Introduction It is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma. Churchill was not actually referring to the Soviet..
Tag Archives: Chelsea
Introduction Does the buck really stop at the manager? Such is the eternal debate in football. The modern structure of..
I certainly wasn’t expecting such an early Christmas present: news that Daniel Sturridge is leaving us. I rang the club..
Prologue I hate Leeds. I’ve hated Leeds since around 1970. I hated everything they stood for. I hated Don Revie..
Introduction Memory’s a funny thing. They say the human mind has a penchant for forgoing a well-rounded perspective in favour..
Dear Roman (I assume you are OK with the informal approach), As a long-standing devotee of Chelsea Football Club for..
(with suitable apologies and homage to John Le Carre) (Author’s Note: The main character of George Smallie should be imagined..
Preamble So, another unveiling; another bloke waving his arms on the touchline for a few months while he waits for..
Somewhere between talking to the trees in Paint Your Wagon (1969) and talking to a chair at the Republican Convention..
Introduction How refreshing. An international fixture break, the tragedy of the club footballing calendar, lasted only a couple of days,..
If you hadn’t worked it out from the title, this is a post about referees, and in case you think..
Stamford Bridge. 4.00pm. Remembrance Sunday, 11th November. An immaculately observed minute’s silence to remember those who gave their lives for..
Introduction Only quack footballogists would claim to have accurately dissected the thinking behind Abramovich and Gourlay’s leadership. Indeed, a decade..
Preamble I wanted to take the liberty of going to this game but unfortunately on the morning the tickets became..
Usually, you’d say there’s no such thing as a moral victory in football. The table will record three points for..
Introduction When will it end? Is Chelsea forever scourged by an unequivocal marriage to the issue of racism? Some would..
The prologue It never ever, ever gets boring beating Spurs. But for me there’s an even bigger joy in beating..
The curious headline is prompted by young Junior, scion of the noble House of Bayou, who made his competitive feetballs..
In 1971, the late, great Peter Osgood was handed an eight week ban and a £160 fine by the Football..
Introduction A tale of two birds coming into the weekend. The omnipotent FA’s decision to adjudicate that which has already..
The match reports The Guardian, Dominic Fifield: “Chelsea achieved the remarkable on foreign soil in May but there was still..
Cech. Ivanovic. Luiz. Terry. Cole. Mikel. Ramires. Mata. Oscar. Hazard. Torres. Saturday. 12.45pm. Emirates Stadium. Drayton Park. North London. If..
Listening to the radio and reading the press it’s clear that many hold the view that racism is racism, it’s..
The match reports The Guardian, Dominic Fifield: “John Terry will have enjoyed this brief respite. His had been a tumultuous..
Introduction There’s been quite a large concentration of fuss and bother in the short space of three days. Unless you..
A little preamble Well well well. The mojo is slowly returning. I can remove myself from the self-imposed exile I’ve..
The preamble It’s been a long summer without club football since that memorable night in Munich. Yes, yes, I know..
“Oh yes, that would be so nice” – memorable lyrics from the enigmatic Brazilian chanteuse of the 1960s, Astrud Gilberto...
You will have noted that Nick, blog owner and master of Podding Acres, wherein lies the humble structure from whence..
The match reports The Observer, Dominic Fifield: “A third successive win maintained the European champions’ pristine opening, with this their..
The tweets The buildup… Reading: Federici; Gunter, Harte, Gorkss, Pearce; Leigertwood, Guthrie, Karacan, McAnuff, McCleary; Pogrebnyak. #readingfc — Reading FC..
The match reports The Guardian, Dominic Fifield: “This contest had drifted just beyond the half-hour when the referee Mike Jones’..
