovic, both being 25-yard attempts from Gerrard and Johnson. Suarez's embarrassing dive in the box further made the game a farce, whereas Stoke seemed content with a point from the first whistle. 0-0, two points dropped at home, what more can I say?

Baltimore Ravens vs Kansas City Chiefs - And the afternoon didn't get much better. After a tight win vs the Browns, I expected a rejuvenated Ravens to capitalise on a weak Kansas City team. Even though the Chiefs turned the ball over 4 times, including a hilarious fumble 1-yard out from the Ravens end-zone, the Ravens failed to capitalise, with Joe Flacco throwing an interception of his own. In the end, both sides were limited to field goal attempts with the Ravens prevailing 9-6. It was the first time this season that the Ravens failed to get going on offense, and it bodes badly for us with sterner tests to come. This being said, a win is a win, and with us topping our conference with a 4-1 record, the playoffs become more and more realistic with every passing week. However, Ravens fans expect this as a minimum requirement, realistically, only a Championship game appearance will satisfy their needs. Coming into week 6, I rank the Ravens as the 3rd best team in the AFC, behind the Patriots and the Texans. Therefore, the Championship game would be a good achievement, though again I think the SuperBowl will be a step too far.

For me now then it's back to bed, hopefully I'll be back to full fitness by Wednesday! Thanks for reading, and hopefully next week will provide more entertainment.