MHL 47

'Maggie Thatcher, she knows what you are'!

Just laugh at Brendon Rodgers and the red s***e's moral indignation, it's hilarious. He was wrong to effing bite a fellow professional footballer, just as he was wrong to racially abuse a fellow human being, just as he was wrong again to bite a fellow professional footballer. Brendon and his gang of morally outraged supporters should stop making excuses regarding the length of the ban and think very simply, namely; he committed a violent act on a football pitch - he got banned 7 games for that act, he did the very same thing again and, guess what, he got a longer ban than the first time. It's perfectly reasonable to do that (give a longer ban the second time, than the first offence - not the bite!), most society's accept that and very much expect that as 'LAW'. It just that it doesn't fit their agenda, and they're a club and supporters full of agenda's, one of them it would seem with justification and another they'd just rather just forget. Juventus's fans don't let them though. Laugh at them, they're a joke.

Best away performance in Europe from us for a while. Most of the time the game was well controlled and they gave us few problems with their efforts, we looked most in danger when we gave possession away in poor areas and they broke back at us. No need to go mad at home now, more of the same and we're almost there. Their defending at corners and set-pieces looked poor to me and we can definately exploit this in the second leg. Cole played well, 'Dave' looked solid enough (joke of a decision for the penalty), Luiz did OK save for a few 'mad-dave' moments, didn't think there was any malice in the tackle people are talking about, he got to the ball first and momentum took his foot through the ball and onto the fella's ankle. Hazard good until the final ball, except the chance laid on for Torres to hit the post. Terry had a decent game but wasn't greatly tested. Overall, a job well done. A bit wasteful in front of goal but upped our game after the equaliser, bit poor that we sat on the 1-0 a bit.

Somewhere out there is a tree, working away tirelessly and relentlessly, producing oxygen so that you can breathe............................you owe it a massive apology for wasting its time.

Our away form in Europe is generally pretty poor, it was before TFSW and it still is. I would hope for a win/draw, but am expecting a loss. Just hope that it's by the odd goal and we score. I'm far more confident we'll get a positive result at home, however the thing is that under the TFSW the only thing consistent about us is our inconsistency.

What their fans will be doing now is screaming how the FA is making a scapegoat out of Suarez and trying to make comparisons to the Defoe incident of a similar nature. They'll forget about his previous incident where he did the same thing, they'll make excuses for the 'Negrito' incident, blaming it on 'cultural' differences - forgetting that Suarez said it repeatedly, now why'd he do that? You repeat a word when it's being used to insult and for effect. They'll forget they bought him when he was on his ban for, guess what, biting an opponent - what goes around comes around. If anyone hasn't seen just after the incident, watch Gerrard. He goes up to Suarez and says something like "did you bite him"? Suarez nods, Gerrard rolls his eyes in disgust, pats him on the head and gets himself away.

Consciously or subconsciously, if my reading of Clattenburg is correct (and it's only based on his demeanour and body language), there isn't one small minute bit of one chance that he even feels contrite about what happened and any potential implications because of that. My own feeling is that he's so cocksure of himself that he'll do exactly the opposite and just like most of the others, give us the sum total of nowt. The only ref who's been decent for us this season (fair and equitable), and I'm struggling to rationalise this myself, has been Mike Dean - The rest of them have joined the 'we'll show them' club.

Fulham will as usual put in their usual level of effort against us, namely twice what they do for most games, as will TFSW's favourites on Sunday. Match Fulham for work rate first, then hit them down their flanks, especially the full back area's. Ramires and Oscar in the centre of a midfield five, play Hazard high up the pitch to attack/run into the wide areas and support the lone forward.

Just imagine the nausea those who'll have to endure Sunday's game in person will be feeling!Seriously, I've never wanted any former manager's gone so much, or so quickly. I was just a bit sick in my mouth just considering Sunday.

Before some thinking that the question of poor refereeing isn't an issue and "the decisions balance themselves out over the season", don't just think about yesterday, Foy's a poor referee, always has been, always will - the issue is that we do not get a balance of decisions, it's just worse than ever this season. I've seen every minute of every league game, as well as most cup games and I'd absolutely say we get as little as they (the refs) can get get away with. They know our hierarchy won't question them openly and with the stance taken regarding Clattenburg this has made an already bad scenario worse. I've never seen a home team get so few 50/50 decisions, I've never seen a team fouled so often and often badly not have one opposition player even near being sent off. This is a real issue and until we get someone clever enough to adopt an aggressive but disguised stance against them it'll keep on going. The refs are like schoolyard bullies who'll keep on putting it to us until someone gives them a metaphorical smack on the nose. A test is for people to think generally about refereeing of us in Europe and how since Ovrebo how things have been that bit fairer - we took a stance and made it damn difficult for them to keep on shafting us.

Didn't compete in central midfield until Oscar was put there when Mikel went off. That's his long term position and he'll dominate passing from there. He gets about the opposing players too. Blame TFSW for that, Mikel rarely got close enough to Toure and even that cart horse Barry moved away from Mikel. Basic mistakes for both their goals, failing to knock, foul Toure when he first breaks and then sinking back into our box. We gave the ball to Ramires in too congested an area and lose possession, then compound that by not marking. Foy let Zabeleta off with four poor fouls without a yellow, this let him carry on his diving into tackles, which he did ok with, if he'd been booked he'd have had to stay on his feet and defend, he doesn't do that too well normally. Ba had our chance to equalise and didn't manage to. We'd have beat 'em had we got back to 2-2. Foy was predictably crap, I saw the Aguero double footed stamp from behind the goal, why didn't he or the linesman or the fourth official? Sat next to Alec Stewart the ex-England Cricket Captain, seems a genuine Chelsea fan, singing and shouting.

Home tie second, that's all we could hope for. I'd guess that all the other three sides fans were thinking 'we don't want to draw Chelsea', we've a great chance at a second Euro Final in two years and to become only the fourth (I think, not completely sure though) team to have won all three Euro Trophies i.e the old Cup Winners Cup, the Europa League (UEFA Cup) & Champions League (European Cup). Despite my initial scepticism, I'm up for this now. No more Leerdammer Cheese (it's got holes in it so it looks Swiss!), Cuckoo Clocks, Swiss Banks (I should be so lucky), Fondue parties for me for a month.

Doesn't really matter who we get, they'll all be a challenge. What's more important in my view is that we play at home in the 2nd leg of the tie. I'm not sure we're 'robust' enough to go away defending a one goal lead with say the opposition having away goal/s. We can still chase a tie at home though if required. Oh and by the way - "One team in Europe, there's only one team in Europe"

Another one of our small 'records' gone, we hadn't lost to a Russian team in Europe - we have now. Putting Mikel on lost us the game, disgraceful lack of effort. Oscar no better performance but with effort. Before people start banging on about Oscar and poor performances, please remember he's very young and a young man a long way from home and friends. He was great at the start of the season and will be again next season. He'll learn and become more consistent. Hazard was red hot at the start of the season then went quiet and has come back into form again. Young footballers tend to be inconsistent, with the right management these two will become even better and more consistent. Oscar's drop in form has coincided with TFSW's dropping him soon after his (wrongful) appointment. In doing that he's possibly effected the lad's confidence, he played excellently under Di Matteo and he's playing poorly under TFSW. I'd play him centrally, he looked good there at the start of the season - there's plenty of hope for him, unlike Mikel who is what he is now and hasn't the scope to be much more. Lacks positional sense/discipline, pace, concentration and consistency of performance

Depends on a whole number of things: Who'll be in charge of his development at Chelsea How many games he'll be given if he's at Chelsea After playing almost all season at Watford, will he feel playing a bit part, which is possibly all he'd get and/or be ready for, be enough for his own views on his development Who'll be the manager next season Is he ready? A friend of mine who played a high standard and who's opinion I respect has watched Watford all season and says he's been generally very good. He has his doubts whether he's strong enough or experienced enough to cope with the speed, strength and ball movement in the PLI personally would have a look at him pre-season, maybe even keep him for the first three months of the season and give him cup games and the odd EL/CL game. If he holds his own, then great, if he struggles then get him to a side in the PL or in Europe to get him top flight experience. His youth and relative inexperience make him a risk at the top level, who's prepared to take it?

Well right now I'd like to thank dear old Rafa! . . . . . . . . . . . . For reminding me, with his team selection today that he truly is an incompetent, ego maniac. I kid you not people Southampton footballed us off the park today. Just when we needed a win, TFSW gave us a master show. Renown for the same thing at his last two clubs. If we had any momentum before today, then today's performance will have sapped that away.

Forms for renewals generally arrive late May, early June.

Have to wait and see.

Would it be overly cynical of me to think that any announcement of a new manager might be timed just before the ST renewals/applications are due? Those perhaps worried regarding our youth development and the return of Jose, should also remember that at the time Frank Arnesen had that job. Another character that was more interested in the lining of his pockets than in his 'job', the hidden camera showing his conduct in the BBC documentary on transfers was none too complimentary. I do hope that Jose returns and both he and Roman have learned a few things since he left.

To try to avoid a repeat of the disappointing 28'000 that were at the Bucharest game, I've done my part and bought a ticket for the Ruban game. Make a difference and get to the game, £30 a pop - almost a bargain! It's almost worth that alone to watch Hazard in the form that he's in.

Well, the FA have been well and truly taken here. Let's hope the FA take off the kid gloves now. SAF got exactly what he wanted, namely Rio let off any charges over his off the ball incident with Torres. Utd have done their thing with his 'fitness' scenario and made it appear that they've done nothing wrong. Rio's done as the big boss has asked and'll get his contract extension, as well as giving the FA & Hodgson a big F*** You Very Much. Like I said Hodgson and the FA are Chumps to have ever considered him.

I would think it would be unlikely to be one of the Spaniards at RM, maybe someone who was brought in under JM tenure. Hopefully Di Maria.How about Ronaldo? Varane would be an excellent acquisition.

Which team wouldn't want Mata and Hazard - Both top, top quality players that would enhance any team in the world. Flip side is say Jose does leave Real, who might be tempted to leave with him. It wouldn't be like at Porto when he left there for us as Real Madrid have far more allure, not to mention the top money they earn there. However one or two of the non-Spanosh players might leave. I'd take Di Maria in a heartbeat, there are some aspects of his game that annoy/irritate but he's like Robben was at Robben's prime but pacier with more goals. As for this 'pivot' stuff, what we lack is a Makelele, we've not replaced him, Essien was being groomed in my opinion but had too many injuries but generally lacked the discipline (except those two games where he popped little Stevie into his pocket and wouldn't let him out until playtime had finished). Mikel lacks concentration and the sense of danger needed. We need a terrier in midfield to protect the centre-halves and retrieve the ball. I'd love to tell you who, but I'm struggling to find one who's the right age and fit for us.There's no one in the PL, maybe in the Italian league but the really good Italians rarely leave Italy to come to England and when they do they're either towards the end of their careers or they end up not settling and leaving.

Well, well well - SAF saying that he's not sure Rio will actually join up with the England squad. They've played the master hand there - The FA saying the bitter one had no case to answer when he did Torres, probably because they knew he was getting called up by Roy and to avoid any controversy. Now he's been let off Sir Alex won't let him come out to play - If it turns out this way I trust the FA will remember it and hammer them next time they get the chance . Chumps

Just do what the current two did, make sure Avram's in place at the club before you try to get the job. The inadequate helping to appoint the incompetent!