Things we learnt 3

1 We're still not convinced by Liverpool
Yes, yes, Jumpthefence has enough Liverpool fans as friends to know that they're top of the league having been missing their best attacker for much of the season so a basic analysis of matters would suggest there ain't a whole pile wrong. But sometimes a little delving beneath the surface tells more. As one notoriously biased Pool fan on a Guardian blog admitted,their performances so far have been hugely lacklustre. Yesterday's 1-1 draw with Arsenal (as predicted Friday folks!!) might seem a very decent result but in truth Arsene Wenger's side were performing poorly, lacking their captain after half-time,lightweight in midfield, terrified of every ball in defence and generally as there for the taking as you can be. Liverpool were comfortable, yet they never took a risk or showed a hint of ambition to go for the throat when it was on. Four draws in five games they could have won could come back to haunt them.
By the way, great to see Robbie Keane scoring a cracker, but we wouldn't be getting carried away with talk of answering his critics just yet.

2 Padraig Harrington is Irish sportsperson of the year
And rightly so. Much crazy talk went around the sports forums all week that Harrington was somehow undeserving of the honour for various reasons that went through different shades of begrudgery. Harrington won two of the four majors in golf this past year. Imagine the thumping of chests from across the water if Andy Murray won Wimbledon and the US Open. Just because it's a slightly minority sport here in this country doesn't make Harrington's achievements any less. I know a fair shot of people that cheered Harrington to those wins who wouldn't know a putter from a nine-iron if both were handed to them. The fact he seems a genuinely nice guy only makes it sweeter. Would have been nice to see them recognise Kilkenny as team of the year though.

3 Aiden McGeady's time with Celtic may be up
No harm either if true. We always had the impression of McGeady as a mild-mannered enough chap, a sort of incomprehensible, forever-young winger who just went out and played with little worry about money or the trappings of modern football. Seems he's got a bit of a rep for being mouthy and not slow in getting his point across in the dressing-room though. Anyhow, McGeady's surely reached the end of the road and it could be the best thing for him. There's no more improving he can do playing the likes of Motherwell and Hamilton week after week and as much as Celtic fans wouldn't agree,a couple of years with an Everton or a Middlebrough would be better for his development and decision-making - the main part of his game that needs work. Bayern Munich might be fanciful. A mid-to-top premier league team shouldn't be and the boy's young enough yet. We watch with interest.