Premier League: Team of the Season

It's that time of the year for people to put fake teams together and ponder the what-ifs if this were actually at team. The players selected here are ones that impressed (me) this season. In a bid to set aside bias, it is not Chelsea's starting XI even if the team has a blue hue. With the excitement of a season that saw both the favourite and richest club go and win the darn thing, there could be an argument for more City players to make an appearance in this XI. Yaya Touré the most glaring omission. He had a brilliant season following in Frank Lampard's footsteps scoring 20 goals in a season. So rather than include him in the XI, he gets a special mention.

Swansea vs Chelsea: Continuing the BA-ttle

"Hold Me Closer, Tony Danza"

If Sunday's early game did anything it was to throw Chelsea supporters into a bit of a wobble as they tried to do some quick math and put personal feelings aside. Which result would be most palatable pitted against which result would benefit Chelsea's title hopes the most. Taking a moment here to curse Pulis' Palace for this decision even having to be made and then moving on.

Mathematically, a Liverpool win was Chelsea's most beneficial result, as distasteful as it felt. If Chelsea went on to beat Swansea (spoiler alert: they did) it would mean that if Chelsea don't Palace it up again and win their remaining 4 (FOUR!) games with City dropping a couple of points in one of their 26 games in hand - we could see Mourinho wear a trophy like a crown once again.

Sounds easy enough. Chelsea have shown time and again this season that they know how to handle a big match matching title challengers and just about every step. The crux of that ,of course, is 3 of Chelsea's 4 remaining games are against relegation fodder. The fixtures that recall the recent trips to Palace and Villa or even the visit from London's Eastenders.

England: In Need of John Terry's Fighting Spirit

Uncle Roy loves a bit of Terry

International friendlies amidst a busy March full off Premier and Champions League football is never going to make for thrilling viewing. It's a puffed up affair for indecisive managers to make up their mind on a few question marks in their lineups and sponsors to make a few more quid for those willing to pay to watch this level of football.

But as England plod through their night at Wembley with Bendtner FC, it's apparent what they're missing. I know you know where this is going. But there's a reason you know. There's a reason that people are STILL talking about it. Writing silly little blogs insightful pieces on it. England are missing a leader at the back, and arguably the Premier League's best defender -- John Terry. Someone needs to organise that back four and get the ball forward. There's not many better in the game at the moment.

Benitez: Tinkering Himself Out of Future Employment as Chelsea lose to Saints

What's that smell? Definitely not integrity

Well the good news for Chelsea is that Rafa Benitez is definitely leaving at the end of the season. The bad news for Chelsea is that Rafa Benit... no, it’s still good he’s leaving. It’s bad news that he is very clearly choosing personal glory over what’s best for the club. Some may address the ‘could you blame him?’ trope. I like to call those people wrong. No surprise they are some of the same people were onside with Ferdinand’s vacation in Qatar rather than report for England duty.

When the lineup was announced, it was clear that players were being rested for Monday’s FA Cup replay with United, and that the league is in no way being prioritised. Ridiculous decisions all around. Normally sensible to rest Hazard after he played 180 minutes for Belgium mid-week, but with Mata out, he should definitely have started. Bentiez usually misses a trick by never starting Mazacar, two of the three members of this triumvirate should be first on the teamsheet week in and week out.

QPHa Ha Ha ... But This Time the Joke is on Chelsea

"I don't know how it happened either.
I just told them to go out and run around."

Hindsight is twenty twenty and all that, but no one needed hindsight to realise the team that the interim manager had selected was not going to be up to the task - even against bottom feeders QPR. It was remiss of said interim manager to look at QPR’s points tally only - as it wasn’t even half the picture.


The reality is Chelsea do not have the depth of squad they once possessed and do need to rotate if they are to remain competitive. Brilliant. But when you’re taking on a team that have only conceded eight goals on the road this season, it might have made some sense to consider an attacking minded lineup to get past that parked bus. Call me crazy, and I know you often do, but it seems pretty simple.

Combine that with the fact that Chelsea have a FA Cup match against a team that concedes loads of goals, and therefore could field a defensive team with some fresh faces .... And if the interim manager didn’t want to quite go that far, surely Mata or Hazard should have started while the other was rested. All thoughts and possibilities that surely would have had an outcome better than last night.