Christmas is always ‘big time’ where football is concerned. Where the tough get going (so traditionally Arsenal don’t do that well) and the going gets tough so… yeah, whatever. But the sheer concentration of games ensures that it is a brutal time of year.

And I’m sitting on a train. The ‘trans-alpine’ train from Greymouth (where???) on the West Coast, to Christchurch on the east. It goes across all the mountain ranges that cars can’t. And hence is beautiful. So far so good on that score. Because this is ‘big country’. Full of big…

Whilst I’m here, at this precise moment in time, Liverpool are playing at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester. And in fact, as I started my journey this morning at Franz Joseph glacier, City went 2-1 up in the 74th minute and then… and then… we lost WiFi.

Which is fine and dandy, in theory. Losing WiFi is great, liberating, free from everything, but obviously is an eternal damnation to hell when there’s football being played. Over there. On the other side of the world where last night is happening this morning.

However, fast forward to the end of the 4 hour journey, checked into our hotel for the night, been out for dinner, and now I have WiFi AND the score. Which was 2-1 at the end. Which, for Spurs fans, particularly those of a believe-y nature, is THE BEST RESULT EVERRRRRR.

Because if Liverpool had won they’d have been a virtually impossible 9 points ahead of my boys. But now its only 6. Which is a bit less impossible, almost slightly probably possibly possible. Also because the loss will deflate the Scousers, like a punctured tyre on a beaten up, 1973 Vauxhall Viva. A stolen one. Which is more good news. Whereas Manchester City may indeed revert to the blinding form they had up to a few weeks ago but they’re only 2 points ahead.

Therefore: I believe once more. In God. (Sort of). In the trans-alpine railroad. In gender equality, but only for really fit babes. And in Spurs. Oh yes, in Spurs.

Happy Friday (and THAT is the glacier of which I spoke).

Leaving for Sydney tomorrow. Gonna miss New Zealand and its stunning beauty.

A xxxx