Pity that west brom lost to stoke.

Marvellous. Rafa Out banners. "We want our Chelsea back" chants. What version would they like?

And Wenger Out chants as well in N5. Perfect.

Any 'Good work, Agent Benitez' banners on The Kop today?

Three of Chelsea's next four games are away. It's not completely out of the question that Benitez could get himself fired before the end of the year.

Roman to decide that, after so many caretaker managers, he might as well just sod it and appoint the caretaker as manager.

I saw it suggested today that Roman might find it quicker and cheaper to buy managers in multipacks.

The Mirror is suggesting that Roman wants to bring Avram in to "help".

That Night In Barcelona wrote:


m.guardian.co.uk/football/2012/dec/02/ch...grant-rafael-benitez

His return is a bit like the plot to the Dark Knight Rises, if you weren't paying much attention during the film.

Just see it out for six months, Rafa.

Mourinho's more likely to pitch up at PSG next season. He can probably smell their managers' spending kitty from Madrid.

So, Rafa's got his first win then. Thumping European opposition too :)

He'll get his second on Saturday.

rafa brings some home truths. players not interested

That's a feeble article with no story to be extracted from it, however much the writer scrambles about looking for one.

there is a story behind it. It's in too many other places and was leaked by too many chelsea players. He took them in and gave them all a bollocking because they're shithouses whose lack of effort gets managers sacked. Obviously the only one who would come back at this was non playing captain and players spokesman john terry.

There was a very telling reaction by the crowd to the Chelsea penalty on Sunday. Normally they would be going beserk with indignation, as any crowd does when a penalty is awarded against the home team even when - as on this occasion - it was absolutely clear cut. Over the years this would have meant you had a mountain to climb to get anything from the game.

This time the crowd, both literally and metaphorically, shrugged their shoulders and said 'we'll just get two then'. As it happened Lampard missed, but it really didn't matter. City could have just stepped it up and got the win anyway.

And this isn't about City being that good.