It's Almost Time

Merry-Go-Round

I've never liked Neil Warnock, I probably never will. My rant last November about Warnock having "cut Leeds United adrift from footballing relevance" may have been an exaggeration, but not by much. In fact, I've had friends tell me that Leeds United has been irrelevant long enough for Warnock's thirteen months in charge - which came to an end Monday night after a loss by the odd goal in three at ER - were never going to have a significant impact on their relevance. That may well be true but my sense is that far more powerful changes are being felt - the continued, unsanctioned sale of a bunch of our best players, the GFH Capital flight ruse, the Thorp Arch drama and, ultimately - and perhaps most damagingly - a team ethic and a style of play that has been bent so far out of shape that the Grayson way seems like it was ages ago.

Yet, the gates are still strong, the fan base continues to be immense, the facilities are among the best in the north of England and it looks like financial stability, if not affluence, can be counted on in the medium-term. O'Neill or Coyle or Hughes or whoever else it is will have little to blame but themselves. The heart, however, pines for an identity, a character and a style to call our own. 

So here's to knowing just a little bit better what does not work at this club, here's to the days of Dirty, Dirty Leeds, here's to the next manager and here's to being hopeful for all times to come.    

Choco Lava Crap

She dumped me, dude. It's over.

lolol

The best of Benoît Assou-Ekotto:


@Hamz_K: @AssouEkotto youre the shittest player I've seen. I don't think you'd even get anywhere near my club mate..and we needed a LB because gibbs got injured

Benoit Assou Ekotto (@AssouEkotto): @Hamz_K is just bcs u support arsenal...that's all ...if I was in ur club u wouldn't need to buy a left bk around ten million! LOLLOLOLOLOL


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@Kirby_Jx: @AssouEkotto I want to name my son Benoit after you. You're an inspiration!"
Benoit Assou Ekotto (@AssouEkotto): @Kirby_Jx i'm so proud lolol

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@joannfairs: @AssouEkotto you're a true gent, now hurry up and get back on that pitch, we all miss you! ;-)

Benoit Assou Ekotto (@AssouEkotto): @joannfairs lolol u miss me? Lol ;-) lol 


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Benoit Assou Ekotto (@AssouEkotto): Sunday morning! Lets go to church...i need to ask GOD some thing... 3 POINTS. For US TODAY COYS LOL

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Benoit Assou Ekotto (@AssouEkotto): Happy for the team today!!! Every one can sleep well tonight. Lol

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Hugo Lloris (@hugolloristhfc): @AssouEkotto Benny it's me, Hugo lool

Benoit Assou Ekotto (@AssouEkotto): @hugolloristhfc yeah i no u next to me now and its strange he dont no this Twitter lololol so i dont no u lolol

Once In A Blue Moon

I

 

"Why do I get the feeling that you're lying?"

"And why do I find it shocking that you have feelings?"

"Touché. The way I was abruptly jerked from my peaceful abode and rushed here makes me think that my presence was urgently needed. It was almost as if it was a matter of life and death. Now the Feds are involved - that narrows down the list of possible crimes, doesn't it? I doubt if I was pulled in for a terrorist bombing. It's not really my specialty. No, I'm going to take a wild guess and say, ohhh, abduction. Still, there must be a reason why you chose me, why I was selected. And that's the easiest one of all."

"I'm on pins and needles."

"Tomorrow night is a blue moon. And that leaves us with one conclusion - there's somebody else out there, somebody like me."

"I'm impressed."

"And you want my help?"

"Yes, I do."

"Well, as they say, hell will freeze first."

"Well, I'm sorry to have disturbed you. I'll make sure that they take you back to your...peaceful abode."

 

 

II

 

"You have a lust for power. So be powerful - save the girl."

"Careful, Agent. Emotions cloud your eyes - they make you vulnerable, they make you..."

"Human?"

"You're a puzzle to me. Your passion makes me think that there's more to you than meets the eye."

"I want to find her."

"I want something too - the truth."

"About what?"

"I think you know. For twenty years, I've obsessed about my capture - I've read every piece of paper, every file, every document. During those twenty years, I found nothing about an anonymous informant."

"Well, that is the key word - anonymous."

"It must be somebody who knew me - somebody who studied me like I study me. You seem to know me well."

"I read your file."

"Oh, you know more about me than is in my file. You know who I really am. And that makes me wonder who you really are."

 

 

 

 

III

 

"He'll hold her until the moon is full."

"Until midnight. I already knew that."

"Actually, you already know everything. You have all the answers. You just won't do what you need to do."

"Help me."

"Why did I cut the eyes out of the dolls?"

"To make yourself invisible."

"Why open the curtains?"

"To feel the moonlight on your body."

"Why did he do it?"

"The same reason."

"Where is he?"

"I don't know!"

"Where is she?"

"I don't know!"

"Come on, Prodigy. Do what you need to do. You have all the answers you needed to find her - I left them for you last time, he left them for you this time. Get inside his head. Get inside my head."

"No."

"Where is she?"

"I don't know."

"You know, you never asked me what I wanted - what I needed - to help you."

"Oh really? What do you need?"

"Take me to the crime scene. Take me to her bedroom."

"And why would I want to do that?"

"Because I can feel it. Because I can do what you won't do - become him."

 

 

 

 

IV

 

"Can you smell it? Death. It's amazing how little girls' rooms are the same wherever you go."

"Tell me where she is."

"You know, I can't do my best work under these conditions. If you set me free, well, then I'll set you free."

"You so much as sneeze, I end this."

"If you close your eyes, you can almost hear the sounds of her muffled cries. She's sleeping as he cracks the door and slips inside. She has a summer cold. Her breathing is heavier than normal. He likes that."

"And then?"

"He notices the eyes. He can't leave witnesses. He sits on the bed. He watches her. Oh, he can smell the soft scent of sweet powder. And what is that, shampoo?"

"Then what?"

"You tell me."

 

V

 

"What does he do next?"

"He wants to scream because it feels so good, so right."

"He takes her down the hallway, doesn't he?"

"Past her parents' bedroom. He pauses. They're asleep. They look so innocent. So unaware."

"Where does he take her next?"

"I don't know."

"Feel it. The moon is full. It's almost midnight."

 

VI

 

"Look, I took you where you wanted to go - now tell me where she is."

"It must be frustrating to be so close and yet so far."

"Tell me where she is. Tell me!"

"Follow the clues. Do what you have to do."

"I don't know, now tell me where she is."

"It's so obvious."

"Why can't I figure it out? Why doesn't it make any sense?"

"Because it's all a lie! There's no rhyme or reason to any of this! There's no midnights, no blue moons rising. It's all meaningless! The truth is, I killed them because I wanted to! I like it! Now it's time for me to see her. I expected a much more worthy adversary, Prodigy. Goodbye. It's time for the monster to leave now."