By 40 Years A Blue
February 2 2006

The Hollywood script writers couldn't have penned anything better than what went on in the various games in the Premiership last night.

The Champions were held at Villa Park 1-1 after taking the lead inside twenty minutes through Arjen Robben. The Champions were well in control - prior to the goal and for the next ten minutes - cos just on the half hour mark, ref Rob Styles denied Villa a clear penalty when John Terry, not for the first time this season handled inside the Chelsea area.

This denial of the penalty was the catalyst that inspired Villa and for the next hour they battered Chelsea until finally Luke Moore (who was the first player to score against the Champions in the League this season) deservedly equalised for David O'Leary's men thirteen minutes from time. Villa's constant attacks and Chelsea's mean defending reminded me of Zulu and the battle of Rorke's Drift.

Even the two manager's - O'Leary and Mourinho - managed to smile and laugh about the match before them. O'Leary said that 'Villa's penalty claim was valid and Chelsea should have had a penatly too" and Mourinho exclaimed that he didn't want ref Rob Styles to officiate Chelsea at Villa Park next season. This is because Styles had rung JM after last season's penalty horror, when Chelsea were denied a clear cut penalty, to admit he was wrong and although Styles failed to award Villa a penalty he also failed to give Chelsea one either.

Mourinho said, "In football is not the law of the compensation: ‘Because I make a mistake I’m going to make a lot of mistakes in the second half for the other side’. He’s not a bad referee, but with Chelsea he’s amazing. Here last year, the penalty on Drogba, at Highbury penalty on Drogba, tonight penalty on Robben.

"We have a problem. Can you believe a team like Chelsea cannot have a penalty for so many consecutive weeks? Zat Knight for Fulham, he goes like that [here Mourinho swung his arm like a tennis serve] — no penalty. Almost broken leg Drogba — no penalty. Arsenal, Drogba [bundled by Jens Lehmann], no penalty. Clear situations, no penalty.

"I gave an interview for the BBC on my birthday saying referees in England are fantastic, honest people. I don’t change my mind in one week. But you go some places where it’s so easy to get a penalty.

"I hope next season no Mr Styles in this stadium."

Although the Champions are fifteen points clear at the top of the Premiership, I do hope that Cameroon beat Ivory Coast in the Africa Cup of Nations Quarter-Final, cos I believe Chelsea are missing Didier Drogba. After all since 'The Drog' went on Cup duty at the beginning of Jan, Chelsea have only won one out of three League games.

Don't get me wrong. Crespo is a quality player, but Crespo is not Didier Drogba. Where 'Drog' can hold the ball up, Crespo likes the ball to his feet and be able to run at defenders. At least with Drogba and Crespo about, JM can mix and match his permutations on each and every game.

Come on Cameroon LOL!

Elsewhere. Utd lost at Blackburn with Arsenal reject David Bentley scoring a hat-trick, one with a Rio Ferdinand assist and the England centre-half then got himself sent off. Talking of England centre-halves, Arsenal's Sol Campbell had a nightmare first half in Arsenal's home defeat to West Ham. Such a nightmare that Campbell was subbed at half-time and stormed off home, heard muttering something along the lines of 'I don't want to play football anymore.'

Reports this evening say that Campbell is OUT of Arsenal's squad for the weekend game against Birmingham. And talking of Birmingham, they got themselves a creditable draw at Anfield, with only ten men. Robbie Fowler made a substitute appearance and had a last minute goal disallowed.

No wonder David O' Leary and Jose Mourinho were having a laugh at Villa Park last night!!

 

40 YEARS A BLUE!