Whether you are in a car, coach, caravan, plane, mini bus, camper van or, as a couple of guys I heard of, a motorbike, let’s make it one to remember and have a safe trip there and home again.

Come on Chelsea, bring us back the cup with big ears! this is our time!

“Win or Lose – Up the Blues”

All details concerning the trip to Munich can be found here

* Match tickets now sold out, full details on the official site here -

* Official Munich 2012 Fan Booklet here -

* Chelsea FC’s Supporters Information Booklet here -

* Seating plan of the Allianz Arena here -

* Official Disabled Supporters Fan Booklet here -

* Munich weather forecast here -

* The Champions League Final ‘infographic’ can be found here -

* EUFA Champions League Final stats pack here

Another sacked manager, misfiring strikers, injuries, average results, problems off the pitch, finishing outside of the Champions League places – only the FA Cup prevents it being a total unmitigated disaster.

I’m personally very disappointed as I believed the season promised so much. I was convinced that in AVB we had secured the services of someone who could rebuild the team – and given his history at Chelsea, someone who could engage with the senior players to maintain results while a quiet revolution was instigated to give Roman the success coupled with the footballing flair which we are led to believe he craves.

Couldn’t have been more wrong – what we got was dull disjointed football, the exit of some valuable squad players, open rebellion and our worst season in a decade. Back to the drawing board – but with who? Capello is my guess if Guadiola makes good on his vow to take a year out.

My only hope is that it is not the season that is looked back on years from now and identified as the precise moment where Chelsea went back to being also rans instead of contenders. I am confident that Abramovich will not allow that to happen but competition for those elite top four places is tough and getting tougher with each club new club which finds itself a sugar daddy.

The Premiership’s tremendous finale on Sunday afternoon was a rather welcome distraction as far as I was concerned. We weren’t in the mix for anything and with Blackburn already relegated, our game was played out with all the excitement of a visit to see Arsenal’s trophy cabinet.

As such my mind kept wandering to Munich and the fretting which has been literally keeping me awake at night.

Whether the pub, the stadium – or even at work – all I hear is “Munich, Munich, Munich” – every sentence contained the word “Munich” -  how are you getting to Munich, where are you staying in Munich?, how much was your Munich hotel room, do you have a ticket for Munich?

In my mind I play out appalling scenarios – like going three nil up and then blowing it – or Lampard missing “the winning” penalty kick after extra time, or a refereeing display of Tom Henning Øvrebø proportions – my nightmares are endless.

You can’t forget about it for a moment – the trailers for the match are on every time I switch on the TV or the radio. Every other text or phone-call is about Munich – usually someone asking if I can get them a ticket – an absolute impossibility by the way – I am one of the lucky ones – there are thousands that are travelling ticketless – including half our party.

E-mails all seem to have “Munich” in the subject line.

Every time I hear that word my gut twists a little more – Robben skips across my mind’s eye like a little baldy demon; Ribery dances through our make-shift defence and chips a prostate Cech and climbs to the middle tier of the Allianz Arena to laugh in my face! I feel like I am losing the plot!

Before Torres scored in the Nou Camp, I had spent the last 15 minutes watching the scoreboard, the floor, the people next to me, the sky – ANYTHING but what was going on on the pitch, if I don’t calm down before Saturday evening, I swear I’ll “watch” the entire game facing the back of the stand. I can’t seem to focus on anything but the negatives!

I am more than aware of our strengths – I know that Drogba on his day is unplayable – but will he have his day or one of “those” days? I know that Ashley Cole is still arguably the best left back in the world – but will his exceptional experience be eclipsed by the phenomenal pace we know the opposition have? Our best eleven is a match for any team in the world – as Barcelona found out – but with those ruled out, is our best eleven good enough?

Over and over these thoughts haunt not only my dreams but every waking hour. But then I think of karma – and specifically Frank Lampard.

Frank Lampard deserves to win the Champions League – a less than exceptional player naturally  (by his own reckoning) who through determination, hard work and training became arguably one of the best players in the world. It’s no bad thing that it will be Lampard leading the Chelsea team out this Saturday and not Terry. Lampard is a leader in his own right and can lead us to glory – I feel calmer just by that one thought alone.

So I will bid you all a good summer – even those of you, who like the graceless sore loser Mr Kurt will be honorary Germans next Saturday. It’s a fine line between gaining immortality and finishing a forgotten second – at least we have a date with destiny to decide which will be our legacy.

(You can see all of Trizia’s articles here)

(We apologise for Driver’s report for Munich is up a tad early, but, the website admin (me!) is off to Germany in the morning!

The weather in Munich is no less curious than that which we have been suffering recently in London. They have had freezing nights, a little snow mixed in with rain and then highs during the afternoon pushing up to 18 degrees. The weekend seems set to be strange.

I normally try to write my forecasts as close to games as I can as this is likely to be a more accurate view. That said; I am rarely accurate. As many will be leaving early for Saturday’s game, I have been asked to prepare this earlier than usual in order to assist with packing for the trip. Accuracy may suffer. Then again, as I am so rarely accurate; who cares? (very true – Ed!)

The cold nights that have beset Munich this week seem set to continue but not as aggressively as they have done. Over the weekend, lows will rise from 6 degrees on Friday night, to 8 on Saturday and to a balmy 11 degrees on Sunday for those few stragglers who will be left behind.

It should be dry. Other than some rain on Friday afternoon, we should be in for a sunny visit. The chance of precipitation on Saturday is very low and only slightly higher on Sunday. The sun will shine. The UV index will be at 7 which is enough to burn pale skin if exposed for too long.

Day time temperatures will be decent. Friday will reach 19 degrees but both Saturday and Sunday look set to hit a palatable 23 degrees. Winds will be light and vary in direction from the east south east on Friday to the south west on Sunday.

Munich is a very important German city. As Germany was only united as one country in the mid 19th century and only reunited once more just over two decades ago, it has not grown around one dominant city as Britain has. Its constitutional structure is federal and based upon the states, kingdoms and principalities that made up the northern part of the Holy Roman Empire.

Munich itself is a fairly new city with a history dating back less than a thousand years. In 1957 it became as large as London was in 1800. It is larger than Liverpool and about the same size as Birmingham. It is considerably nicer than those two places.

Munich is the home to BMW and to the Munich Re, one of the largest reinsurance companies in the world. In the light of this latter fact, I am not minded to mock its inhabitants, merely illuminate some of their quirks.

The Munich Re’s offices are based around a courtyard. Until very recently and until the true effect of globalisation was appreciated, employees wishing to walk around the courtyard on breaks from their desks were required to all walk in the same direction, rather like prisoners walking round the exercise yard of a gaol. While Munich Re did not impose similar rules on their staff in other countries, visiting employees were required to toe the line when at head office. Those who did not respect this dictate were admonished.  Very few ever tried.

Munich is sometimes described as being to Germany what Newcastle is to England. Geographically on   the edge and the people speak with curious accents. Bavarians do not, however, just take their tops off. They are prone to removing their kit entirely and, when they cannot do so on some Croatian beach, they will do so in their own city park.

Munich is also the location of the English Garden, a magnificent public park, larger than Central Park in New York. When you consider the comparative sizes of Munich and New York, this makes it a jolly big park indeed. Be careful when wondering around its less populated corners as you are likely to encounter significant acreage of bare flesh. There is no aesthetic standard imposed before clothing can be removed.

If you are tempted to join in, please remember that the UV index will be high. Burnt buttocks would be most unpleasant. Other burnt bits, worse. Being naked in a park in public is not stylish. Being naked and sunburnt in a park in public, less so.

Bavarians are noted for their curious dress sense. If you have a moment, pop up to the top floor of the Loden store. Lederhosen and those busty dresses that one normally associates with buxom wenches serving large jugs of beer while all around sing songs from the Student Prince are for sale at huge prices. In Munich, such garb is formal wear much like dress suits and black tie in our country.

If you are tempted to buy a pair of Lederhosen for a laugh, have a quick butcher’s at the price tags and also think whether you would really buy a kilt if you visited Edinburgh. Hopefully you wouldn’t and so desist. Unlike kilts, Lederhosen take time to wear in. A fresh pair could well chaff. You don’t need chaffing in your trouser region while watching a Champions League Final. It might take the edge off it.

Your wife or girlfriend will not be enamoured by a gift of one of these dresses either.

Loden coats are high quality, high priced and best left to the Germans.

Germans do dress differently from us. While they have very good quality clothing, they lack a certain style. Business attire can be a sports jacket with tie rather than a suit. Women’s wear tends to be a little angular. The antithesis of the mantra propounded by the great French writer Jean Genet (Jean Genie from Bowie’s song): “Style is the art of dressing well in poor clothes.”

Germans also love a mullet.

This is the Champions League Final. Hundreds of millions of people from every continent around the world will be watching the 17,500 Chelsea supporters present. It is important that we give them a good show.

Loud and passionate are the most important elements of our support. We will, thanks to UEFA, be in a small minority in the Allianz stadium. We must be heard and the world must hear our passion. We will be seen and the world must look in awe at our style.

For heaven’s sake, leave the red trousers at home.

Remember, you are Chelsea and Chelsea is style.

Details for those travelling to Munich can be found here

(You can see all of Driver’s reports here)

Please Note: anyone who takes these articles seriously and without a sense of humour need not comment, failing that, I will post anything sent in of relevance to this article provided it isn’t too abusive, ‘Driver’ has pretty broad shoulders! – Ed

I’m buoyed a bit to know that Bayern got stuffed by Dortmund in the German Cup Final, but in all truth Dortmund had been much better than anyone else all season, and confidence can be a fickle friend.

Its been a strange sort of season, one in which I never really thought we would challenge for the title for obvious reasons, but I had hoped that even in transition we would be better than 6th. For us it went wrong big time on a far to consistent basis, fickle friend is confidence, early season strange events and scores are not too uncommon, you often find a freak result or two before things begin to settle down.

It was one hell of a gamble give a relative youngster the reigns of an established senior squad which has been in need of an overall for several season even if his CV suggested he was a great potential. The actual result went badly wrong, and some players actually did not believe in the project (hardly surprising when they knew they weren’t really involved).

The most disappointing aspect was the influence of the officials. We are used to the odd clanger and even the odd game of farcical events, that’s not uncommon we’ve had more than our fair share of those over the past 10 years, but never on such a consistent basis, week after week and not just us, it was throughout the whole Premier League. Not only were mistakes being made, but the same ones week after week.

I have strong feelings that the officials have manufactured and influenced the league positions more than ever, however I don’t feel that it made much difference to us as we were generally poor for much of the season, we would not have made the top 3 even in a balanced season. These things do not even themselves out over a season, it just does not happen, that is a scientific fact, there is such a thing as good and bad luck.

Can we nail just one obvious faux par with officials, can we now ensure that what ever team the officials support, they can not officiate their games or games that can influence their favoured clubs.

Now I’m not directly stating that any official has done a foul deed, though there are some suspect penalties that do come to mind. This action would take out all reasonable doubt about bias, simple easy and then everyone is above reproach, with today’s technology and the vast number of officials in the game it must be very simple. So if the current incumbents can’t do it, then allow a group who can.

Technology has its part to play and I really can’t see why all the resistance to change, getting things right should be the main objective, delaying that shows an inability to not just accept change for the best but show maybe there is forces of darkness being encouraged to tamper with our national game for their own means. Goal line technology is essential we’ve seen to many ghost goals, we got one in the Semi-final, it actually galvanised a then beaten Tottenham to score, but then we ran away with it again, so the hollow shouts of foul play were pointless, if we had called it a day at 70 minutes Tottenham would have a cause of complaint.

The FA Cup was belittled by its own organisers, playing it at after 5pm on the same day as other matches was stupid. The FA Cup Final is the closing event of the season, simple to organise in this day of amazing computer fixture programs.

Inviting disgraced ex-officials for entertainment value, poor planning on match days, as little help given to its own national clubs as possible on extra rest days for European competitions, the farce of training facilities for the Euro 2012 championships, the farce of location of training camps so far from the match locations, the funding of foreign clubs facilities when so many at home need help, the farce of the manufactured sacking of an England manager, which included a previous farce of crazy wages and a crazy contract length, then the complete farce, and public double talk in getting a new manager.

Just so many simple things that the FA got badly wrong, so called educated men with good organisational skills, don’t make me laugh, a bunch of twats on a jolly and they must be accountable as any player or manger of bringing our game into disrepute!

Briefly on the subject of confidence, I watched 4 games which actually affected our confidence in a negative way, because of poor officials making poor decisions. It can be solved by having a panel of 3 auditors watching the game in the stand with the used of TV action replays, it can take away potential difficult decisions for unsighted officials, and remove all doubt on some aspects of contention (balls over the line, penalty claims, violent or dangerous play) this will free up the official just to manage the game. Decision can be done quickly, and with the aim of getting the decision right.

It does not mean stopping the game at all, it will continue until a review is complete. In many cases the game would have stopped anyway.

Anyway down to the final day spectacle, our game was a meaningless affaire as previously stated, I watched Man City’s attempt at a first Premier Title, The QPR busses were out in force, no complaints one does what one thinks the best chance of getting a result, City just kept pumping aerial balls in the box, which is food and drink for a team that can head a ball. Obvious nerves for City not being experienced in this situation as they were in the Champions League, it takes time to settle into that game and mind set.

Two very good away goals set up an amazing finish, and many congratulations to any suffering City fan, more so by the wiping of the smug Man Utd fans at Sunderland, a MasterCard moment… PRICELESS. Their own players caused them more problems than many other teams did. Sorry for Bolton, they will be missed.

Football’s Twats: The obvious Barton, history of being a complete tool and thug, we need players like this like we need petrol price increases, a disgrace to football. We can add Tevez as well a clear violent conduct charge on top of being a poor example for our youngsters as a player, skilful and talented but with a ego that is disruptive and selfish, hopeful an exit door awaits. The vast majority of the football media, who try and make drama’s out of everything, and actually court trouble and cause mischief amongst clubs and players by often peddling false information and lies.

Foy as an official QPR’s player of the year (previously stated elsewhere).

BBC website coverage is the worst over the internet, many times been left wondering what is going on, they have become the talk sport of cyberspace, over dramatic, with comments coming from only heads of departments loved up on their own titles and self importance. ITV’s quality coverage, its just not happening, please replace most commentators with ones that can show a non bias.

Lastly Robbie has done a fine job, we recovered much from a season which looked like it was over in March. There have been some monumental performances since and hopefully one still to come. We produced many games of whole hearted desire and more than one game of grit, determination, and the will not to lose, in par with any seen in the previous 50 or so years.

A fantastic Fa Cup Semi-final victory over Tottenham, a great Fa Cup final win for our seventh, and to boot another Champions League Final, what ever happens in Munich its been amazing final few weeks, on the edge of immortality for players and manager, we can only hope for just one more miracle. However that will not get Robbie the full time job next season. It was a requirement of 4th in the league and maybe just as important the now essential overall of the playing staff.

Robbie has done the impossible, and will have done his profile no harm what so ever, but even if we win in Munich I don’t think the club feel he’s the man to rebuild the team.

Just one more last hoorah for this squad please, as old father time is waiting on the touch line with his substitute numbers board ready.

Posted by Voltaire

We came second last year in the best podcast category to the curly haired muppet that is Alan Davies, and his podcast the Tuesday Club. They are in the lead at the moment closely followed by the Scouse podcast Anfield Wrap.

For obvious reasons we would love to knock them off their perch! In addition Chidge has been nominated as best podcast presenter for the first time, so it would be great to make an impression here.

There are no other Chelsea podcasts nominated, so whether you listen to or know the show or not, it’s your only chance to vote Chelsea!

Voting closes on May 13th (Sunday) and every vote will count, so click on the following links to vote Chelsea:

Best Podcast: here
Best Podcast Presenter: here
Let’s add another couple of trophies to our collection this year, and stop the Scousers and Arsenal winning!!

The Chelsea Football FanCast has been on air since just before our last Champions League final in 2008!!! It is a weekly internet radio show dedicated to the Chels. The show is the real deal with real opinions and banter from lifelong fans that go to the games and live in the manor!

It’s presented by cfcuk writer David ‘Stamford Chidge’ Chidgey, and the show discusses the latest Chelsea issues from the fans perspective. Chidge is usually joined by ChelTel, the Celery Terrorist, Ross Mooring, cfcuk’s Darren Mantle and Pablo mates he’s been following Chelsea with for years.

In addition, when they can be begged, borrowed or stolen, we have great guests such as Jason Cundy; Alan Hudson; Paul Canoville; Mickey Thomas; Neil Barnett; John King and Martin Knight. It’s all about banter, biased opinion, and downright nonsense all in the Blue cause.

The show has an audience of thousands around the world and is ‘arguably’ the best, most authentic and totally independent Chelsea podcast on the planet.

‘Stamford’ Chidge

‘Stamford’ Chidge is a season ticket holder in Gate 17 in the Matthew Harding Upper, and presents The Chelsea Football FanCast. Check out www.chelseafancast.com and download it every week from ITunes, www.chelseafancast.com or www.footballfancast.com Follow Stamford Chidge on twitter @DavidChidgey

So, cheerio Blackburn. The first Premier League winner to be relegated. Gone and soon forgotten. Blackburn is distinguished for being unable to fill its ground for home games, being fairly convenient for the motorway, reasonably accessible parking and one of the best away pubs. Oh yes, and they throw poultry onto the pitch.

Alan Shearer played there. I don’t like Alan Shearer. I won’t be sad to see the back of them.

Sunday is about celebrating the end of a strange season. Celebrating the Cup win and the hopes of Munich. Sunday is a day for saying goodbye and have a good summer to those that one sees for nine months of the year.

And, as it should, the sun should shine on Sunday. Average temperatures are around 19 degrees. Despite the sun, we will feel not nearly as warm as that. Highs scratching around 14 degrees are the best we can hope for with a brisk’ish wind from the south west. Because the wind is from the south west, there is always the possibility of rain or a shower. This is only a possibility. It should be dry and sunny.

It ought to be a day to cast off the winter garb of football support and to don shorts and t-shirts. Probably a little too chilly for that. If you do strip off, remember that the sun will be strong. UV index of 6. Think of a little protection.

A few straightforward rules.

No Chelsea/Liverpool, Chelsea/Barcelona or, heaven forbid, Chelsea/Munich scarves. Certainly no half and half shirts.

Red trousers are not to be worn. No skinny white jeans unless your name is Binky. Can we please leave mustard alone as well?

Overweight middle aged men should think carefully before wearing tracksuits or any part of a tracksuit. Think carefully and then decide against it. Football shorts on the un-athletic are also to be avoided. Just think of that photo of the frightful ManU manager wearing shorts from a few years ago. I bet even that disgraceful man has regrets about that every time the picture is recycled.

Replica shirts?

If you must but please be careful what you put on the back. Fifty year old men proclaiming their devotion to the 22 year old David Luiz is a little odd.  No, “Mrs Lampard”, it is never going to happen unless your name is Christine and you have a Northern Irish accent. Notice how Ms Bleakly does not wear a replica shirt. Notice how she does not emblazon herself with the tag “Mrs Lampard”. Perhaps that was her secret of success.

If you must wear a replica shirt, the 1950s and 1960s ones are timeless and perfectly adequate.

No replica shorts unless you are under 9 years old. If you are, wear the socks and shin pads as well and bring your boots and your dreams. Expect to be disappointed but, you never know, it looks as though the youth will get a run out on Sunday.

Have a bath or shower on Sunday morning particularly if you sit in the West Lower anywhere near Gate 3 (or Shed Upper Gate 6! – Ed) and expect to squeeze past my corpulent frame at the end of Row 10 five minutes after kick off. Deodorant would be a plus. Cologne would be a real treat.

Above all, enjoy the relaxed occasion on Sunday before the 90 or so minutes of tension in a week’s time. The long range forecast for the Champions League final is high of 16 and showers. Fingers crossed for an improvement.

Remember, you are Chelsea and Chelsea is style.

(You can see all of Driver’s reports here)

Please Note: anyone who takes these articles seriously and without a sense of humour need not comment, failing that, I will post anything sent in of relevance to this article provided it isn’t too abusive, ‘Driver’ has pretty broad shoulders! – Ed

Chelsea Blip-O-Meter reading: 2.5

71-7 = 64 points

There is only a 20% chance that 64-points will deliver a club UEFA Champions League football. This season falls into the majority.

So, is Di Matteo being disingenuous attributing our failure to grab a top four spot to his predecessor?

On the surface his Premier League form looks almost identical to that of Villas-Boas.

AVB: P 27 W 13 (48%) D 7 (26%) L 7 (26%)

RDM:  P 10 W 4 (40%) D 3 (30%) L 3 (30%)

Or:  P 11 W 5 (45%) D3 (27%) L 3 (27%)

(Assuming a last round win against relegated Blackburn.)

But that is not the way the Chelsea Blip-O-Meter is calibrated.

Under Villas-Boas, Chelsea lost all seven of the points that we dropped against the comparable fixtures of the previous season (the “failure” that cost Ancelotti his job).

Under Di Matteo we will likely maintain that position having dropped three and gained three. And this despite mounting a successful challenge in the FA Cup and making the final of the European Cup. Successes that created the mother of all fixture log-jams.

It was not losing to Newcastle and Liverpool that has cost us a top four finish. It was our failures during a supposed easy run mid-season, (from which we managed: 3 draws, 2 wins and a celebrated defeat). That run of games returned nine points from what ought to have been eighteen. Villas-Boas achieved one less point from those “easy” fixtures than Ancelotti managed (That’s the same Ancleotti who was summarily sacked at the end of last season).

Thus it was at the end of January that the Blip-O-Meter indicated that we might need to win the this year’s European Cup to qualify for next year’s competition.

“You’re never as good as everyone tells you when you win, and you’re never as bad as they say when you lose” observed American football coach & sportscaster Lou Holtz.

On that basis, is Di Matteo the man to take us forward? Or did he just put the square Chelsea pegs, back into the square Chelsea holes?

Basically, like Hiddink, Di Matteo simply withdrew an extra midfielder in front of a shaky back four and dropped back the wide forwards both in terms of width (into the channels) and depth (to play as half-forwards or three-quarters).

Both moves stiffened the defence while allowing Mata to play almost a free role as a No10. It didn’t hurt matters that suddenly Drogba had a point to prove to somebody or other. And probably his last chance to fill in the one gap in his medal collection. It is likely now, that the new incumbent will adopt a policy closer to evolution than revolution.

I guess we’ll find out soon.

In practice, for all the protestations about “reviewing the position at the end of the season”, the decision was probably made back in March and our new coach’s shopping list is already in Gourlay’s wallet (more accurately, Gourlay’s pocket and Abramović’s wallet).

I doubt it is Di Matteo. But Di Matteo won’t lose out. He’ll be guaranteed a big cheque and probably the assistant’s role – if he wants it. And if he would rather return to being a head coach, his time with us will have done him only good.

And so onto Bayern in Munich.

When Di Matteo took over the probability of us playing off for the biggest prize in European Club Football would have been something less than 1%.

Win it and Bobby Dazzler will have a CV that will open almost any door…

Footnote:

Branislav Ivanović: Chelsea FC 2011-12 Player Of The Year– and by a country mile.

He may be a mad Serb.

He may look like an axe murderer.

But he’s our mad Serbian axe murderer.

Hvala lijepo, Branislav.

Posted by Steve Symmons

Then we had the full members cup final against Man City, who in those days were on their uppers as well, it was a day that I have never forgotten even after all our success of recent times, it was even then a special day for clubs who could not compete with the then money clubs of the day who won everything.

There is no love lost on Liverpool, and thankfully it’s not a place I am likely to visit again in the near future. Its team like its city is degenerating slowly, they have not been a real major player in the league for 20 years, they live off their old Moore’s (pools) money funded success of the 1970s and 80s.

Their history before the 1950 was nothing of note, Everton were regarded as the cities number one team, the change came via a clever man called Shaklee and money.

Liverpool were really a good second division team who major claim to fame went back to 1915 when they and Manchester United were found  guilty of match fixing which send us down to the then division 2, we were saved and the players involved were punished.

Anyway chewing over that we lost 4-1 and that we rested the vast majority of the team we are expecting to field in the CL final, it does somewhat get under the skin a bit that some media outlets considered last nights game more important than both FA cup final and the up and coming CL final.

I give you our degenerating BBC, once a fine bastion of British Broadcasting now peddle cheap tat like a daily gutter rag. Really, was that game that important to Liverpool who had another dire season, but still the BBC pander to as establishment crumbling team who are on the fringes trophy hunting, no FA Cup tv coverage either, the BBC are a joke of a sports media chasing the heels of ITV who lost the plot years ago

In fact all the teams and supporters who take great delight at taking jealous side swipes at Chelsea, and Manchester City claim of new money and purchased silverware, which clearly in the past never happened did it!

Never in the history of football did Arsenal and Manchester United use big money to out bid and buy success, it clearly has never ever happened! What is not liked is that other teams can now use the tool they solely expected to be theirs and theirs alone, clearly it’s just not fair.

Anyway what is football really about? is it having the biggest bank balance so the so called richest win everything, does the bank balance really ensure that silverware is guaranteed, no, money is part of the foundation but you also need owners that are fit and responsible for take into care of our clubs (so far our owner qualifies on all accounts even if he’s a little trigger happy), there are countless others who have failed badly regardless of so called wealth.

There needs to be a set of good players, and as we have seen this season a manger who knows how to use the tools he has been given. Then with those things in place are you set to win something. In fact I thought that winning games was the object of football, not wanting to be the richest and complain that it’s not fair others are more rich.

Time to wake up, there will always be someone richer, someone bigger, it’s a fact of life.

Arsenal can argue they are well run, and indeed they are on a sound financial base, clever management and a bit of local fixing got them a new stadium and greater revenue streams, but what have they done with that money…… well nothing really, they have progressed absolutely nowhere in 8 years other than becoming one of the PL biggest chokers.

The dreams of kids coming through the ranks with Wengers continued African stream of wonder products has still yet to produce any results, in all that time they have had money to invest, but with short arms and long deep pockets with a deep set ignorance they are no closer to a winning team then they were last year, or the year before or the year before that as well etc etc.

Tottenham have done what Tottenham do best, flatter and flirt, but fall well short when crunch time comes, old Harry Bassett lost his seasons blueprint for success the moment Capello exited stage left his teams collapse was maybe the reason that the FA (who have fouled up everything in preparation for the Euro 2012 in fact would fail by miles the good and proper conduct they insist on all new owners) have chosen Roy Hodgeson as England manager, who hopefully will save us some credibility come June.

A capable manager is what you could call Roy and it will be interesting to see what he does with both aging players (some who gave him a difficult time in a previous job) and the new hopes for the future, or was it all about the compensation package that Levy wanted from the FA, anyway Levy still has his manager, but maybe his stock value is not as high as it once was.

There are going to be some major changes over the next few years, financial fair play (excuse me for laughing) more like meddling in aspects that really are of no concern to FIFA or UEFA, in telling clubs how to spend their money, the rich list will change a little due to new mega investment, (but the old guard will still be the same) PSG have the same funding as Man City, more and more powerful owners will enter football and buy clubs.

If fair play is going to be the new thing can we insist that both Barcelona and Real Madrid pay back their amazing bank loans and taxes first! How can you expect the same when other countries have there own different rules.

In what we could easily claim to be a crazy season and one possible immortal game to come, well biblical, we play Bayern at their home ground….. lol this could only happen with us, and we are short of a centre defence and key players, we are going into battle with one hand tied behind our back yet again.

This time I expect nothing, we have pulled the iron out of the fire once to often, we can hope and pray and never give in, something we have and proved to the football world is our defiance of we will not yield, as case of not the 300 at Thermopilie but the 18 at Bayern!.. I’m only jesting we have achieved already way beyond the realms of possibility, but we can dream, and what a dream that could be.

The club management have been bold in going for Battersea power station, (they deserve much credit and support) it’s a good long term essential move, and will provide us with the extra revenue source that we need, and maybe a new iconic stadium, with its own village income.

Its something that has been crazy for many years, we attract 40,000+ customers to a game and throw them on to the streets after its finished (bloody business suicide). These customers (you and me) go and spend our money elsewhere.

The amount of rude and half witted challenged establishments around Stamford Bridge but we are sometimes treated like a carrier of the plague. What a difference to the local revenue streams, when we do move, 40,000 customers move away, and a polite kick in the knackers of some big headed and ignorant establishments.

With a real Chelsea village we can still spend our money with the club, in its new and varied outlets.

When we are talking of a new stadium look to what the US have as their stadiums, for that is what the new stadium will be like, and for once it can’t come soon enough. I love SB but it’s not the SB of old, it has very little resemblance to what I would call SB, time to move on.

Blackburn have gone, and what a fine example of a mess they have been.

Whilst Wolves went a while ago at least they a better run club than Blackburn, poor old Jack walker must be turning in his grave. Their current owners are a farce, piggy backing credibility and fame of a great club for their own means, whilst being clueless on how to run a football team.

Now we come down to the final two, QPR who have offered nothing but aggravation, arguments and the will just to be negative. They have given nothing to the PL other than seek their own existence with the desired to upset as many along the way as possible, even the crazy gang of Wimbledon had something to offer, this lot have nothing.

City to win and Bolton to get 3 points at Stoke would make Sunday quite a spring afternoon.

Sadly a real blight on this season has been the officials and their constant headline craving actions, I had hoped we had seen the last of these fools like Poll who wanted to control the games so much they affected the results.

Again this season we have witnessed a real low in standards, mistakes on a weekend by weekend basis, which has manipulated the table to some extent, every club has had its woes. The FA have to address this problem with urgency, use technology to take away the doubt, and not allow people like Blatter to continue to leave opportunities open for the game to be manipulated by suspect means.

Why it should have been done years ago, and in the World Cup of 2010 the only people on the planet who did not see our Frank Lampard’s goal were the 3 officials, surely with so much at stake things have to change.

The FA do make sure that officials who support certain clubs have no involvement with their games, everyone is biased, so accept that fact and take away another problem from even happening.

One last sour point which seems to be plaguing not just our football but our social lives as well is that of taking offence over the most stupid things. I’m in full support of kicking nasty aspects like racism not just out of football but out of society (I live in a country where it is accepted by the government, it shows ignorance and stupidity) but too many people have become to thin skinned about the most trivial matters, that should really be just ignored and treated with contempt that is deserves.

It’s really about education and training, not witch hunting, its about being man enough to apologise if and when we ever overstep the mark or something was said out of turn in the heat of the moment…. as a child of the sixties and seventies, we were taught “sticks and stones” rhyme, its about time some people grew a backbone.

Posted by Voltaire