Hello – it’s Thursday morning so time for another spin around Elland Road and the middle of Season 5 for my African Tribe. We’ve made a blistering start to this season, topping the table and progressing well in the Uefa Cup – so can this be the season where glory is destined?

Here’s the table after 13 games:

We’ve been fired to the top of the pile by Mali’s finest, Freddie Kanoute. In goal, Kilana has been a revelation and my backline is finally looking sturdy.

First up is a trip to Norway to tie up third round loose ends. Sebastian Barnes keeping us unbeaten late on.

Our reward will be a trip to Scotland in round four

We used to suffer from Champions League hangovers something chronic, but the extra days rest afforded by player in a lesser competition obviously has it’s advantages

We win by he same score in midweek against Everton in the League Cup. I would like to keep a clean sheet someday soon

Man City will be our visitors in the next round

It feels all very 1992 duking it out with Man United at the top of the table, and this reverse closes the gap between us. Ni matter how good we get, getting the better of Man United will always be tricky

Motherwell give us quite the scare in the Uefa Cup. Dinnerlady is in for Diao in the midfield anchor position but he gets a silly red card and we need Sellimi and Diarra to put us back into control and into the quarter finals where we’ll face Munich 1860.

Meanwhile, my Nigeria squad find out their World Cp group opponents – could have been worse to be fair.

Liverpool are 3rd in the table and almost claim all three points, Oscar from Barcelona levelling things up late on. It feels like we are losing a little bit of momentum as we step into Christmas.

Chelsea give us a boxing day gift however and all is right again in the land of Yorkshire

Halfway there to a first title – a healthy cushion over United but we always have the capacity to implode at some point!

Mr Brockman will be pleased to see Plymouth still flying high.

I worry about this blip – King Freddie misses a pen and we fail to break down then man Derby

Then escape with a draw and a reply at Carrow Road in the FA Cup. Nobby sees red when someone tells him an all African team is more entertaining than an all South American team.

We’re definitely in a wibble now – but if it had to come in any competition, let it be the Coca Cola cup. Miner’s kingpin Scargill with the winner in pens. Freddie misses from the spot once again…

He’s back on it against Sunderland though

We brush past Norwich in the FA Cup replay. Tomlinson tries again to knock us out but the damage was already done before Kilana lost his head and got sent off.

He’s been a revelation in the sticks though (ok he rarely keeps a clean sheet) and he’s now worth 8 million smacker roonies!

Huddersfield are the next team to feel our wrath and it even boils over for resident bloggers Nick Rowe to see red and head for an early shower

FA Cup 4th round action now and we blitz our way past Portsmouth to book our seat at the 5th round table. It feels like that blip over xmas was just that – a blip – fingers crossed

Coventry then succumb to our favourite scoreline

Then Newcastle do the same Abde’s injury is a bit of a worry though, him and Kanoute have been amazing all season.

Worse news was to follow that though, Baka out for 5 months and that’s basically him done for the season, and possibly this blog! I could have cried!

Look what he’s given us

We’re almost home and dry against Liverpool in the FA Cup 5th round until Phil Babb of all people pops up with a late equaliser and proceeds to smash his gonads against the post in celebration

Are me missing Bakayoko? I’m playing George Finidi/Finidi George in the hole, but I’m not sure about it

No sweat in the replay though and GF/FG heeds my words of concern

Man United in the Quarters…

This was just one of those days, which we were probably long overdue for…

Back into European action and a visit from Munich 1860 is an entertaining affair – they even had a goal ruled out on 89 minutes, much to my relief. We’ll need to do better at the back in Germany

This feels like a good time to wrap things up for this week – we’re at the two-thirds point in the league with a nice cushion over Man United, even if they do have a game in hand.

Join me next week for what may be the final episode of this sage – can we win the league? Can we triumph in Europe? Will we progress in the FA Cup? Will Bakayoko make a miraculous recovery – join me next week to find out