Two players scored hat tricks this week. Both foreigners playing for English clubs in European matches. That’s what I call ‘multiculturalism’. That and chicken tikka massala.

The similarities continue. Both have been playing somewhat indifferently of late, and for most of the time before that too.

Olivier Giroud is basically a French tosser. Everyone says so. Even his mother. He scores a few goals, but never enough. He squanders more than he converts and yet, being the only official ‘striker’ that Arsenal possess, he is much praised when he does well and generally forgiven when he doesn’t. Mainly due to lack of options.

Eric Lamela is Spurs most expensive player. And in his first season it must be said, he didn’t do a great deal to justify the asking price. Nor to justify the decision to spend so much on a player of questionable ability in our league. But we like Eric. Because he tries. And sometimes he can be rather spectacular. And sometimes he really really isn’t.

Then this week, maybe because of the new moon, maybe Jupiter aligned with Uranus, maybe just good karma, both these guys hit three in their games.

Mauricio Pochettino, the Spurs manager praised Eric, rightfully, and described the performance as a great thing, a step forward, proof that the work in progress is going in the right direction.

Whereas Arsene Wenger claimed yesterday that ‘Giroud is a world class striker!!!’ From tosser to world class in just 3 goals. A record. Even for Arsenal. Though what this really means is that Arsenal will not be going shopping in January. For years Arsenal have desperately needed a ‘world class striker’ but none have been forthcoming. So rather than keep trying at the risk that he might have to actually pay out some money for something they really need, he’s just said: ‘its ok, look no more, we’ve already got one’.

Ahhhhh, happy saturday

A xxxx