First of all, I'd like to say hello to everyone out there reading this column, whether you're a Boro fan, a devoted Soccernet reader or some wandering soul who has chanced across this page whilst browsing the web. Needless to say I'll be enthusiastically recommending it to everyone within hearing (and reading) distance over the next few weeks.

I wasn't sure where to begin with this blog (I'll stop being ostentatious by calling it a "column"), beginning as it did midway through a week that opened with yet another Premiership defeat, was punctuated by Wednesday's England match featuring Stewart Downing and will close with a very interesting FA Cup tie away at West Ham on Saturday. In the end I decided to give a look at all three talking points for my introductory entry and begin the more in-depth discussion of matches and talking points after the West Ham match.