"So,... Avram.. we'd um.. like you to come back"

And Avram Grant, the former skipper of the Mighty Blues, declined the offer to take over his prior position as director of football at the club. It makes me wonder what is going on at the Bridge. Is the club finally coming apart internally because of Abramovich's poor management of the clubs resources? While there have not been widespread disputes over how the coaching staff has operated it remains to be seen if the recent activity will cause the club to fall out of its second spot in the top four by the end of the next season. Chances are greater than sixty-five percent that this could happen. The situation at Liverpool this past season is a perfect example of how poor communication between staff and the ownership and it is likely that these conditions will translate into a rough season for Chelsea next year.

On a more positive note. I am in Cancun and if I would not have turned the waiter at the restaurant away, I would be plastered right now. I will have to keep everyone updated as the week goes forward.

You Don't Need To CGI My Kicks To Get them To The Bar

I have went down to the field for a second day and for a second day I hit the crossbar on the goal about six times on my free kicks. Now, I did punch the back of the net more times than I punched the bar but it is still a bit discouraging unless I want to be a stand in for Ronaldnhio in the next Nike commercial.

So why did I go down to the field for therapy? Chelsea lost to Man U in Moscow earlier today. Now mind you, I thought they would beat Chelsea but it was seriously touch and go for a moment. When it came down to penalties I started to pace around the living room and my mother looked at me like I had lost my mind and my friend Shibley just laughed at me.

I am not going to make excuses for Chelsea but I think the poor pitch conditions combined with the rain was the eventual downfall of the Blues. I think that UEFA really should have dealt with this problem well before the game instead of having to relay the pitch so soon to the match time.

Regardless of the pitch, United have won their third Champions League final and did it in amazing fashion. I do think that United started to back off in the second half and Chelsea had a few descent chances that could have ended it before the need for either extra time or penalties.

How does this effect the teams? Manchester is probably still partying at this hour even though it's close 4 AM on the other side of the pond. United are looking to dip their fingers into the transfer pool that will be opening soon and very well could increase the strength of their team even if Ronaldo decides to move.

As for Chelsea, I really think this will be a strong catalyst for them when next season rolls around. With or without Avram Grant at the helm, this will be a highly motivated team that will certainly be ready to take on the any of the worlds champions.

Congrats Red Devils. We will get you next year.

Sunny Spring Days in Moscow

Europe's premier club competition comes to an end tomorrow in the capital city of Russia and as a Chelsea fan, I can not wait for it to start. I have some bratwurst thawing in the fridge and I plan to toss on my Chelsea jersey and tuck in for the match. I will probably skip training tomorrow because I will either be too happy or too sad to really want to. But that is beside the point. The point of this blog is to discuss the match itself and who I think will hoist the trophy that hardly ever graces England.

For starters, this is the first all English final and I could not think of two teams that are more deserving than Chelsea and Man U. I do not know what made Didier Drogba wake up at the end of the the second tie between Chelsea and Liverpool, but the docile tones of the Ivorian were reversed when he banged home a splendid shot in extra time to help carry the Blues to their first ever Champions League final. This will truly be one of the most splendid finals in Champions League history.

Moving on for a look at the teams and you see that there is no lack of talent on either bench. The question is, who will be sitting on the reserve list and who will be in the starting eleven. The team sheets are not out yet but it is worth speculation. The Blues will more than likely field the side that they have in the past few games and I do not know if playing Drogba up front alone will really do any good. I hope that Grant has used his time off to work the Drogba, Anelka combo. A 4-3-3 with the addition of Lampard could prove trouble for the Red Devils back four. With Ballack and Essien in the midfield feeding crosses in, it is likely that United will have something to deal with.

United have a completely fit side to square off with and there is no doubt that it is the most talented side in Europe right now. They will likely field a stunning eleven that will clamp down on Chelsea early on. The one thing to consider with United is that they lost earlier in the season to Chelsea during the run down of the Premiership.

Despite the loss, I really do not see an easy going for either team. Both teams are hungry for the win and their motivations are more than enough to add up to a shocking final that will really astound the fans of both teams. So, who do I think will lift the trophy? As much as I hate to say it, I think United will win on penalties.

What does this mean for the two teams? Avram Grant is possibly looking at packing his bags and leaving the Bridge after the end of the season due to his rough and tumble performance the past eight months. Out of the potentials, it is likely that Roberto Mancini from Milan fame will be making a residence in west London in the fall. Hopefully he will speak better English than Mr. Cappello.

As for Fergie, he is probably the safest manager in the Premiership these days. If anything, this is practice for next year when United may very well win the Treble next year. Reports out of the camp have said that they are looking to snag up talent over the summer that could truly make them the best team in the world. I would not be surprised if Fergie was elevated to the gaffer of the English national team at some point in the future.


If there is one thing that is for certain when the Champions League anthem is played over the PA system at the dilapidated Luzhniki Stadium, truer lyrics will never be sung about the two teams that are on that pitch. Go Blues!!

Grant Grumbles like a Grade Schooler

(Courtesy BBC)


Chelsea gaffer Avram Grant spoke out earlier in the week about the bad press that he has been receiving after his side missed out on their first chance to snag silverware for this season.

Grant, who took slack at the start of his coaching career with the club, is in the fire again but he is not taking it lightly this time. He has went on record saying that the allegations being made do not only hurt the team, but the club as well. Some of the allegations being thrown at Grant include a notion that the chief scout for the club wants Barca manager Frank Rijkaard at the helm for next season. Other allegations include accounts that club owner Roman Abramovich has been hand picking squads for matches. Grant flat denies this, however, there were strong rumors back when Grant took over in September that would give a large dose of credibility to these rumors. Lastly, the media is picking at the gaffer for a practice pitch dispute between team skipper John Terry and first team coach Henk ten Cate. Both parties have worked out their differences.

What does this mean? It means that Grant has earned his top-flight gaffer wings. His, "don't attack the team attitude" even though his actions are clearly under attack, are SOP for managers in the Premiership. The problem with this is that he is taking it in the wrong context. Instead of lashing out at the press, he should remind them that his team is still involved in three trophy races. And after the stomping that the Blues dealt to West Ham on the weekend, it is clear that his team has what it takes if they can hold out and knock off Man U and the Gunners, whom they both play at the Bridge before the season ends.

So Avi, the people are not insulting your friends literarly, they are doing it to see if you call them names and run off to Roman and they are getting their wish. Stop the grumbling, mate. Drogba does enough of that for the team.