The Premier League trophy appears to be heading to Manchester
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Why do we bother suspending the football season for a fortnight when England internationals are so boring the fans have to throw paper planes for entertainment?
It deprives the title race of momentum and continuity.
And it's absurd that when the Premier League resumes next week, each club will have played only seven games by mid-October – yet most big clubs will have to play eight games in December alone.
After four more league games between now and the first weekend in November, guess what happens?
Yes, the music stops again for yet another international break.
England have gone 38 games without defeat in qualifiers for major tournaments – and yet their record at recent European Championships and World Cups is dreadful: four wins out of the last 15 games.
(Image: REX/Shutterstock)
Whatever else these repetitious international breaks are doing for England, it's not helping them win matches when it matters.
I understand that these qualifying matches have to be played. I know you have to earn the right to play at big tournaments.
But I just wish the season didn't grind to a halt every three weeks to accommodate England's fourth game with Slovenia in three years or their third game against Slovakia in 15 months. It's hard to get excited about them.
I can't wait for the Premier League to return next week – because as pleased as I was that Scotland managed to stay alive, Wales have battled to rekindle their Euro 2016 heroics and Northern Ireland have punched way above their weight on the road to Russia 2018, I have been bored out of my brains watching England.
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We need the excitement of a thrilling title race, and it looks like we're going to get one.
Before a ball was kicked, I said it would be a shoot-out between Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho, and the trophy would go to Manchester.
That's the way it's shaping up. Guardiola is a year older and wiser about the consistency required to win the Premier League, and the sheer quality of Manchester City's win at Chelsea last week was a big statement.
(Image: REUTERS)
But Mourinho looks like he means business again, and Manchester United are going to go to-to-toe with the noisy neighbours.
During the boring passages at Wembley the other night – which was basically the first 92 minutes – I jotted down my combined City-United XI based on current form and long-term/persistent injuries.
On that basis, Vincent Kompany and Bernard Mendy – who would both have made my hybrid XI when fully fit – miss out. Here's my combined team, with a diamond formation in midfield, two up front and £326 million of talent on the bench alone!
David De Gea (Captain)
(Image: Getty Images Europe)
Although Ederson has been brave, and his distribution is excellent, I've gone for De Gea because he's the best goalkeeper in the Premier League and so consistent.
Kyle Walker
(Image: Getty Images Europe)
Admittedly Antonio Valencia has been a revelation at right-back, and his goal against Everton was sensational, but Walker's mobility takes some beating in this position.
Eric Bailly
(Image: PA Wire)
He's become the first-choice centre back in an area where United needed to improve and in his performances there's a sense of cream rising to the top.
Phil Jones
(Image: REX/Shutterstock)
Perhaps a shade controversial, but he has done exceptionally well this season. In Kompany's absence, and on current form, I can't justify leaving him out in favour of Nicolas Otamendi, John Stones, Chris Smalling or Daley Blind.
Ashley Young
(Image: REUTERS)
Only last year, his days at Old Trafford appeared to be numbered. Now he's playing ahead of Blind and Luke Shaw at left-back on merit. Mendy, who had been mightily impressive for City, would have been my choice here, but sadly he is out for the season.
Nemaja Matic
(Image: Action Images via Reuters)
Arguably United's most influential player this season, and I would have him sitting at the base of a diamond ahead of every other holding midfielder in the Premier League right now.
Kevin De Bruyne
(Image: Getty Images Europe)
I once queried whether he was worth the £54m City paid to bring him back to English football – but he has been simply fantastic.
Paul Pogba
(Image: Action Images via Reuters)
De Bruyne on the right, Pogba on the left... if you wanted to construct your central midfield dream team, that would take some beating.
David Silva
(Image: Matthew Lewis)
I'll never tire of watching him play, especially in that No.10 role between the lines. In a diamond formation, nobody is better-suited to it.
Sergio Aguero
(Image: Alex Livesey)
Get well soon after your accident in a taxi. I fancy City's all-time goalscoring record will fall as soon as he gets back from his broken rib.
Romelu Lukaku
(Image: AFP)
In a 4-2-3-1 shape, I might have done the unthinkable and left him out instead of Aguero. But he has been so awesome that I had to find a way to keep him in this side.
SUBS :
Ederson (£35m – the world's most expensive goalkeeper)
John Stones (£47m – much improved on last season)
Marouane Fellaini (£28m – because he offers something different)
Bernardo Silva (£43m – you can never have too many Silvas in your squad)
(Image: REX/Shutterstock)
Leroy Sane (£37m – still only 21 and getting better)
Anthony Martial (£36m – proving he was right to stay at United)
Marcus Rashford (£100m – and that's just a starting point for any offers)
MANAGER : Jose Mourinho – He knows his way round the Premier League, he has won three titles and he has the look of a man who can scent a fourth.
The City-United derby is not until December, so you have two months to argue over my selections above, which are narrowly 10-8 in United's favour – although Kompany and Mendy would have tipped the balance the other way if they were fit.