misschief

I'd love to see us with a proper attacking threat on the wings again - kind of like the side Mourinho had before he dismantled it in fact! I think Bentley could do a good job for us, he's got loads of potential and he's English. Wouldn't say no to Ribery either. And what we really need is someone potent up front as well, our goal difference was pretty poor this season, we really need to address that. I think Berbatov's a bit of an arse, but he could do well for us with the right players around him - and he wouldnt need to settle into the PL either. Sod the defensive game we've been bored with over the last few years, efficient it may well be but its bored the arse off me tbh. I just wanna see us play football worthy of competing and winning at the the top level.

Yeh, looks good but its not the side they were actually playing with because they werent all fit. Keane left in November, Scholes was out after Christmas and didnt play again that season, Smith broke his leg in February - round about the time RVN turned to shit because he had a hissy fit. And the Ronaldo then certainly wasnt the Ronaldo he is now.

The more time Ive had to look at it objectively this season, the less I believe Mourinho would've done that much this season - domestic cups maybe but the league was always Utd's - and as for the CL, forget it. Jose's ego always got the better of him with Rafa, by the time he'd finished fighting it out in the press with Benitez there was nothing left over to put into the game itself. Just look at Rafa this year - lost it in the press and ultimately took his eyes off the game.

There's a couple of arguments there that don't hold much water. You're taking away from Fergie's titles because of the opposition he was up against and saying that changed when we came into the picture. But surely that works both ways? When we came on the scene it was against a pretty weak Utd side by their standards. Chelsea: Cech, Paulo Ferreira, Gallas, Terry, Bridge, Geremi, Makelele, Lampard, Smertin, Drogba, Gudjohnsen. Subs: Cudicini, Mutu, Kezman, Parker, Ricardo Carvalho. Utd: Howard, Silvestre, Gary Neville, Keane, Fortune, Miller, O’Shea, Djemba-Djemba, Giggs, Scholes, Smith. Subs: Ricardo, Phil Neville, Bellion, Richardson, Forlan. In fact, he's been through plenty of transitional periods over the years and still never been too far out of the picture. Also, you go on about the amount he spent in the summer, but look at the quality he got for that. Compare that to the sort of money we've spent and the squad we've got for it. I really wouldnt mind a manager like him tbh.

Sums our season up perfectly.

After Blackburn then Europe, the boss had to go So Grant was hauled in by Kenyon & Co, As open-mouthed, we all sat and stared Who was this man and who even cared? Utd were next and, well off the pace We were given some bloke with a gormless face – Who stood looking clueless, not ‘special’ at all, The question hung heavy, ‘how far will we fall?’ Two-nil to Utd, courtesy of the ref – The officials, as usual, struck both blind and deaf. Then a bore draw with Fulham, not a sight for sore eyes ‘Don’t know what you’re doing’, the new Stamford Bridge cries. The Mestalla win though, sees the odd eyebrow raise Then a six-nil to Citeh, back to our winning ways? Nope, a battle with Leicester – thanks to Sheva we won Then a draw against Schalke saw the end of our run. Back down to earth and away to ‘the Arse’ - Them who play pretty games and can place the odd pass. They scraped a one-nil, with an error from Cech ‘was our reject who scored as my chin hit the deck. Rafa’s lot next and a win in the cup As Crouch’s drop kick goes a little tits-up. Villa four-all with their last minute pen And a point against Pompey – we concede late again. Nil-nil with the Dippers, and all is not well Then the Carling Cup final it’s to Spurs that we fell. Back with a bang, we hit West Ham for four Before Barnsley show us the FA Cup door. Back against Derby as we beat them six-one But from three point lane, we take just the one. Back home again, now the Arsenal come calling But with Drogba on form they’re the ones who are falling. Boro come next – but they leave three points lighter And the gap at the top gets a little bit tighter – Then Heskey for Wigan, scores right at the end Our defence is driving me right round the bend. No rest, next it’s Europe, the Dippers away But Riise pops up to rescue the day As they trot out of Anfield with nothing to boast That goal stands alone as the one I loved most. But wait – next’s Utd, the Champions elite Shame Carrick used his hands not his feet Gifting Ballack the pen to take if he dare As he slots the ball home, our win makes it all square. Then the Dippers return and Rafa just rages His rants about Drogba on all the back pages But the goatee was wrong, as Drogs stayed on his feet And the world sat and watched as the Dippers got beat. Last day it is then, points all square, both one-nil Then Utd’s attack sees our own go downhill Giggsy’s just scored and when news filters through The lads realise there’s ‘nowt left they can do. The heads all drop down leaving Bolton to score As we finish things off with another score draw. So Utd have made it two in a row As for us? We can wait til we get to Moscow!

Totally agree we need to forget Jose, the comparisons get on my bloody nerves now tbh. And I'll be right behind the team for the CL final as I'm behind them in every game but as for Grant, he can still fuck off as far as Im concerned.

I totally dont get it, we havent finished any better off in the league than we did last season and if we fuck up in Moscow then we'll finish with even less. That blokes name would never be chanted by me unless there was an F next to it.

The only difference with Lampard is that he doesnt slate us in the press, he's never come out and said it sickened him to play for us. However, the fact that he has said he loves Chelsea and wants to finish his career with us should see him sign the contract he's offered. Shouldnt it?

Proper gutted, not because we didnt win the title but more because they couldnt hold their heads up til the fat lady sang. Grant's - let's take 1-0 tactics really piss me off but on the positive side, Sheva shut a few mouths again, proving that despite being more than a bit rusty he can come in and still look more up for it than the lazy arse Drogba - has he signed for Milan already btw? And as for Terry, the man's not even human, lol. Hope his elbow can hold that trophy in Moscow!

If its money Drogba wants then he should piss off. As good as he is, i don't want any player at Chelsea who's in it for money alone and couldnt give a toss about the club.

It'll never happen.

So, at the end of today it’ll all be over, the final day of the season with all its highs and lows. There’ll be sorrows drowned, celebrations slept off in gutters, hearts sung out, tears cried and of course, there’ll be winners and losers. But which one will we be? It’s certainly been an eventful season for us with plenty of ups and downs. Obviously the biggest down – or so it seemed at the time anyway – was Mourinho’s departure, with probably the majority of us assuming our season was over when it’d barely started. And just when we thought things couldn’t get any worse, they introduced the resident cone man as the man who would ‘take Chelsea forward’. The fact that he didn’t seem capable of stringing a sentence together during the press conference appeared to have been overlooked by Kenyon & co. So, as our new ‘manager’ dribbled his way through the introductions and the opposition laughed themselves stupid at our expense, the only way looked anything but up. Then we had the injuries, which seem to be custom and practice now from a poorly used squad, plus the ACON to contend with, depleting us even further. Not forgetting some of the performances we’ve had to endure, with the odd loss to Barnsley and Carling Cup final defeat to Spurs thrown in and all in all, everything in the Stamford Bridge garden was definitely not rosy. And yet, not only have we got ourselves into the first Champions League final in the club’s history but we also find ourselves neck and neck with one of the best Utd sides ever, on the final day of the season. Yes, that’s right, amid all the verbal handbag swinging in the press this week, the fact that there’s a couple of games underlying the tantrums seems to have passed everyone by. We know Utd have Wigan, because Grant’s chosen to insult them all week, suggesting their prostrate forms could be due to the workings of the ‘old boy network’. Personally if we do see them laying face down for Utd’s visit I think it’ll be more in an attempt to hide the many flaws in the playing surface, but we’ll see. Anyway, whatever happens in their game happens and all we can do is concentrate on finishing the season as strongly as we can. After talking ourselves up (and Wigan down) in the press all week, how predictable would a draw at home to Bolton be? Fergie’s certainly done his part in making sure Megson’s lot turn up against us as well, which Bolton usually do anyway and rightly so. Megson himself, in sharp contrast to Keegan’s “boring” rant earlier in the week, seems pretty excited at so many things being undecided going into the final day – make no mistake about it, he’d like nothing better than Bolton having a say in the matter and taking all 3 points from their final game. Team news-wise, Kalou’s been carrying an ankle injury but could feature, which is just as well seeing as Anelka’s ineligible to play against his former club. Carvalho faces a late fitness test having injured his back against Newcastle and Cudicini won’t be taking his usual place on the bench for this one either due to a dodgy hamstring. For Megson, midfield duo O’Brien and Campo should be available again despite missing last weekends win over Sunderland. I’m in no doubt at all that the pressure going into the final day is all on Utd – they’ve got the advantage, they’ve got the ‘top’ manager, they’ve certainly got the players, and they’re expected to win – all we’re expected to do is turn up and play to give the journalists something to fill their column inches with on Monday morning. How many of them column inches we’ll fill remains to be seen, because as Cech quite rightly pointed out this week “history recognises the winners”. Harsh that in a season which seemed destined to see our downfall and actually saw our resilient determination bypass a ‘pretty’ Arsenal side and drag ourselves into a title race with the ‘best ever’ Utd, we could be regarded as a mere by-product, but that brings us back to the question of whether we’ll be winners or losers at the end of the day. And for me, irrespective of what happens this afternoon, to come out of this particular season with my pride as a Chelsea supporter intact, then there’s only one answer to that question.... KTBFFH

Someone said something to me the other day and I dont think Ive ever agreed with a comment more than this one: Chelsea pushing harder this year for the title and reaching the CL final (in spite of having as many injuries as last season and ACON) says more about Mourinho's shortcomings than it does about any achievement on Grant's part.

Making our excuses already it seems.

I loved the bloke but actually thought he tried to come off as a bit of a marytr in that interview. And to choose now, when we've just qualified for the CL final (without him) just seems bitter.

It'd be bloody obscene to spend that much on one player - and confirmation that we're just out to 'buy' success. Hopefully its more paper bullshit.

Why haven't I read anything about that in my local papers? I've been through them all online and can't find a thing.

And those quotes, for me, sum up exactly what's wrong with Lampard - Mourinho built his confidence up a little too much.

I'd leave him out altogether tbh. Even before his mum's death he looked a bit disinterested and with everything that's happened I just can't see him having any focus right now.

Last couple of games its been good to see Terry get players away from the ref straight away and this weekend definitely saw Utd come very close to their old ways. Oh and Drogba behaved like a complete twat.

I put my own spin on this story and judging by the comments I'm getting off the dippers lately, I'm doing a grand job of winding them up. Theyre so bloody touchy - can I help it if their manager's a pervert? http://www.thechelseablog.co.nr/

Rio went to kick a wall after the game, missed and kicked a steward instead. Tut, tut.

A very rare day indeed this season that sees me praise us but at long, long last they did us and themselves proud - could still be too little too late if we both win our remaining games, but at least we won't be letting Utd walk their way to the title. Realistically, seeing as it werent that long ago we were 8 points off, we shouldnt even be where we are, but all credit to the lads for clawing their way into this position. Essien at long last put in the sort of performance we know he can, Ballack, who's impressed me all season just seems to really come into his own in these big games. Drogba - totally needs to sort out his ego, as if the row over the free kick wasnt bad enough, his behaviour towards Clarke afterwards was a disgrace. Performance-wise though, he looked more committed than he has of late. Great goal line clearances at the end - looks like we've finally found a position for Sheva! Great to see his reaction to it as well. Felt proper gutted for Carvalho, totally unlike him to cock-up so royally but it didnt cost us in the end. While I'm dishing out praise, it was good to see JT keeping the players out of the refs face - it seemed to be Utd who were losing their discipline today. Just really pleased to see us play like that - long may it continue. Great stuff.