The Brixton Blueprint

Opinion

Brixton AFC are currently operating with a level of efficiency that is almost offensive. A 2-0 win at Aigburth FC on Tuesday 28 July brings them to seven points and second in the table. They are not playing with any particular flair, necessarily. They simply keep a clean sheet and ensure the other team looks slightly bewildered.

Aigburth FC spent ninety minutes chasing shadows (and perhaps a lost boot). It was a clinical performance from Brixton, delivered with the kind of flat, joyless precision that makes a supporter want to go home early. They do not beat you with a flourish. They beat you by being slightly more organised than a tidy filing cabinet.

To be fair, staying at the top of the table usually requires a certain amount of chaos. Brixton seem to have replaced chaos with a very strict set of instructions. They are currently the league's most reliable machine, provided you don't mind the lack of fireworks.

The other results on the day were largely messy, featuring a fair few six-goal thrillers that suggested most defences are currently made of damp cardboard. Brixton, of course, ignored the trend. They played a game of football that looked remarkably like a series of very successful administrative tasks.

There is little time to reset before tomorrow. The rest of the league will be looking for a flaw in the system, but Brixton are unlikely to provide one. They are not interested in the drama. They just want the three points and a quiet trip back to the coach.