Close As The Hairs On A Gnat's Bollock

When I saw the Chel$ea and ManUre results I thought to myself "Blimey - they only won by the skin of their teeth."

Then I got to wondering "What exactly does that mean 'By the skin of their teeth'?"

Well according to one website I went to to ascertain its origins, it may be:

"a notional minute measure - something that might now be referred to, with less poetic imagery then the biblical version, as 'as small as the hairs on a gnat's bollock'.

I'm not sure I entirely agree with the analysis.

The suggested modern version has a certain - erm - poetry. And it does conjure up some unusual images.

Not least of which is that someone has taken the trouble to look that closely.

I wonder if Berbatov, Belletti and Lampard realise how much they have in common with the little creatures.