Silver Linings Playbook

Perhaps there is a silver lining to what has been a turbulent season for Chelsea:

As you know (and I probably over emphasised in my last post!) we managed to stay in the FA Cup last eight by coming from behind to draw with Manchester United.  The replay on Easter Monday at the Bridge will decide our fate in the competition.

Last Thursday evening we also managed to book our place in the last eight of the Europa League competition by converting a 1-0 deficit against Steaua Bucharest into a 3-2 victory.

On Sunday afternoon we beat West Ham 2-0 at Stamford Bridge to move back into third position in the Barclays Premier League.  (Remember we squandered an early lead at Upton Park back in December in one of Rafa's early matches in charge of Chelsea and the Hammers won 3-1.)

And last but by no means least, Frank Lampard managed to break the deadlock and score his 200th Chelsea goal by heading in a well placed cross from Eden Hazard, in our match against the Hammers.  Yaaaay Frank!

So things are looking up for Chelsea.... I hope they manage to maintain their momentum when they return after the International break - although they will be returning to an even more cramped schedule: 4 matches in 8 days...

Looking back to last weeks action, our Thursday evening second leg match against Steaua Bucharest was my first time back at Stamford Bridge since my back operation last month.  Although initially it was exhilarating to be back at the Bridge, with hindsight it was probably a little premature of me to anticipate lasting the match on very uncomfortable seating (am not being precious - just relative to my back problem the seating is almost toxic).  On top of my physical limitations the atmosphere from the extremely vocal away fans seemed more threatening than usual.  When a Chelsea fan ran onto the pitch and taunted the raucous Romanian rabble, they morphed into a giant rabid dog, foaming at the mouth, trying to clamber over the barriers to rip apart the interrupting foolish fan. I have to be honest and say this was probably my own distorted view as I felt the vulnerability of a wounded animal in sight of its predator.  To add to my anxiety I discovered most of the seating behind me was occupied by Romanians making a rather feeble attempt to pass as Chelsea fans and when Bucharest scored their first away goal, just before half time, it became more than clear that not only were the fans directly behind me from the enemy camp, so were a multitude of others scattered all around the ground in the 'blue' stands.  Most of these intruders didn't even bother disguise their allegiance to the visiting team.  My daughter E, who had accompanied me, did her best to normalise my concerns but even she wasn't thrilled by feeling surrounded by Romanian fans.  (Perhaps pathetically) we decided to watch the second half in the comfort of our house away from the threat of the enemy and close to the bulging, but by no means bothering, refrigerator full of food! I feel blessed to live close enough to my team's ground to enable such decision making - although I would rather be 'man' enough to have lasted the length of the match... (Also have to thank my daughter for bringing the 'Hailo' app into my physically challenged life: the best and most reliable way of catching a cab in a hurry!)

Once home we were relieved to see Chelsea come out fighting in the second half.  Juan Mata's early lead had been neutralised by the away goal just before the break and we needed at least two more goals and a clean sheet in the second half to win.  I was thrilled to see John Terry score one of his usual potent headers from a free kick - maybe he will earn more playing time from Rafa now.  Shockingly, Fernando Torres scored the third and winning goal of the night.  He could have made it four as he unusually stepped up to take on the challenge of a penalty awarded for a bad foul on the amazing attacking force of Eden Hazard.  As he lined up to take the penalty the television camera showed a close up of his face.... he had incurred a bloody nose from an 'inadvertent' kick in the face by a Romanian defender while he was lying prostate in the box protesting what he thought had been a penalty shout.  Not unusually, he was ignored by the ref who turned the same shade of red as the blood pouring from the Spaniards nose, when confronted by the wounded Torres.  Watching the close up of his bloodied and hyper ventilating face, every inch of my body was shouting out 'don't do it' - everything about his demeanor was saying he would miss.... one ball thumping off the cross bar later and I felt tears stinging my eyes in sympathy for a player I have come to criticise regularly.  Perhaps my own, still fresh in the mind, experience of 'losing my bottle' had brought on the sympathy or even his bloody nose may have put him in the 'wounded animal' category - a class which I felt more than a part of that evening.  Either way I dispensed with some negative disappointment towards the flailing striker and really from the bottom of my heart wish he finds his way - be it on or off the pitch...

Talking of negative disappointment... although this should be a very positive post, considering our exploits this last week, I am disappointed - no, not in Chelsea but in the behaviour of some fans of West Ham United on Sunday at Stamford Bridge.  Early in the game, just before Lampard gave Chelsea the lead, jeering West Ham fans threw coins at John Terry as he warmed up on the side lines.  Although JT responded quite eloquently by bending over and stretching with his back turned to the hostile fans, displaying his smiling cheeks, Lampard's goal seemed a much more fitting response!  Frank, having spotted Terry on the sidelines, veered in his direction to celebrate and the two were then pelted with more coins and dangerous missiles by the rowdy Hammers.  I have since learnt that two West Ham supporters have been arrested for a racially aggravated public order offence and one for criminal damage (for theft of a chair - hope he wasn't intending on throwing that..!!).  I know I am probably sensitive to 'health and safety' issues at the moment but I really hope we are not returning to the times when the words 'football fan' and 'violent thug' were synonymous.

I want to end on a positive - a quick shout out for my recently elected favourite player, Eden Hazard, who I thought was brilliant most of the match on Sunday and danced his way into the box and scored another sublime goal giving us a 2-0 lead.  I know you should not have favourites and I want to reassure my daughters I have never had favourites at home!! I genuinely admire all the players in the squad but there are times when I watch Hazard when I forget I am watching football - it is more reminiscent of the sensations I feel when watching a breathtaking act in Cirque de Soleil - it is art...

A quick congratulations to Wigan firstly for their convincing win over Everton to get into the semi-finals of the FA Cup... a great victory.  Secondly for their somewhat controversial win against Newcastle United on Sunday bringing hope to Latic fans that they may be looking at yet another season saved from relegation.  Newcastle substitute Haidara was rushed to hospital after a horrific tackle by 21 year old Wigan forward Callum McManaman making his full 90 minute debut, who went unpunished. A much aggrieved Alan Pardew admitted after the match that referee Mark Halsey apologised for missing the challenge at half-time. The forever calm and positive Roberto Martinez refuted the notion of the challenge being malicious and blamed the exuberance of youth.  He also said Wigan deserved being on the right side of some contentious decisions and all teams at times are beneficiaries of luck and chance.... It's not just because I like Martinez and his managerial qualities that I find myself agreeing with him!

A quick thank you to Fulham for beating Tottenham in the other London Derby on Sunday... Another silver lining.... Berbatov scored for Fulham against his old team, giving Fulham manager Martin Jol an ironic win over Tottenham.  When he was manager for Tottenham, Jol had signed Berbatov and Gareth Bale amongst others.

Finally I actually got round to watching 'Silver Linings Playbook' this week... A great script and cast, just got a bit too Hollywood sickly sweet at the end but I guess it had to live up to its title!   Let's hope Chelsea can live up to the same title and no ending will be too sickly sweet for me when it comes to the blues!