Chelsea Blues - short guest blog post by Riz Hafiz

It's a good portent that a London club wins the Champions League when the city is hosting the Olympics. But any neutral big-ups are nullified, at a stroke, when you see the unedifying antics of John Terry..the most shameless, in your face footballer going. It shows he has no regret for what he has done while the case is impending.. it leaves a huge distaste in the mouth. Get to the back of the victory bus; it's called keeping a respectful, low profile. You could say Hodgson has picked him because of his clout; as is quite evident Terry is a force unto himself and the manager was afraid not to pick him.

Then there's Torres also undermining the win; he causes trouble wherever he goes. This wasn't the time to try and overshadow the moment; it wasn't about him. He was the option, albeit an expensive one, he wasn't going to dislodge focused Drogba.

When your hands are in the fate of others it can go against you as Tottenham found out. Having lost 5-1; the bigger the match the bigger the implosion, their destroyers in chief delivered that final blow. Arguably Spurs stopped playing as a team when it began to dawn on some individuals that it would indeed be another false dawn. The 5-2 against Arsenal was the seminal bad result and the team will break up.

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So it comes to an end

So another season comes to an end. Manchester City the noisy neighbours gatecrashed the party in style. They did it in Fergie time. Fergie might have been pleased had it been the other way round, but this time he had to watch his team do their bit and still find it not enough. By United's standards a season bereft of trophies is not something they enjoy. Manchester City looked dead and buried for the title even when Joey 'psychology' Barton opted to end the season in the most unsportsmanlike way. Frankly I cant imagine him playing until October if he does play again for QPR. City eventually picked up and the rest is as thee y say history.e

Arsenal stuck one in the eye over their North London rivals Tottenham. For most of the season the Gunners were playing catch up and it would seem that Champions League footy would be a no go. I don't know if Arsene had words with the media and planted the Harry for England campaign in the world, it seemed to upset the boys at White Hart Lane. Spurs suddenly self destructed which included a capitulation in the FA Cup semi final against Chelsea. It came down the last game and it was all to play for. West Brom nearly gave a great leaving present for Roy Hodgson and a gift for Spurs. Once again Spurs fans would be left wondering what may have been when the games came to an end.

Liverpool departed with Kenny Dalglish, 8th place a League Cup win and FA Cup runners up may have been good for other clubs, but not for Liverpool FC as Dalglish found out. The search for a new manager began and ever since various names have been linked and rejected but Roberto Martinez of Wigan and Andres Villas Boas formerly of Chelsea have now been connected in high regard. One thing that can be said of Kenny Dalglish for all his pitfalls and errors of judgement, is that he united a club that had not been so long from being on the brink of administration. The club had new owners and Roy Hodgson had been removed.after a start not seen at Anfield since the early 50s.

Chelsea had a bad start, the players blamed the manager and his way of doing things. Chelsea were out of the top 4 and having a bad run. This inability to take collective responsibility for their on field performances lead to the departure of yet another manager at Stamford Bridge. Despite progessing in the Champions League and FA Cup it wasnt enough and the Portuguese manager was gone. In came Chelsea legend Roberto Di Matteo as Interim manager. He got the players 'united' and the club moved on. They went on a run in the league before dropping points against Newcastle which would make the move towards 4th place more difficult. This would lead to one night in Munich which would make history.  They would be the first London club to win the Champions League not only that they would beat German opposition on penalties. They had a week or two before won the FA Cup at Wembley. 

Newcastle fans had something to be pleased about. They finished a respectable fifth narrowly missing out on fourth, which although wouldnt bring Champions League, it would be a decent placing under the leadership of Alan Pardew. Pardew of course a man derided on arrival to the club after the departure of Hughton in 2010. Having signed some players that would make a difference to the season, Pardew rightly received Manager of the Year award. Next season barring a crazy self destruction I would expect the Toon to continue marching upwards.

Tottenham's failure to get Champions League football next season could prove costly. Luca Modric is rumoured to want away and this could see the Modric to Chelsea saga raise its head again. Bale has been linked with a move away but to whom will be a question. Of course he may very well put his loyalty to the club and stay with Spurs and fight to get Champions League footy next season. We will have to wait and see.

Two players that will be definitely at different clubs are Didier Drogba and Owen Hargreaves. Drogba who had wanted two years and not the one year that Chelsea offered, could not have signed off his Chelsea career in a better way by winning the Champions League. The last few days saw him staying and going but it took himself to finally say that his Chelsea career was at an end. Love him or hate him, his skill and knack for scoring will be missed in the Premier League. It will now be upto others new signings or current player and whinging Fernando Torres, to carry on the mantle. 

Owen Hargreaves was released by Manchester City. It was always a risky signing for the former Man United player who was beset by injuries, so it was no surprise that his time at City has come to an end. Whether he continues or hangs up his boots is a matter for him. I guess we'll find out in time.

A week's a long time in football

So it came to pass this weekend that Fernando Torres wants to leave Liverpool. Naturally at the start of the season it would have been expected for him to depart back in August when the club was still on the rails and Hicks and Gillett were ripping the very heart out of the club. We now have new owners and we have a new man in charge. It has been the opinion of a few football fans across twitter, that Torres upped his performance for the sake of the transfer window. Have us fans become so cynical that it's come to this.

If Torres had come out at the start of the transfer window and said that he wanted to move, then I think it would have been accepted. To state that you want to move with two days two days of the transfer window left (not counting the weekend) is clearly disrespectful to the fans and to the club.

It was only in the last two weeks that Fernando Torres stated that he was happy to see the rest of his contract out, yet soon as Chelsea put in a late bid, he suddenly wants to leave. Who knows what is going through his mind. One theory is that maybe he is doing a Rooney. The Suarez transfer saga has come to an end with him joining for just under £23 million. Another pointer which makes it interesting is that Torres and Suarez both have the same agent. Fernando's transfer request doesn't seem to have put the Uruguayan off from joining.

As much as would like to see Torres stay, if he doesn't want to be committed to the club then he should go. It should be remembered though that Torres did sign a new deal during the Hicks and Gillett era when things were still not rosy and time after time he claimed a special connection to the club and it's fans. This now seems all very hollow.

There is still no official word from the club in regards to Torres, moving but the Sunday press does speculate on various options. I guess it will be the case of staying tuned as it were.

Blackpool found themselves wrongly on the receiving end of a £25,000 fine over team selection. The fine relating to the team selection against Aston Villa earlier in the season. It would have been greatly understood if Blackpool had been played off the park or fielded a youth team, but now they lost 3-2 through a late Aston Villa winner. Now even the most partisan football fan can see that this is a mockery of the very rules that the FA Premier League put in place. If a manager has a squad of 25 to choose from then as a manager who actually spends more time with his squad than the FA Premier men, he will know who his best players are, he can judge who are in form, top fitness and likely to match the opposition and beat it. The FA Premier League should either stop fining managers for Premier League selections or drop the 25 player squad rule.

There are those who say there is one rule for the big clubs and another for the smaller clubs. It would easily be swung to that opinion. Arsenal in a game against Wigan made 8 changes to their team and escaped without punishment. Of course Arsenal like the bigger clubs have international players who can come in and take their place. The FA Cup replay away to Leeds was a fine example.

Darren Bent left high flying Sunderland to join struggling Aston Villa to much controversy. It was believed that Bent left for the bigger money. For Darren Bent, it wasn't the first big money transfer he was involved in. He moved to Spurs for £17 million where he bagged 25 goals in 79 games. Gerrard Houllier believed that the criticism he received was because he was French. Think that was a bit much to be honest.

Robbie Keane looks like he's on his way to West Ham on another loan move. This of course the same Robbie Keane who Harry brought back to Spurs in February 2009 saying 'I'm very pleased to have signed him,he's just the type of player we need - his enthusiasm,his work rate, he's a terrific character to have around the place. He was made vice captain and often leading the side in King's absence. If Keane thought he was going to be at the Lane long time, he would be mistaken. February came and the Irishman was heading north to Scotland and on loan to Celtic.

Too many vinos at Christmas?

So Sepp Blatter proposes an anti corruption unit? You would think that would sound reasonable in most circumstances. Problem is that they already had the Ethics Committee. The very committee that investigated the dodgy goings on during the World Cup voting process. It would seem that Blatter is trying to act and make it look like they are doing something to clean up the game. The new committee will be independent and made up of between 7-9 individuals from various backgrounds. Will be interesting to see how independent it would be if some really jaw dropping allegations came out. Of course this could just be the thing to take away the shambles of World Cup finals winning bids. Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022 still seem to be causing some issue although mostly with the fact that come the middle of summer, it's going to be extremely hot in Qatar. Talk being that it will be moved to the winter when it will be cooler.

Sorry Fifa. you made the bed now you simply just have to lay in it. If Qatar was to punish England, then it's backfired tremendously. You chose to give it to a country with scorching temperatures that surely no human would think about running about in. Hopefully in the time (11 years) someone will come up with a competent idea.. That being said this is Fifa who despite wanting less league games played they introduce more pointless competitions. The World Club Championships or whatever they call it now. In the old days the South American champions played the European Champions and that was that. Now we have all number of crap clubs wasting our time and whenever an English team wins it, causing a fixture congestion or injury risk. This is the competition you will remember that Man United withdrew from the English FA Cup from to play in. Thankfully I cannot see anything happening like that again.

Heading to domestic league issues, it's certainly hotting up. Arsene Wenger may regret the 8 changes against Wigan which ultimately cost his team joint top spot. Man United seem to have ridden their luck yet again having been denied three points against Birmingham, Gary 'Crazy Legs' Neville brought down a West Brom player from behind, clear goal scoring opportunity. Bobby Moore classic tackle this was not and the former England man breathed a sigh of relief as he allowed his team to remain with 11 men on the pitch and eventual victory.

Not having the full compliment wasn't any hinderance to Tottenham during the Christmas campaign. Two games two red cards, one a harsh decision the other not so. Harry's men seem to be on the outside like the trailing jockey in the Grand National biding it's time to whip into action. Will it be the smooth outside run to the straight for Redknapp's boys or will there be one fence too many and they fall away.

At City with the will he wont he saga finally dusted, the light blue half of Manchester seems to be hanging in there. They may have played a couple more games than United but they have a defence tighter than Martin Broughton's legal team in October and I feel extra games played won't do any harm, especially if they keep winning and their City rivals are opting for the point away from home. A big game against title rivals Arsenal looms and it will be interesting to see how this one fairs. United and Chelsea fans will no doubt be praying for a draw whilst they hope to get points from their games.

One wonders how long before a certain Roman Abramovich decides he made a complete howler of a decision to let Ray Wilkins go. Since that fateful day they've looked far from convincing and you just wonder how they will have any chance of winning the title if they don't return to winning ways. Chelsea find themselves fifth and six points behind Man United and Man City. They really need to get back into gear if they want Champions League football. The notable bonus that the blues have over their London rivals Tottenham, is their goal difference. They may very well be strong at the lane but away from home they have shipped more than their title rivals.

Troubles continue for Liverpool fans. Roy Hodgson's bewildering comments during his tenure together with decisions likely to puzzle the most eager of football fans seem to lead to his Anfield demise. Was this the parting shot from Hicks and Gillett who knew their time was up and so thought they'd throw a spanner in the works. Having regularly finished in the top four to then finish 7th and hope that bouncebackability was the order of the day was a bit optimistic, but did anyone really expect things to be this bad? Signing players when there were surely better alternatives. We had money to spend on Van Der Vaart, so what does Hodgson do? he signs Raul Meireles and Christian Poulsen. The latter who seems to have disappeared. Paul Konchesky now it was like Hodgson had started pulling the Christmas crackers and reading the jokes in August. Liverpool were crying out for a striker. Well to be honest we did already have one or two in the forms of Kuyt and Babel, but someone thinks that they are best played as wingers. I do so hope the next manager of Liverpool actually knows that strikers play up front, wingers on the wing etc.

Blackpool under the leadership of the mighty Ian Holloway look certain to maintain their Premiership stay despite a run of home game postponements. They look far from the team that was hammered by Chelsea and Arsenal at the start of the season, although the game at Arsenal did see them down to ten men after 31 minutes. I do so enjoy hearing the musings of Holloway, telling it like it is, not that it would stop him should they ever go back down, but his opportunities to exposure would indeed be restricted.

Finally a word going out to Andy Hessenthaler and Gillingham FC. For a while it looked like the only battle that the Medway team would be facing was Football League survival, a run of a few wins together with burying that dismal away record and the mighty Gills are now in the running for the play off promotion chase. The only issue is that it could be a false dawn. Promotion gained this season relegation next. It happened before. I try not to be too cynical but I'll be glad if Hezza and the Gills prove me wrong.

Is it time to forgive Sol Campbell?

Today the first entry comes in the form of a guest blog from friend and Spurs fan Dan Raywood (He's also met Ricky Villa). He discusses former England man Sol Campbell's treatment from Spurs fans over the years

So over nine years ago Spurs fans were hit by the news that our star defender, well to be honest, best player, was heading down the Seven Sisters Road from White Hart Lane to Highbury.

At that time Spurs were not in a good state, we lacked a decent strength side and it would be several seasons before we got a sniff of European football. Our foreign players included the likes of Tarrico, Ziege and Iversen while we awaited the return of Teddy Sheringham and Willem Korsten gave one good game (the final match of the season against Manchester United in fact).

At the end of that game, the Spurs players did a lap of honour of White Hart Lane and an injured, suited Sol Campbell was among them. During this we sang the song ‘Sol Campbell Campbell, he’s done his country proud, we’ll sing his name out loud, Sol Campbell Campbell'. However just weeks later he was on his way and his return around nine years ago was met with a level of abuse rarely seen from Spurs fans. I didn’t get to the match, but went along the following season when attitudes had not mellowed. After the first instance, legendary player and manager Terry Venables claimed that he was surprised as ‘Spurs fans are usually a lot more fair than that’.

In evaluation now, the questions to be asked are: did he do wrong in leaving Spurs? Arguably not. He went and played for another club among better players and won silverware. Should he have left for free? No, he was at the end of his contract and the finest defender of his generation, who was nurtured and developed by Spurs left for nothing.

Finally did he turn his back on us as fans? Yes. He was undoubtedly aware of what sort of reaction he was going to get and while would have met with boos the like of Teddy Sheringham and Dimitar Berbatov would go on to receive, there would have been nothing like the level of abuse had he have played for Liverpool or Manchester United.

So nine years on, the question to ask is ‘is it time to forgive Sol Campbell?’ I say he has been given the criticism, has left Arsenal (and returned and left again) and in that time since summer 2001 I do not recall him saying a bad word against the club, or its employees. I am sure there is a strong level of anger running through him over the treatment he has had to endure not only from the stands, but online also.

For one of the most flexible players in our history (I recall him playing as a makeshift striker during a shortage against Derby in the mid 1990s) I don’t ask if it is time to forgive Sol Campbell, I say it is time to forgive Sol Campbell.

As he nears the end of his career I would hate for him to be judged for the rest of his life on that decision and while I do not expect a statue outside the new stadium of him next to George Graham with the 1999 league cup held aloft, I would like for one of the finest products of our academy to be told that he could return to White Hart Lane and be welcomed back with memories of the player who debuted at Spurs, earned his first England cap while as a player and learnt the skills that would go on to be performed on a national and international stage for many years.

If you wish to contribute please feel free to email me at matthew_a_doy@yahoo.com

That was an interesting week

Last weekend Liverpool beat Chelsea and Newcastle United beat Arsenal, what is significant about that you wonder. Well in the summer, when we weren't despondent about a World Cup anti climax, people were not giving much hope to Newcastle whilst Liverpool were having many other troubles to think about League position but the appointment of Roy Hodgson was giving a new hope. Well thirteen games into the season, Newcastle have, despite the off field issues, put some people in their places. A win at Arsenal which to be honest is not an easy task has showed they can take it to the opposition. Liverpool on the other hand have just been abysmal, the Chelsea victory possibly raised some hope but going to Wigan and getting a draw which should have been a win and then a pitiful display against Stoke away, shows that Roy Hodgson is not fit to be a manager of Liverpool FC. Not to mention the really bizarre opinions of Liverpool performances which have been different to everyone else.

As a Liverpool fan I'm bemused. Roy Hodgson is seemingly a nice guy and his record shows how he can do well taking small clubs far, but Liverpool FC has standards, it believes in success and playing well. Notably the last manager whose name was Roy and managed Liverpool was also a nice guy but his Liverpool managerial career came to a brief end. The same can only be with Roy Hodgson.

Chelsea continue to command the Premier League and despite last weeks minor hiccup, they look certain to retain the title. Ancelotti continues to make sure that in the League Stamford Bridge is a fortress. A 100% home record with 17 scored and no goals conceded, is making the Bridge an uncomfortable place to go. Chelsea might look less away from home, but 10 out of 18 points is nothing to be sniffed at.

They say always be wary of Manchester United, but this season regardless of injuries etc, they just don't look like winning the title. Yes people will point out that they are unbeaten in the league, but the United of old would never have more draws than wins in the league. Their away form is proving interesting, 9 points from 21 is hardly title winning material. The last time they drew more than six games was in the 98/99 season when they drew 9 ALL season. They have drawn 6 already and its not even Christmas.

Arsenal, they are intriguing, people are worried about them in some areas, but isn't it always the same every season, Arsenal go a bit wobbly then pull it off. They are still within striking distance. I have to say I do have a soft spot for Arsenal, naturally they are too big a rival to have support them as a second team but whenever they play I do love to watch them. Who can forget this http://bit.ly/b7YbfF Sorry to all my Newcastle supporting friends, but even you must admire the genius of this.

Man City have proved everyone wrong. Everyone wrong in that they'd be doing well this season. It just goes to show that money doesn't buy you success. You spend as much as you like, but if the players dont perform or gel, it counts for nothing. It maybe likely that Mancini finds himself joining Mark Hughes in the Dire Straits (Money For Nothing....)

Bolton Wanderers find themselves in the dizzy heights of fifth spot. Owen Coyle has certainly made them a tough team to beat. They certainly don't find it difficult to score away from home either. They have scored 11 goals, the same amount as Man Utd and Chelsea although they seem to be just as leaky away from home. That said they have only conceded one more away from home than United.

Tottenham seem to be going from one extreme to the other. One week they are playing out their skins the next they are all over the place. It's good to see them doing well in the Champions League group stages, but I fear that inconsistency could prove costly in the knock out stages where there are no second chances. Consistency is what will see them maintain their Champions League charge and Gareth Bale darting down the left wing.

In the Championship Cardiff City have moved into pole position after a 4-2 win away at Scunthorpe. A run of 1 win and 6 draws for QPR has seen their early charge come to a halt and with Swansea in with a chance of closing the gap on the London club, it will have the hoops looking firmly over their shoulder. The one thing with the Championship is that it's difficult to predict. Who would have thought Bristol City would beat Swansea. If I was a betting man, I wouldnt be betting on the Championship.

Liverpool FC - A new Hope

After last weeks defeat at home to Blackpool, it seemed that not much could get worse seeing as the Premier League table showed us third from bottom. The international break was now on and it would mean players off to play for their respective nations leaving Liverpool to carry on. Chairman Martin Broughton then brought a new hope to Liverpool fans with a possible takeover. NESV (New England Sports Ventures) were interested in buying the club and could wipe out the debt allowing Liverpool to be profitable and money invested into the club and not servicing debts. Of course things were never likely to go smoothly. Hicks and Gillete are saying no and claim that Broughton has no right to do anything and are taking it to court.

Now given that 15th October is deadline day for the loans and with RBS refusing to budge in refinancing, going to Court is surely the last thing they will want. If what Broughton says is true then it can only end in humiliation for the Americans. If they were to win and refuse the deal, without any funding, RBS would without doubt on Friday call in the debt, take over the club and sell it to NESV anyway. The thing that concerns many fans though is the likelihood of administration and the withdrawal of nine points. With a season already starting badly this would just put Liverpool bottom of the table and on minus three points.

It is not hard to forget that placing debt on the club and becoming another Manchester United, was something that Hicks and Gillett promised wouldn't happen. Their period of ownership has been nothing more than lies, lies and more lies. If I were Tom Hicks, I'd just give up and hand over the club. Don't drag things out longer than need be. You're not liked as it is, don't make it harder for yourself