Man Utd v Chelsea - The Fall-Out Continues

By: Andy | September 23rd, 2007

So the day has arrived. Chelsea’s first game since the shock departure of Jose Mourinho earlier this week. And what a game to play to try to restore some order and stability into a football club that has been rocked to its foundations.

There are some sensational newspapers headlines in England today. Ranging from Turncoat Terry to Abramovich preparing to give Grant £100m to try and get Kaka and Ronaldinho into the Blue of Chelsea when the January transfer window opens.

There are also stories that Hiddink will become Chelsea’s manager, also Capello, Van Basten, Klinsmann There are stories that Grant IS the man for the job.

The story about John Terry is the most interesting one because it seems that during and after the game against Rosenborg on Tuesday Jose and Terry had a blazing row, because it is alleged that Jose went to the medical department to find out why Terry fitness looked below par. And to make matters worse Jose told Terry that he felt Terry was responsible for allowing Rosenborg to score their goal.

The ‘row’ apparently found the ears of Kenyon and the Chelsea board and hence the emergency board meeting which took place on Wednesday evening and the rest as we say is history. But Chelsea’s official line that Jose HAD not lost the dressing room - ie the trust and love of the senior players.

It is also reported that Jose sent Terry a sacarstic text thanking him for contributing to his departure. But there is another story that 23 out of 25 players were in tears when Jose went to the training ground to say his goodbyes. You can guess the one player who didn’t shed a tear was Sheva as for the other one, who knows?

Grant says that he will get the team to play attacking football this afternoon at Old Trafford, I just hope that Chelsea remember to defend as well.

Perhaps the most laughable headline is that Jose WILL be back at Chelsea as Coach - one day.

There are so many other stories, enough going around to make your head spin. I can’t imagine when the Chelsea/Mourinho headlines will ever go away. What the fans need is for the team to go out today and for the next few weeks, without fear and try to win every game played, in an attempt to stop the sinking feeling of a quite overmanned ship - this meaning we need Rich Boy to stop meddling in team affairs so that the club can regain some sort of stability and order.

The reason why I mentioned Rich Boy meddling in team affairs and tactics is that there is a story going around that he told Michael Essien how to play football. It seems that when Jose was conducting his post match interviews after Rosenborg on Tuesday night, Rich Boy was in the dressing room TELLING Essien to do this and don’t do that!!!

So off to Old Trafford today and Chelsea will still be without Lampard, Carvalho and Drogba. I would rather be there than having to watch to game on TV, but life as Jose found out on Wednesday night isn’t quite as simple as that.

If you are looking for any source of inspiration and comfort on the task facing Chelsea this afternoon, in fifteen Premiership games at Old Trafford Chelsea has only lost 4 times. Chelsea has drawn 7 and won 4, scoring 21 goals and conceding 20.

KTBFFH