Football season 2011/12

[Bonanzoid]

That Pablo Guerrero foul is pretty shocking. Hasn't he been banned for 4 games or something for it? It reminded me of Joey Barton's cynical lunge on Xabi Alonso a few seasons ago.

[chrysostom]

I was really proud of the team last night. The display was great, the crowd were amazing and my voice is completely gone. Best night I've had at the emirates by far.

[Bonanzoid]

I wrote a wee article following Chelsea's Champions League win against Napoli, would be good to see what some of you thought of it.

If Charla reads this, then I apologise. It's not the most positive article about Chelsea.

[charlalottie]

In fairness, you're right about it being a case of the old guard saving the day again but considering the performance the whole team put in on Wednesday, it could have easily had gone Napoli's way if someone hadn't put in the same effort. I must admit that I was a bit worried over Luiz giving away something stupid but he put in some superb tackles.

Really, any Chelsea fan who expects the form of previous winning seasons to continue is going to have to reevaluate as things will need to change and I do feel sorry for AVB being put in one of the toughest situations of a team past their best (bar the odd few spectacular performances) yet expected to pull out perfect results.

[chrysostom]

I think AVB is a very important reminder that football players are people too.

Just like any unit, team or department - if you are a poor man manager, with ideas that conflict with a majority of the personnel then productivity will wane, and discontent will be rife.

A squad containing seasoned high performing professionals needed a strong manager who would be able to manage their egos, while slowly moulding them to his style. AVB was naive, arrogant and always seemed quite unlikable from a Chelsea player's POV.

If AVB was to interview for that vacant position, he would never have been given the role based on an incompatible personality - but he was given the job by a owner who judged him based on his CV.

That team can only be managed by Mourinho or a friendly, experienced manager (such as Ancelotti/Sven/Hughes) without things kicking off. Having said that, I genuinely think that the squad could manage themselves for next season. Until Lampard/Terry/Drogba/Cole/Malouda leave - there's too much of the old Chelsea to try and carve a new one.

[Bonanzoid]

Don't know if anyone is watching the Man Utd game today, but what a shocking decision it was for the penalty. Wigan and now QPR have both been humped by atrocious officiating.

[DevilsDuck]

It was a shocking decision, but... 8 points clear... Woop

[Yudster]

It was a bad decision but I'm so glad it happened becuase the comedy value of Jamie Redknapp ranting about it was immense. He was SO angry, I genuinely think he is trying to get Gary Neville to argue with him the whole time now, and he will fail, Nev has already demonstrated that is totally capable of loving United and doing his job as a pundit and commentator without any bias towards them or bias against City/Liverpool/anyone else. Angry Jamie is hilarious.

[chrysostom]

Gary Neville is the best thing to happen to Sky Sports since Fanzone.

[charlalottie]

This season is really quite frustrating. Its great that Chelsea are having decent cup runs but to be behind Newcastle?!

[Bonanzoid]

Gary Neville is the best thing to happen to Sky Sports since Fanzone.

I'd have to agree. At first, the prospect of that toerag being on my screens all the time was fairly bleak but he's proved me wrong. He's actually a fantastic pundit.

[Yudster]

He's surprised a lot of people, but no-one who knew anything about him. He was always one of the most articulate and intelligent players in the Premiership and he understands his job and knows how to do it. I'm not sure why anyone thought he would be anything other than good, unless people think that playing football is the same thing as talking about it.

[chrysostom]

Because he reveled in being a figure of hate from opposition fans. And he has dodgy facial hair.

[Yudster]

I'm not sure he revelled in it particularly, although he certainly relished the competitiveness is engendered. He still does, he has said often on Sky that to clamp down on that sort of edge between players and clubs would be a bad thing to do. But why would you think he would behave like that in a TV studio, where he has got a completely different job to do?

[chrysostom]

Many ex-pros who are now pundits are beyond insufferable at times - especially early in their careers, Redknapp as an example. I thought he'd take some time and give decent analysis, because that is the norm within English punditry.

To have someone come in with reasoned opinion, who embraces the modern game (and doesn't yearn for the 'old days') is really nice. I expected him to be rubbish, because most pundits are rubbish!

[Yudster]

Fair enough! I have to say I think Jamie Redknapp used to be better before Gary Nev came along - he seems to have decided that he has to represent a particular viewpoint or something, and he seems to think his job is to provide an alternative viewpoint to Nev, with the result (because as you say, Nev is SO good) that he is constantly making a bit of a tit of himself this season! Makes for some entertaining Studio sessions.

[John22]

Draw with Chelsea the other day, we'll take that thank you very much.

[charlalottie]

Amazing result for Wigan last night.

[Yudster]

I hope Wigan stay up. I have a real soft spot for them.

[Johnny 1989]

I want Wigan to stay up as well, never any agro from their fans (mainly because sadly a lot of the residents of Wigan aren't interested or can't afford to watch both the rugby & football so choose the rugby over the football.) and they do try.

In all honesty if any team "deserve" (and I don't mean that in a callous way) to go down it's Villa, that game today against Man Utd just showed how poor a team they have become, McLeish has made a bad team worse & I can see him doing the same to Villa as he did with Birmingham.

I think Wolves who are definitely down this year so far, shame really as I feel sorry for Terry Connor he's essentially had to take over the team that no one really wanted, the whole point of sacking Big Mick was to bring someone in to improve the team, in all honesty the board has to take a big part of the blame for Wolves relegation (amongst other things).

[charlalottie]

That was quite a win for Chelsea. In fairness, Barcelona should have scored, they had plenty of opportunities but it was nice to see Chelsea piling the pressure onto them forcing them to fluff it. Still not feeling too optimistic for the next leg though.

[Johnny 1989]

Well, I have to say Well Done to Chelsea (even if as an Arsenal fans it's completely against the code ) not many beat Barca, usually they hammer a team once they've let one in their own net. Now you've just got to make sure you can do the same in the second leg.

Also want to say well done to Reading, Charlton & Fleetwood on winning their leagues, especially to Chris Powell for turning Charlton round after several seasons of mediocrity.

Just wondering who people think/want to come up to the Premier League next year, Reading are up again & Southampton are making a welcome return (for me at least), I personally hope Blackpool come up next year, always thought it was a shame they went down last year, also Birmingham have done very well under Chris Houghton so wouldn't mind them coming back up.

Don't really have a problem with the Hammers although some of their fans I know at work are flash * so another season down there may shut them up a bit & with Cardiff I'll be honest I don't think they'll come up, they try every year when they finish in the playoffs and they always bugger it up.

[Bonanzoid]

Fair play to Chelsea, I've had my criticism of them lately but tonight they were absolute superb at the back. Magnificently organised and orchestrated. Credit where its due, they deserved to win. They subdued a flying Barca, who just could not find a way through thanks to ridiculously good defending.

Drogba had a good game, it's a shame he marred it with a healthy dose of playacting in the first half. I was glad Barca didn't give the ball back, because what he was doing was so obvious and disrespectful. Bar that, he did exactly what Di Matteo would have wanted him to do. Under AVB, I'd never have imagined they could actually defend like that. I have not seen Barca that under the cosh going forward for a long time.

[Bonanzoid]

Suarez may be a bit of a tool, but what a goal!

[MK Chris]

For 'bit of a tool' read 'racist piece of shit', right?