When Mike Riley turned up to officiate in our match against Man City were you not just a little surprised? Not only had Mark Halsey’s name been originally pencilled in for the game, but surely it was way too soon for him to be reacquainted with Chelsea players anyway after his ridiculous red card dismissal of Frank a mere five Premiership matches earlier. Usually a suitable ‘cooling off’ period elapses before Keith Hackett, the much maligned general manager of the Professional Game Match Officials Board, deems it right and proper for a reunion to take place. However, many would say that this particular referee shouldn’t darken our door ever again after a string of diabolical performances stretching back to a pathetically weak handling of that dreadful game against Reading and beyond.

My first thoughts on his quick return to the Bridge were that the club had initially protested about Halsey reffing us again against a Citeh side that is allegedly close to his heart, not forgetting also his truculent sending off of JT - as if we could. Right about this or not, the relevant authorities decided to respond in the only way they know how - confrontationally. Liam had better not listen to the next bit, because it also crossed my mind that Mikel’s demotion to the bench might have had something to do with his almost suicidal disciplinary record when faced with officialdom in the form of Mike Riley and for this theory to be correct it also needs to be somewhat conspiratorial, as the club would have had to have known about the rearrangement much sooner than the rest of us. Halsey’s name appeared as referee right up until the morning of the game and, even though there is something of a devil and the deep blue sea choice between the two of them, you do have to wonder about the reasoning behind such controversial appointments, one after the other.

This paranoia then carried on into the remainder of the week for me because, lo and behold, Riley fronts up at the Emirates for his next blind-leading-the-blind sortie, only to confirm the worst suspicions of all concerned [that he really is ****poor] by missing a clear offside and a subsequent spat. In a post match discussion with son in law Gunner he reminds me that they too know exactly how we feel after the penalty Riley awarded to United at Arsenal in 2004 and we both console ourselves with a joint belief that, by the law of averages, he shouldn’t cross our paths again this season - barring, that is, the inscrutable workings of the Game Match Officials Board. In the case of players it is all too clear when they have been brought back too early, but, in the case of referees like Riley, they never appear fit enough to be brought back at all, no matter how many chances they are given to improve.

Excellent piece Dorset.

I am one of the few who can never be suprised by Mr. Riley. When it comes to his officialdom, I long ago reached the conclusion that the rule book and common sense go out the window ........... anything can happen. And usually does. Sure, every ref makes mistakes, But in an ideal world, all refeeres, including the laughably incompetent Mike Riley, would have to face the TV cameras after the game, (like managers do), to publically explain their decisions and the reasoning behind them.

But in some ways at Chelsea I think some of it is our own making. I feel we reap what we sow. I have said before that IMO the home crowd at Stamford Bridge are probably the least vociferous in the country in respect of condemning poor refeering. And it's still true. Scandalous decisions that would have normally sane, rational football following folk off their feet screaming the "the refeere's a w....nr", at any other ground in the land, are generally greeted by many of my fellow supporters B) with a bemused shrug of the shoulders and a quick look at the Blackberry to see if Tarquin and Henrietta are still coming round for the dinner party.

Scandalous decisions that would have normally sane, rational football following folk off their feet screaming the "the refeere's a w....nr", at any other ground in the land, are generally greeted by many of my fellow supporters with a bemused shrug of the shoulders and a quick look at the Blackberry to see if Tarquin and Henrietta are still coming round for the dinner party.

sad but true :lol:

sad but true

some people are just to comfy in their seats to get up and shout f*** me's at the ref !

I (you will be glad to hear) am not one of them :o

I never shout at the ref, I might spill some of my pizza.

I never shout at the ref, I might spill some of my pizza.

i try not to get too excited, might spill my mocha chocco latte double espresso capuccino.

i try not to get too excited, might spill my mocha chocco latte double espresso capuccino.

That's a buggar of a stain to get out too.............

i try not to get too excited, might spill my mocha chocco latte double espresso capuccino.

That better be ethically sourced, approved by FairTrade, and drunk from a paper cup from a sustainable rainforest...

And in answer, I don't know why Riley was with us again too soon. Perhaps Fergie made a call or two to the FA, and got him back in charge of us again, getting worried about the title race.