Walk along the Thames

Last week ( the bog as been inaccessible- host changing)

Anyway nice walk with EQ from Putney to the Tate Gallery along the river bank. Of note, it was the first time I have been up close to Battersea Power station.

It has been close and then under re-development ever since I was doing my daily trips to Bridge Lane. It has been developed for high-end accommodation and of course has the run of shops just by. This is where we sat for coffee and bun. The whole area is a construction site. Seems a concrete desert to me, with so many blocks going up- all the same.

Boxing Day

A suite of activities with chats EQ and JQ who is of course in Wellington.

The activities included watching London Scottish play in Richmond with IQ and Anthony. It is good to see ‘real rugby’ or maybe old-fashioned. The players are not all uniformly the size of houses and subtlety seems to play a bit more of a role.

Next it was a trip to Kew Gardens to see the light show. A team of three this time with Shaz and IQ.

Next after that fun ti was off to the pub to watch Brentford play BHA. Not a good performance and not a good result.

A Christmas Carol

A very seasonal trip to the Old Vic to see a version of the very famous story.

A great performance by Stephen Mangan.

I loved the whole thing

Anything Goes

A trip to the musical which is laying at the Barbican Centre. Great fun, lots of energy, silly humour and great dancing. I can see why it received its rave reviews. Great escapism. Shaz loved it and a second visit a possibility with the baby in tow.

Olympic stadium

A Sunday afternoon visit for football rather than athletics and only 9 years late for the latter.

Brentford were playing West Ham and managed to pull out a last minute win when really a draw would have been reasonable.

I think this was the first away game I have been to since seeing them play Cheltenham Town when in League 1 about 20 years ago when I took Joseph. And then In was in the side stand with the home supporters.

The stadium was full which I think means 60,000 with about 5,000 of us. A strange experience. The stadium is clearly not designed for football with the pitch a long way from the fans. I was ‘on my own’ with 5,000 others, ie. no AP to discuss the finer points or moan to.

A positive write up:

West Ham

Jarrod Bowen 80

Brentford

Bryan Mbeumo 20
Yoane Wissa 90 +3:43

Brentford’s Yoane Wissa claims win against West Ham with last kick of game

Yoane Wissa (left) celebrates scoring Brentford’s winner at West Ham with Ivan Toney. Photograph: Tony Obrien/Reuters

Last weekend, Yoane Wissa emerged from the bench and equalised against Liverpool within four minutes. It took the man from the Democratic Republic of Congo double the length of time to hurt West Ham, but a winner with the game’s final action was a stunning outcome when his team appeared content with a point.

Playing with the big boys

A little late as the game was on Saturday, but all the same, it needs to be recorded. So, after so many times when we ‘dreamed’ of playing in the top flight, we though of playing Manchester United and Liverpool and the likes of them. So now Liverpool came to visit. Before I assumed that a tight loss was likely. In the end a great draw after a great event, a great game with noise and ambiance.

It was a great game to be at, somewhat unbelievable, taking the lead, fighting back and with such great noise. Keep enjoying the ride!

Brentford

Ethan Pinnock 27
Vitaly Janelt 63
Yoane Wissa 82

Liverpool

Diogo Jota 31
Mohamed Salah 54
Curtis Jones 67

Liverpool held to thrilling draw at Brentford after Wissa grabs his chance

Yoane Wissa scores Brentford’s third goal against Liverpool. Photograph: Ian Tuttle/Shutterstock

Ed Aarons at Brentford Community Stadium@ed_aaronsSat 25 Sep 2021 19.35 BST

At the final whistle, Jürgen Klopp could not stop shaking his head in disbelief. Somehow his Liverpool side had contrived to throw away victory against a Brentford side that simply never stopped believing.

And from the BBC

It’s what we dream for’ – Mohamed Salah’s big Liverpool moment spoilt by brilliant Bees

Last updated on 25 September 202125 September 2021.From the section Premier League 3-3 Liverpool: Thomas Frank delighted with ‘fantastic’ performance

It was described as a “crazy game”, a “wild ride” and something Brentford could only dream of as the newly promoted side came from behind twice to draw with title-challengers Liverpool.

“That’s football,” Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said afterwards.

In a memorable and topsy-turvy encounter at the Brentford Community Stadium, the hosts scored a dramatic late equaliser to make it 3-3 after Curtis Jones looked to have sealed victory for Liverpool.

Former Arsenal and England striker Alan Smith was impressed, claiming on Sky Sports: “If Brentford can do this to Liverpool, they can do this to anyone.”https://emp.bbc.co.uk/emp/SMPj/2.43.13/iframe.htmlMatch of the Day analysis: How Brentford’s ‘perfect’ gameplan caused Liverpool problems

Brentford manager Thomas Frank said they “went toe-to-toe with one of the best teams in Europe”.

His players did a lap of honour at full-time, the fans were singing long after the final whistle and Brentford goalscorer Vitaly Janelt was in disbelief.

A great Friday evening of football

Well. possibly against expectations the Bees wind their opener in the Premier League against one the big boys. A team as one of the articles noted who considered themselves big enough to be one of the original participants of the proposed Super League in Europe.

Well the evening was great; the atmosphere great, full stadium and with a solid win to boot.

An it would seem the game, the event and the whole positive feel of the win and Brentford making an impact has been appreciated and the emotional side noted.