Pat Nevin: Remembering John

In this week’s column, Pat Nevin writes about the great man who made him a Chelsea player and about quality football from the current boys in blue…

First and foremost I would like to pay a personal tribute to John Neal who passed away on Sunday.

He was a great figure in the history of our club. It has been long accepted that he dragged our club out of some of its darkest days in the early 1980s when we were a Clive Walker goal away from falling into the third tier of English football and also into terrible financial trouble.

Over that pre-season he brought in Kerry Dixon, Nigel Spackman, Joe McLaughlin, Eddie Niedzwiecki and myself. Suddenly overnight there was a team built that won our league and next season had us punching with the best in the top flight, back were we belonged.

It was also done not only fairly cheaply but with an ultra-attacking, exciting outlook. He gave the fans their club back, the exciting club that many had grown up loving. His tenure was cruelly cut short after a heart problem just as he was building something special. We will never know just how far he could have taken us, but it certainly would have been a fabulous, enjoyable and successful journey.

In amongst his undoubted talents I must say now that his qualities as a man shone through. He understood that different and often big personalities had to be managed in different ways. He was wise enough and considerate enough to spend the time getting the best from us all.

For me personally, he immediately understood that this unusual, skinny, teenage footballer with totally different interests and outlooks from the rest of the team was worth trusting. Even to the extent that he sometimes said at the end of the team meetings, ‘Get the ball to Pat and you will win!’ Quite a statement to a bunch of experienced pros about the little, quiet kid listening to avant-garde music in the corner while reading Russian literature instead of The Sun!

How on earth did he know that not only could I cope with this but I would love and indeed flourish under such pressure and expectation? How did he know that as an obvious outsider with such preferential treatment, the others wouldn’t turn on me, but would bolster and befriend me?

Nevin Chelsea v Newcastle 83

He knew because he was a fabulous reader of characters and as I said before a very wise man. Most of us know how much we owe him and I certainly was always aware of the fact. I will write more in the coming weeks of recollections of the man, but little things stick out today.

He knew my dad travelled down for every home game on an 800-mile round trip by train (he went to all the away games too!), just to see me play. So John regularly had him sit in the manager’s office before the match, usually plied with a few whiskies to ease the day along, just to make my father feel at home. There were long chats in there between the two, along with John’s faithful assistant Ian McNeill, that had many laughs but plenty of mutual learning too. Could or would any current manager do that sort of thing before a big match?

John clearly cared for his players and we cared for him. A couple of years back I heard that his memory was failing and I made the long drive down from Scotland to North Wales to see him and share some time before it was too late. I am so happy I did that and for the rest of my life I will remember his final words to me that day.

His memories of past times were by then very sparse, but he was sharp and with it in the moment. He was also in physically good health. As I left the house I wondered how much he really knew about our conversation and was the visit really worth it for him anyway. Standing in the hallway beside his wife who was taking care of him so wonderfully, he suddenly stared just over my shoulder and a huge smile broke over his face and his demeanour lit up. There on the wall was a framed photo and I was in it, attacking a full-back.

‘Eh wee Pat, just take him on, you’ll have him on toast.’ It was worth it, he remembered for a moment, I will never forget him and what he did for me for the rest of my life.

Back to the present day, and life at the club goes on and John Neal would certainly have approved of the football in the first half at the weekend. Jose Mourinho actually seemed pretty blown away by those first 45 minutes against West Bromwich Albion on Saturday. It is of course easy to say ‘it was only West Brom’, but no team in the Premier League can be dismissed out of hand. They all have plans worked on and players motivated to impress on the biggest stage, and yet they looked a long, long way short of our class on the day.

I was watching the game sitting beside Kevin Kilbane, the former Everton and West Brom player, as well as Denis Irwin, the former Manchester United full-back, and their reactions are revealing.

Both felt that we looked a league apart from anything in England with the possible exception of Man City on their day, but both agreed with me that Chelsea’s biggest concern is bad luck and the possibility of injuries to come. Not the lack of ability anywhere on the field, not the lack of adaptability to any situation and not the opposition likely to stand in front of our lads in the coming months, but the fickleness of lady luck and nothing more. It is hard to know what to do about that other than get a little more back-up in January.

It was indeed another comfortable three points and another day when the score could have been anything between 2-0 and 7-0 considering the chances we made. What was pleasing was the different areas and personnel who created those chances. Of course Oscar, Hazard and Fabregas will be providing killer final passes, but there was also Willian, Diego Costa, Ivanovic, Azpilicueta and Matic creating golden opportunities. I suspect that was one of the reasons why Jose was so pleased, it seemed everyone wanted in on the act and it was impossible for Alan Irvine’s team to know where the next danger was going to come from.

Chelsea v West Brom

The second half was understandably a little less free-flowing. Of course we want more goals and more entertainment when the team is on form but at the same time, with tonight’s game in mind, you have to balance that with the risk of injury, tiredness from unnecessary overexertion, and the value of taking risks when the game is already won and the three points secure.

We still made chances in the second half, totally dominated and were never under any pressure, but it was intelligently controlled.

We also didn’t take chances with silly bookings, especially with Diego Costa after what I thought was an awful elbow on him by Dawson. Diego was quickly substituted, he is one booking away from a suspension, but judging by his final withering look at the centre-back, that has all been duly logged. I wonder if Dawson will start the next time we play WBA? Just a thought.

It all leaves us with tonight’s game and the opportunity to book the knockout stages of the Champions League with a game to spare. Schalke obviously gave us a tough test in the first game between the sides, but I think we have really got into our stride since then and the Germans will have to be better still to stop the Blues getting exactly what they want.

The team selection will be interesting but I can’t see Jose making too many changes from the weekend starting 11, though Ramires may be considered in that it is away from home and speedy breaks from deep could well be important on the night.

I mention that there might not be that many changes, but it simply reflects the majority of the season so far, particularly in the Premier League. When you look at the chopping and changing of personnel at the other ‘top’ clubs in England and compare it with the stability at Chelsea, it really stands out.

Seven players have started every Premier League match and that number probably would have been eight had Azpilicueta not been suspended for the Man United and QPR matches. I am not one for stats proving everything in football, but that does underpin the fact that Jose knows his best team and knows if it ain’t broke don’t fix it. It also means that this sprint start we have made to the season is very difficult for others to cope with. Had Man City lost at the weekend (they were 1-0 down v Swansea), an 11-point deficit even this early wold have been not only daunting but it would have piled the pressure on every single outing for Pellegrini’s team.

The Chelsea starting line-up will probably have to change a little over the next few weeks, but hopefully by then we will be looking forward to the next stage of the Champions League and the cushion in the Premier League has been held on to.

Last week I asked the question who was the most capped Scottish international ever to play for Chelsea. Tom Boyd was the correct answer with 72 caps. The lucky winner was Mark W. Smith from Cheltenham.

This week to have a chance of being the lucky winner of a DVD signing by one of the players, could you tell me from the five players I mention above as John Neal signings in the summer of 1983, who was the first to join Chelsea? Answers as ever to me at [email protected] Good luck to you and to the team over in Germany.

http://www.chelseafc.com/news/latest-news/2014/11/pat-nevin--remembering-john.html

Edited November 25, 201411 yr by Zola

Charlie Cooke got just how many caps for Scotland ?

 

Only 16 !

 

Disgraceful.

Incidentally Pat got 28 Scotland caps.

 

Just thought I'd mention it.

The website seems to have made the content un-copyable now, without going into the source of the page, odd. Maybe they know they are being pasted in here!

Anyway, here it is

Pat Nevin

Derby Relish

Chelsea legend Pat Nevin is licking his lips over the midweek visit from Tottenham, and he explains why in this week’s column…

A tough afternoon at the weekend against Sunderland shouldn’t really be that much of a surprise at this point in the season.

The home side were up for it, rested, happy to defend with their lives and have been in pretty decent form anyway this season. It still would only have taken a moment of genius to win the game, especially considering the possession statistics, but it is still a point away from home at a ground many will fail to come away from with three points.

It did however look a bit jaded in comparison to the West Brom and Schalke games that preceded it. I suspect that will all count for very little come tomorrow night against Spurs at the Bridge. For once in a blue moon we will be the team with just a little more rest under our belts.

Tottenham are on a very decent run, even if their win at Hull City was not hugely impressive. In fact I think it would have been unlikely to be a win had Hull not lost a man to the silliest of red cards. Spurs did however have a European game on the Thursday and a very draining 90-odd minutes against Everton on Sunday evening.

That extra 24 hours recovery could make a huge difference as Tottenham looked out on their feet in the dying minutes against the Toffees. It is set out to be a cracker and I for one can’t wait, for two main reasons.

Firstly I love derby games, the atmosphere is always exceptional when Spurs or Arsenal in particular visit. You rarely ever get a dull game and they are usually packed with incident and debate. Mauricio Pochettino rarely sends out a defensive side so it should be more open than many others this season at the Bridge.

The other thing I particularly love is a derby in the evening under the floodlights. It is pretty uncommon and because of that it is extra special. Night games usually are more atmospheric, though it is hard to see why that should be the case, but it undoubtedly is on the whole true.

Near the end of my career I played for Tranmere Rovers in what would now be called the Championship. Almost all our home games were played on Friday nights, because of the proximity of Liverpool and Everton who hogged the limelight (and most importantly the Police numbers) on Saturday afternoons. These evening kick-offs gave us a huge advantage, as the place was usually packed, the fans buzzing preparing for the weekend and we drank off the extra atmosphere. Also for many away fans it was too far to travel considering Friday night transport. So we had everything in our favour.

That is what we have to do against Tottenham in this one, start quickly, get them on the back foot and create a wall of noise that will drive our lads on and intimidate some of their players. I guess this will actually feel like one of those great European nights, if we can rediscover some of the zest missing at Sunderland. I expect that will not be difficult, a big crowd with a big noise under lights just about ensures an extra dollop of energy from the adrenalin in the stadium.

The most interesting thing will of course be the team chosen by Jose and for once it is not that easy to predict. Oddly enough I said in last week’s page that I thought the unchanging side wouldn’t last too long, due to injuries, tiredness, suspensions and form dips that always happen at this busy time. Well they all could come into play in the manager’s thinking before he hands the team sheet in.

Diego Costa is suspended but who will replace him? It must be pretty tight between Didier and Loic Remy for that starting berth. I suspect both will have important parts to play over the course of the evening.

Less obvious are the changes the manager will be tempted to make elsewhere with the performances at Sunderland in mind. Certainly Ramires would add some real energy to the line-up, but then again the usual suspects may get a lift from the occasion. One quiet game after a great start may mean the boss decides to change Plan A. In the end it probably will not come down to what happened in the 0-0 draw, but how everyone looks in training yesterday and today.

With City edging that little closer over the weekend and looking in good form, I suspect all those who said the league was over are feeling a little more unsure of their bravado. I certainly didn’t hear it from many Chelsea fans, although apparently one betting company paid out already. We knew and still know that this is going to be tight and there will be many unexpected twists and turns in the months to come. I just hope Spurs are not one of those surprises and I suspect if we can nullify Christian Eriksen in the final third, then half the battle will be won. Go get him Nemanja!

Last week I asked who was the first of the five players I listed as signed in the summer of 1983 to actually join the club. All five of us were guessed by you, but the definitive answer was in a book written by Ken Bates about the period when he revealed it was goalkeeper Eddie Niedzwiecki. Eddie made it clear he wouldn’t sign if John Neal the manager was sacked, Eddie obviously knew his stuff, just as he still does when he sits beside Mark Hughes in the Stoke City dugout. There is only one winner and this week it is Ramzi Shammas. The prize will be on its way soon.

This week to have a chance of an early Christmas present of a Season Review DVD signed by Eden Hazard, can you tell me which was the last London derby game Chelsea won, that was played in the evening, and by that I mean starting after 6pm! Answers as ever to me at [email protected]

Pat Nevin: Smart ties

In this week’s column, Chelsea legend Pat Nevin is keenly anticipating tonight’s cup encounter…

A huge amount has happened since I last posted, and this week is a pretty interesting one. With Hull not really giving us any major headaches at the weekend and the victory over Sporting another pretty straightforward affair, it leaves the manager with an interesting selection decision or two against Derby County tonight. How many changes to make for a game that most expect us to win?

A number of players certainly could do with a run out, but did anyone really look that tired in the last two games? The game is of course at Derby and that will make a huge difference to Jose’s thinking, after all this is no lightweight outfit from the lower leagues.

Steve McClaren has built a good side with a great team spirit notwithstanding the 2-0 reverse at the weekend against Middlesbrough, thanks to a fine performance and yet another goal from Patrick Bamford. But the Boro are flying high and the game was at the Riverside Stadium.

Derby will have been closely watched and no doubt the boss will put out a team that he feels is well capable of seeing off Derby, if everyone is up for it and everyone has the right attitude.

The last time McClaren’s men were at the Bridge was for the game they played against Fulham in this competition. They were staying at the club’s Millennium Hotel to prepare. I met them having a pre-match walk round the Bridge with their boss and had a quick chat on my way back from the Chelsea Club where I often swim.

They were upbeat before their 5-2 defeat of our neighbours and it struck me just how many of them I actually knew very well. Striker Chris Martin has been putting them away regularly this season in the Championship with 12 goals so far, Craig Bryson is a very clever midfielder but the player I really like is Johnny Russell. With the others in good form, they will be desperate to show up well against us and most importantly give themselves a decent opportunity in this tournament.

Looking at it now, either Spurs or Newcastle will go out, and you would think that Liverpool and Southampton could go through, but with both having away ties, you can’t even be sure of that. What you can be sure of is that this is a trophy we can certainly win, so I for one would love us to see off the Rams and keep the survival in every tournament going.

It is however hard to ignore that the Premier League and the Champions League are both heating up just a little right now. The draw against PSG is a very good one and I really do think they will be more wary of it than us. Obviously we have the recent history on our side but I also think they will look at Chelsea and think we have improved considerably since the last meeting, the question is, have they? Of course they have David Luiz, who I am still a great fan of, whilst accepting that he is not exactly perfect as a centre-back.

It is going to be a great tie and certainly not an easy one, but it could have been so much worse, particularly if we hadn’t done the business and won the qualification group. Poor old Manchester City, they really do get the tough draws in that competition. Having faced Bayern already they now have to take on Barcelona. Well maybe they should just ask Frank Lampard what to do, he has more than a little history with the Spanish giants!

All that is for the future and too much of a temptation to forget tonight. Win this one, maybe get the odd youngster on and a few goals, then we have a decent break to the next game. The players may even be able to buy a few Christmas presents.

Last week I asked which was the last London derby game Chelsea won that was played in the evening, and by that I said starting after 6pm! Well it was against Arsenal and the lucky winner this week is Los Riley from Ealing.

This week, can you tell me who was the last Chelsea player to score a goal on his full (I.e. starting the game) debut?

Answers as ever to me at [email protected] and the winner will receive a DVD signed by one of the players.

Pat was at the bbc 'Sports Personality of the Year' in Glasgow on Sunday night.

 

Just thought I'd mention it.

Not a blog, but a decent video post by our Pat

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30463120

Pat Nevin: At the four-front

Columnist and Chelsea legend Pat Nevin this week writes about the cup challenges ahead and the mentality of top players at this time…

The FA Cup encounter with Watford may have been considered an easy tie by some, but just look at how Man City, Liverpool and Southampton struggled against lower league opposition. To make as many changes as we did and still be far too strong in the end for a spirited Championship side, who are flying high in that division, should not be sniffed at. What it did do more than anything else is show that some of the players in reserve are capable of stepping into the breach, something that is certain to happen time and again in the coming months.

Kurt Zouma in particular is showing that he is a huge danger in the opposition’s box, something that is a basic a prerequisite of being a Chelsea centre-back when you consider how JT, Gary Cahill and Branislav Ivanovic have notched over the past few years. It did allow us to sit and wait in a relaxed manner for the draw last night and when Millwall/Bradford came out I must say I wasn’t disappointed. That is not to say either will be a push over, but the game being played at Stamford Bridge makes all the difference in the world. Before any Millwall fans get annoyed with me personally, yes I know they knocked us out of the Cup back in the mid-1980s and mid-1990s.

The cup competitions are suddenly a very real consideration. With Millwall/Bradford, Liverpool and Paris St-Germain all now looming, it will take a heroic effort to keep fighting on all fronts. At least PSG can’t take their eye off the domestic campaign this season and direct all their thoughts towards our upcoming two-legged showdown. With Marseille and Lyon both above them in Ligue 1, with Zlatan ‘only’ on eight goals so far, they have plenty of pressure on them at the moment and so they can’t really rest too many big names. This will certainly play in our favour, especially if we are still in all four competitions when we face them.

Liverpool over two legs is also in the offing of course and Brendan Rogers will definitely put out the strongest side he has in those two Capital One Cup games, be assured of that. In fact there is a good argument to say that those games are now among the most important of their season, if not the most important. For the Reds it is an easy call but what Jose Mourinho will decide to do then will become a huge set of decisions. I wouldn't be too surprised if a good number of those who beat Watford on Sunday get another opportunity, certainly at Anfield in the first game in this competition.

As a manager and as a fan, you can and do start to prioritise in these situations, but as a player I am not sure that is ever truly the case. You never walk out onto a park and think, I’ll just put in 50 per cent today, or I don’t really care if we lose this game tonight. It is not in your make up, not in your DNA. You are programmed to go out and win no matter what the competition is.

You can’t imagine Jose accepting those sorts of defeatist attitudes from anyone walking out for a first-team game wearing a Chelsea shirt. Anyway it is blindingly obvious that there is always the ever-present fear in the current squad that if you do not perform, there is a top-quality international player ready, willing and able to snatch your place off you. Jose has shown how much he will stick by a successful team during the first half of the season, so it doesn’t matter what the game is, what the tournament is, in the back of your mind you cannot allow the boss to see any weakness if you want to ensure your place.

The only time you are allowed to take it easy is when the manger decides you can and that only happens when he tells you that you will be sitting this one out in the stands, hopefully just for a rest. Even Cesc Fabregas who has been phenomenal this season has said, that there is always a nagging fear when you are rested that the other guy will come in, have a blinder of a game and then he makes it difficult for the manager to drop him.

The real difficult trick to pull off, but one that the top players can and do manage, is to have that concern but still want the team to do well, to win and even for the player in your position to have a good game. It seems counter intuitive, but here is the answer to the riddle of how you manage that mind trick. You quite simply believe totally in yourself and in your ability. If your direct replacement plays well, scores and gives a 9/10 performance, then a real top player (and we have a good few of them) simply thinks, ‘Put me back in and I’ll give you a great performance, I’ll score one and make one and I’ll get at least a 9.5/10. Only with that attitude can you and your team can achieve true greatness. With four trophies still to go for, greatness is still a possibility for this young team.

Last week’s quiz was, could you tell me who was the last player to score a penalty for the first team for Chelsea against Spurs? The answer was of course Eden Hazard in our 4-0 win against Tottenham back in the 4-0 at the Bridge, on 8 March 2014. Only one winner as ever, randomly chosen from the correct answers and this week it is Steve Wallace in Garching, Germany.

This week to have a chance of winning a DVD signed by one of the players, could you tell me which of our current defenders has the best goals-to-games ratio for the club? To be precise I only mean first team Chelsea games!

Answers as ever to me at [email protected]

Good luck with that as ever.

Pat Nevin: Flexible Working

With four competitions underway, in his column this week Chelsea legend Pat Nevin gives his views on squad depth and the benefits of adaptability…

I think we have all now realised that this season is going to have a bunch more twists and turns after yet another couple of dropped points near the top of the table, this time from Man City at Goodison Park.

I watched that game closely and although they have been on fine form of late, Manuel Pellegrini’s men looked far from invincible. I suppose any team that isn’t able to start with the likes of Kompany, Toure and Aguero is always going to be adversely affected to some degree.

In the transfer window they are looking towards strengthening their front line with Wilfried Bony the prime candidate for a move there. For Chelsea it may be the back line that comes under the closest scrutiny. I have been saying for a while now that our first-choice defenders are limited in only one area, numbers.

JT, Gary Cahill, Branislav Ivanovic, Cesar Azpilicueta and Filipe Luis are the five experienced defenders in the squad. Kurt Zouma increasingly looks capable of making that a round half-dozen, but that still leaves us light if there are a couple of injuries.

Dave and Brana are priceless because they cover a few positions, actually Branislav can play anywhere along the back line, but when Dave pulled up at the weekend most Chelsea fans quickly realised this was potentially a serious moment. With four competitions on the go right now there are three options if we are going to be truly competitive to the end.

Option one is obvious. We are smack bang in the middle of the transfer window, so if there is another defender of Chelsea class who is available, not stupidly overpriced and is willing to come it might be a consideration. Even if this hypothetical player is cup-tied for the Champions League this season it might be worth a thought. It isn’t easy though; squad sizes, Financial Fair Play and that availability are all crucial. It may even be that someone not frequently used has to move out to make way.

Option two is of course youth. Strenuous efforts have been made to produce young talent at Cobham and a quick look at the crop shows some real talent. Man United have certainly utilised some of their kids this season, even if there have been variable levels of success to be absolutely honest.

So Nathan Ake and Andreas Christensen would love the opportunity, along with some younger bucks but there is a brutal problem for these young defenders, indeed any young defenders. It is far easier to break in anywhere else in a top side than at the back. A striker, midfielder or winger can make lots of little mistakes and they are rarely catastrophic. One mistake at the back and a goal, game, points or indeed a cup campaign can be lost. Blooding young defenders usually takes years and most aren’t really ready for the top level until almost their mid-20s. There are some exceptions, but they are very few in number. It is a high-risk strategy, but one that must be seriously considered.

The third option is one that Jose Mourinho is particularly adept at, this is adaptation. Before Azpilicueta moved to left-back, it wouldn’t even have crossed my mind as an idea. Remember back then we still had Ashley Cole in situ, but Jose somehow spotted the potential and it has been nothing less than a masterstroke. Are there any other players who can be moved in a crisis?

Well we have seen Ramires fill in at right full-back in the past, so that is definitely a possibility. The really obvious one is Nemanja Matic being pressed into playing in the back line. He has the height, pace, tackling ability and reads the game brilliantly, so that could well be a possibility. It would however be a huge miss to the team not having him doing his job, or should that be multitude of jobs, in the midfield. What about Andre Schurrle as a full-back? It doesn’t seem likely, but you never know. Whatever decisions are made in the end may need a level of ingenuity and imagination and this will be needed particularly in the cup competitions I suspect. Fortunately we have a manager with a track record second-to-none in this department.

Fans sometimes think it is strange for major adaptations to be made in a player’s positions. Oddly I started professional games in every single forward and midfield position during my career. I had never really played as a winger much before I joined Chelsea, where I was to spend most of my time. I was a striker or a no. 10 before then. During my career I had to fill in at right-back and left-back for long periods of certain games and wait for it, I also offered to be the reserve goalkeeper at every club I played for. In those days there was no substitute keeper on the bench. At 5ft 6in I was never used between the sticks (David Speedie at the same height was!) but my shot-stopping was to be fair, pretty damn good, even if I was never going to come and collect crosses like Thibaut Courtois!

There’s a thought, Eden Hazard in goal. Actually, let’s get back to something approaching reality. We are top of the league again on our own, the season stretches ahead with huge promise, more than for any other British team. I just hope we can manage not to be stretched too far when the crunch comes!

Last week I asked which defender had the best goals-to-games ratio in the team. A little bit sneaky that one, in that even though JT has scored regularly, as have Gary Cahill and Branislav Ivanovic, it was actually Kurt Zouma with his two goals in 10 games representing a stunning one in every five games ratio. Many did get it right and the lucky winner chosen at random this week is Aaron Bertogna from Beechboro, Western Australia.

We’ll keep on the Australian theme as this week, to have a chance of winning a DVD signed by one of the players, could you tell me who before Mark Schwarzer was the last serving Chelsea player to play for the Australian national team?

Answers as ever to me at [email protected]. Good luck with that and enjoy the games that will be coming thick and fast.

Pat Nevin: Special effects

In his column this week, Chelsea legend Pat Nevin writes about the significance of the round of matches just completed…

After the weekend it was hard to keep calm and stay realistic about this season and the Premier League in particular. From the outside it must look like the Blues have the title all but in the bag.

Just about everyone I talk to who supports any other club believes Chelsea are a shoe-in now. The argument goes something like this, Arsenal and Spurs are too far behind to be taken seriously, Man United are still rebuilding and are likely to settle for a top-four finish. Southampton surely can’t keep it up all the way in and most importantly, Man City haven’t been playing that well over the last few weeks and they are fading rather than getting stronger. With Yaya Toure not likely to be back for another three weeks, it could be much more than a five-point gap by the time he and new signing Bony arrive back from Africa.

Chelsea are obviously looking imperious into the bargain as the trip to Swansea underlined, but I am still reluctant to get carried away. Just like Jose Mourinho keeps stressing, there is a long way to go and fighting on four fronts certainly could have an effect at some point. You would need to have a pretty short memory not to realise that leads can be cut quickly, City have already charged back once this season from an eight-point deficit.

I have been on various radio and TV programmes this week proclaiming this argument and getting precious little agreement, but history in football always tells you to take absolutely nothing for granted. If City managed to win at the Bridge in a couple of weeks it would be back to a mere two points, so there is no way I am going to come across as cocky and over confident on Chelsea’s behalf.

So having said all that, if we play anything like we did at the weekend, for the rest of the season no one will get close. The simple fact is that Chelsea, with a full squad playing at, or near our best, is quite simply the best team in the league. It isn’t really that often in the Premier League that you can kick off your shoes after half an hour of an away match and just enjoy the spectacle with no fear whatsoever of losing.

swansea-away-5-diego-goal-two-PA-21976923

That first period at Swansea was bizarrely brilliant, but I would argue that has happened quite a few times this season. This time however more of the chances were put away. Apart from the sheer entertainment of watching the spectacle it also has another hugely positive effect and that is on the opposition teams preparing to play us. Just about any team now knows that if they are too open and just a little too adventurous, they could also be on the end of an embarrassing hiding. How many teams are going to be brave enough now to have a real go at Chelsea, especially at the Bridge, when they have that dread in the back of their minds?

If you look a little further afield you will have witnessed this phenomenon. For a long period until very recently in Spain, teams turned up to face Barcelona with that deep-rooted fear. Damage limitation was the first thing on some minds even before the whistle was blown. For many years I watched the exact same thing happen in Scottish football with most domestic teams arriving in Glasgow to face Celtic or Rangers. It is very different now for a variety of reasons up there.

Closer to home, Manchester United in their pomp frightened most visitors into defeat with the same psychology. Every now and again, giving another side in the league a right good hammering does much more than just improve your goal difference and your own confidence, it crushes everyone else’s.

There is even an argument that our demolition of Swansea had a detrimental effect on Manchester City the following day. Swansea is usually a very tough place to go, top teams have regularly shipped vital points there and the City players, staff and fans must have been hoping for a slip. I was at the Etihad for the Arsenal game and I have to report the place was deathly quiet almost from the start, other than a bunch of excitable Gooners behind the goal. Maybe the freezing cold weather didn’t lend itself to an excitable home crowd either, but it was pretty early on when a feeling of impending doom settled over that part of Manchester.

It certainly didn’t help their team, who needed all the help they could get. Compare that with what happens at the moment down at Selhurst Park. Even when they are behind there is a raucous noisy bunch who continually try to rouse their side and sometimes it works. When Palace were a goal down against Spurs the other week with 20 minutes to go, the noise was deafening and it undoubtedly lifted the players. Without that support I do not think they would have salvaged a point, never mind the three they went on to win. Their away support did the same in the match against Burnley at the weekend

And maybe this is the moral. It will not always be easy from here on in, some days it might not sparkle the way it did on Saturday. We can’t take anything for granted so the decibel levels will be needed in those moments. I suspect we can rely on our fans to step up to the plate when needed.

There is the small matter of a cup semi-final first leg tonight. I think we’ll treat this one like a Champions League knockout tie. Make sure that we are still in it at the end of the 90 minutes at Anfield and next week the players, staff, fans and the special atmosphere at the Bridge for an evening game should take care of the rest!

Last week’s quiz was a tricky little one, I wanted to know who was the last serving Chelsea player to play for the Australian national team. It was a great question provided by one of our top Blues men in Singapore, Colin Pereira. The answer was not Mark Bosnich, as he never played for his country while he was at Chelsea. The correct answer was actually Dave Mitchell, well done if you got that one right and I will admit I didn’t get it right first time! There can only be one winner and this week the prize goes to Meor Mahadir Fitri from Kuala Lumpur.

This week to have a chance of winning a Chelsea Premier League goals DVD signed by one of the players, could you tell me how many different centre-back partners John Terry has had in his time in the first team at Chelsea? This could be the toughest question ever set on this page, so this one might just have to be a guess. Answers as ever to me at [email protected]

Edited January 21, 201511 yr by Zola

Pat Nevin: Tonic Time

Chelsea legend Pat Nevin anticipates the team returning to their best under two stern tests, as he writes in this week’s column…

First and foremost, I have to congratulate Bradford City and their efforts at the weekend. They played exceptionally well and managed to write another page in cup history, they are quite good at that!

From Chelsea’s point of view it was a huge disappointment and let’s be honest - a huge surprise, indeed shock. To some degree we all have to take the hit regarding a bit of the gloating from others at this point, although as ever I think there were areas in the media who claim no bias where I would have expected at least a vague attempt at restraining the gleeful joy at the Chelsea’s loss. That joy should have been kept almost exclusively for the victorious underdog. That is not important, even if it was a tad galling, but it gave a real insight into who has a deep dislike of the club.

You take this one with a bit of dignity and I really wish Bradford the best of luck in the competition. If they play that way in every round then they could beat anyone! So while Jose took ‘one of my worst defeats’ directly on the chin and Petr Cech explained that it was very difficult to explain, one thing is absolutely clear, you have to move on and you have to move on quickly.

The rollercoaster ride is always part of being a Chelsea fan or indeed any football fan. Explain the logic of having a huge lead in the Premier League, having it clawed back and then this week suddenly we have the chance of extending it again to a massive eight points. That is maybe explicable, but in the middle of that we lost to Newcastle, struggled at Sunderland and there were the unmentionable occurrences at White Hart Lane. This week could see further lurches up or down with two of the biggest games this season in just four days.

As Liverpool turn up tonight they will have to decide whether our weekend defeat was a good or a bad thing for them. There will of course be a large number of personnel changes in our starting line-up this time, so it isn’t the same group of players that will face down Gerrard and co, so they shouldn't expect any lack of confidence from this group. There will however be a sense of communal bruised pride from our squad and that will hopefully, almost certainly, lead to a totally focused and intense attitude. Having lost out on one route to Wembley this week, there will be desperation not to let another opportunity, one that is within touching distance, slip through their fingers again.

There will also be a total lack of complacency in our squad after the first leg at Anfield. Liverpool played well, in fact many Reds’ fans felt it was their best performance of the season. It might not have been enough to get the victory they craved, but Chelsea know that this is a much-improved outfit from the team that struggled for form at the start of the season.

Liverpool v Chelsea

I suppose this is what semi-finals are supposed to be like; tense, tight and stressful for all concerned. I expect this to be the case and we need everything in our favour for this one. Mourinho made it very clear that this is a particular night when the Stamford Bridge faithful have to play their part in full. I know that this will happen; the sight of those Liverpool strips at the Bridge always seems to have the desired effect.

After all that has happened this week and what will happen tonight, Manchester City’s visit at the weekend seems a lifetime away, but it isn’t. Similar to ourselves, City of course went out of the FA Cup to lower league opposition at home and come to us in less than perfect form. They still have plenty of fine players; but Toure is missing, as is Nasri. Aguero isn’t back to his best form yet after injury so much of the pressure to create has landed on the shoulders of David Silva. He is a fantastic player, but when Arsene Wenger ensured he was crowded out of their recent game, it went a long way to blunting the City attack. That is something that will be at the forefront of Chelsea tactical minds. It is still a big ask to overcome the champions but an eight-point lead is an extraordinary incentive.

Oddly enough even after the bitterest of pills that was Bradford City, because of the fixtures it can still be a massively successful week for the club. It will certainly be exciting with tonight having the tension of the second leg of the Champions League knockout games against Liverpool from times gone by. If ever you needed a tonic to take that bad taste from your mouth, a win in this one could be a very sweet sensation.

Last week’s quiz was a cracker and had lots of you guessing and just as many trying to work it out by pouring over the history books. I wanted to know how many centre-back partnerships John Terry has had in his time at Chelsea? I bet even he didn't know the answer to that, but it is actually 23, a figure checked by different record-keepers, yes that includes you Dave who was in the draw but unluckily wasn't chosen. There is a little debate about the wording and whether or not a centre-back partner counts if he is one of a back three. So in the spirit of fairness you were in the draw if you went for 22, 23 or 24. Actually my initial guess was well out from that. The winner who deserves great credit this week is Lasse Thorstensson from Halstad in Sweden, he said 23.

To have a chance of winning a Chelsea Premier League goals DVD next week, could you tell me which one of John Terry’s central defensive partners played the most games alongside him? That should be a little less work.

Answers as usual to me at [email protected] and good luck with that and to the team tonight as we aim for yet another cup final for Chelsea. We should never take our modern success for granted and this is one we would love to win.

- Pat Nevin talking about Thibaut Courtois in the first leg Chelsea TV's 'Analyse that, Pat' can be viewed below with more editions available in Video on Demand, subject to Fan Club Plus membership.

 

I think there were areas in the media who claim no bias where I would have expected at least a vague attempt at restraining the gleeful joy at the Chelsea’s loss. That joy should have been kept almost exclusively for the victorious underdog. That is not important, even if it was a tad galling, but it gave a real insight into who has a deep dislike of the club.

Any idea who this is aimed at specifically? I tended to avoid the media this weekend, so I intentionally didn't see or hear much to get wound up by.

To be honest, we were fair game for a huge amount of digs and schadenfreude after a result like that, but I'm curious as to who Pat Nevin felt revealed their 'deep dislike'. No doubt Patrick Collins wrote something gleeful, but he slags us off at every opportunity anyway.

Pat Nevin: Tonic Time

 

 

I wanted to know how many centre-back partnerships John Terry has had in his time at Chelsea? I bet even he didn't know the answer to that, but it is actually 23

Blimey. And every single one of them has had to carry him and make him look better than he is. Apparently.

Any idea who this is aimed at specifically? I tended to avoid the media this weekend, so I intentionally didn't see or hear much to get wound up by.

To be honest, we were fair game for a huge amount of digs and schadenfreude after a result like that, but I'm curious as to who Pat Nevin felt revealed their 'deep dislike'. No doubt Patrick Collins wrote something gleeful, but he slags us off at every opportunity anyway.

I avoided the media really so not sure who he was referring to but someone got his goat!

Any idea who this is aimed at specifically? I tended to avoid the media this weekend, so I intentionally didn't see or hear much to get wound up by.

To be honest, we were fair game for a huge amount of digs and schadenfreude after a result like that, but I'm curious as to who Pat Nevin felt revealed their 'deep dislike'. No doubt Patrick Collins wrote something gleeful, but he slags us off at every opportunity anyway.

 

Nope. He was at Southampton and has now hung up his poison pen.

PAT NEVIN: WELCOME JUAN

In his column this week, Chelsea legend Pat Nevin discusses our latest signing and raises big questions on some decisions against the club…

It was a week that could have been better but more importantly, it could have been a lot worse. The FA Cup is for another year but considering the exertions against Liverpool and the graft needed to get a draw against Man City at the weekend, it is ridiculous to argue that the manager could have played the same team, or even close to the same 11 in all three ties. Like it or not, this is the reality of the modern game, the squad has to be managed.

Liverpool in particular was a colossal effort, especially considering it was something close to the ‘be all and end all’ of their season, whereas Chelsea are battling very strongly on three fronts.

The thought and strategy against Manchester City was vital to a success, and yes I do call a single point in these circumstances a success. With Cesc Fabregas and Diego Costa unavailable and City needing a win, there was always going to be a good deal of pressure both in the heads of our players and on their legs on the pitch. Pellegrini’s men didn’t let us down on that score, giving everything they had right up until the last seconds, but we seemed to know the limits to aim for. Without getting all Sun Tzu, ‘in war, the way is to avoid what is strong and strike at what is weak.’

Chelsea held fast under the pressure, which we have managed to do many times when it has been needed. You just need to think about recent high-profile away fixtures against City, Liverpool and Manchester United. There are times to be fluid, open and controlling, then there are other times when you have to be hard to beat. That is actually the case in different parts of games as well as different games themselves. In the simplest of terms, we all know that it was a far better point for Chelsea than it was for City on Saturday evening, even if it was our home game.

There were moments of controversy yet again, but amazingly the two biggest calls of the last week happened within a few yards of each other at Stamford Bridge, right in front of Chelsea’s home bench.

There was the ball that Eden Hazard definitely kept in play, which seconds later, after City were unfairly given a throw-in, was in the back of our net.

Play

PAT NEVIN ON THROW IN

Just a few days before, Diego Costa was landing on Emre Can’s leg in the same vicinity. Cue the spooky ethereal music as the FA review panel suddenly changes into a panel of mind readers, apparently ‘knowing’ that Diego deliberately stamped on Can, even though he wasn’t looking at the player, he was looking at the ball!

The three-match ban is extraordinary, but then the FA does work in mysterious ways. They have a deep knowledge of the internal workings of other Chelsea players’ minds too, not just Diego. Apparently they also knew that Eden Hazard was exactly the type of player who would try to kick a ballboy at Swansea a while back, as opposed to simply trying to prod the ball out from under the ‘young’ lad. Yeah sure, and it really has been shown in the intervening period that Eden is that type of player, hasn’t it?

Anyway I digress, again. At the end of the week we are still top of the league and in a cup final against Spurs with a little bit of revenge to seek. We also have a nice run of winnable league games as well as PSG and the Champions League in the offing too. So once again there are plenty of reasons to be happy and another is the new signing Juan Cuadrado who has arrived from Fiorentina. He had a superb World Cup, particularly with assists for his Colombian national side over in Brazil and this is a dream move for him just as he reaches the peak of his career.

His versatility is a big selling point along with his pace. Yes he can play on the wing, or more specifically as an attacking wide midfielder, but a stint at wing-back or even full-back are both well within his scope if needed. He is a timely little boost to our Champions League push knowing that he gives a slightly different option to the departing Andre Schurrle and loaned-out Mohamed Salah.

Andreas in particular will be thanked by the Chelsea fans for his work rate and for some important goals and assists in his time at the club. Man City regularly found him a painful opponent, but Arsenal and PSG also felt the full force of the German’s attacking prowess. His hat-trick at Fulham was a particular highlight, when he brilliantly finished off the fabulous work of Eden Hazard that day. He leaves of course with our best wishes on his new career at Wolfsburg, as does Salah at Fiorentina.

Sometimes it is hard to know exactly what a new player will do and it doesn’t always work out perfectly. At the moment Chelsea are on a roll however, with Cesc Fabregas being even better than most fans or pundits could have imagined since he arrived. Similarly Nemanja Matic has surprised many with his incredible form on returning to the Blues, quite simply he is the best at what he does in the league, and easily among the best in the world.

So Cuadrado knows that he is coming to a world-class club with world-class players where the expectations are very high. Listening to his first interview on Chelsea TV he really impressed me with his utter confidence and as such, I do not think he will shrink from the challenges ahead, even if he does have to try to dislodge Willian, Oscar or Hazard. Welcome to a great club, enjoy the ride, the battles, the successes, the support and above all, the demands.

Last week I asked who was the most regular centre-back partner for John Terry over the years from the many who have stood shoulder-to-shoulder with our skipper. In actual games at centre-back together it was Ricardo Carvalho. Some thought Ivanovic or Gallas, but they played many of their games at full-back. So both count as correct. Only one winner as ever and this week it is Bryn Caine from London.

This week in honour of our new signing and to win a Chelsea Premier League goals DVD signed by Diego Costa, could you tell me which Colombian has played the most top-flight games in English football? Answers as ever to me at [email protected]

Pat Nevin: Thoroughbreds and colts

Having watched the Blues beat Villa and our Under-21s in action last night, columnist and Chelsea legend Pat Nevin assesses the field and the going…

One of the oldest analogies in the book is to compare the football season with a marathon race, but maybe a better likeness could be found with a horse race, specifically the Grand National.

There is a long way to run, but there are 38 hurdles in the way and after 24 Chelsea still lead the pack, even if we have hit the odd fence and stumbled on the way round; no one gets a totally clear run in the National or in the Premier League. The home straight is a long way off with plenty that could go wrong, but Man City may well have another problem that many a jockey will identify with.

Up until now City have been looking ahead towards Chelsea in the lead. Always having us in their sights and confident of catching us up as the race has gone on. Not winning at the Bridge hampered them, but not getting over the tricky little obstacle of Hull City could have an even bigger effect. The City home record since Christmas has been awful, that last-minute equaliser against Steve Bruce’s men followed a draw with Burnley, losses to Middlesbrough in the Cup and to Arsenal in the league and even their win against Sunderland at the Etihad was a scraped 3-2.

Of course Jose and the team can’t ponder too long on what anyone else does but it is getting close to the situation where City will start feeling the pressure of those coming up behind them on the rails. Spurs, Southampton and Manchester United are all closer to City than City are to Chelsea right now in the table. It is a totally different dynamic when you feel you are being chased compared to doing the chasing, it is much harder for them.

They will however get a huge lift from the return of Yaya Toure and the introduction of Wilfried Bony coming back from Africa. Even so the fixtures still suit Chelsea, starting tomorrow. A home game against Everton is preferential (if only slightly) to an away trip to Stoke City, who have a manager still rather keen to show his old employers that they made a mistake. The problem is that results very seldom go to plan.

I will own up that for the first time this season I went through all the Man City and all the Chelsea games still left, (admit it you have done the same), and then gave as rational and honest an appraisal of what I thought the score should be. Then after further calculations including possible injuries and other competition commitments, I finally worked it all out with an emphatic certain answer. That answer was that I was wasting my time, it is just another futile pointless guessing game. There are just too many imponderables and uncertainties. Quite simply we probably had to give ourselves a little cushion while City were weakened and we did just that.

Among the other biggest interests this weekend at the club was our bench against Aston Villa. The three unused subs were Nathan Ake, Kurt Zouma and Ruben Loftus-Cheek. The youngsters are certainly knocking at the door, and Zouma is more like battering it down with a sledgehammer with his recent performances. These are exciting times in the development department and with that in mind I popped along to the Under-21s’ top-of-the-table-clash away at Manchester United.

Following the strange match against Southampton at the Bridge last week, 5-0 up in the first half and looking like they could give our first team a run for their money, it was less brilliant in the second period, so it was hard to know what to expect.

Once again the lads faded slightly in the second half to lose 2-1 after being 1-0 up. This was however much more to do with our youth than ability against a United side far older on average, with a couple of internationals and another fairly regular first team member in their line-up. In development terms we certainly can be the more comfortable group when everything is taken into consideration.

Under-21s v Man U away

We have a young side taking part in this competition for the most part and even though winning and developing a winning mentality is vital, developing as footballers is far more important for these lads.

It is hard to make the jump from youth to first-team professional at any football club. At Chelsea it is as challenging as anywhere in the world game. It is then heartening to see that there are a few that given the right attitude and rates of improvement might get there and nothing would make the club, the coaches and indeed the Chelsea fanbase happier.

The Chelsea kids have a number of special advantages that others will not have. The coaching, the facilities and the encouragement is second to none. If and when they do break through, Chelsea fans will be very forgiving as they find their feet because they have come through the club’s system.

If we get one more John Terry from this era, it will have been all worthwhile. For the others who do not make it here, they have a grounding that allows them to flourish and blossom at other clubs. This is a very good thing for the wider English game, a fact often missed by those who question academies’ overall purpose.

Back with the big boys, Everton turn up tomorrow and it is a tougher looking match now than it looked a few weeks ago. Their defence has been tightened up and following a dire run of results, the belief seems to be back with my (other) old boys in blue. As ever much depends on Romelu Lukaku. If we can keep him quiet there is a good chance of another three points being banked. After that I personally hope the Toffees win every other game they play this season.

Last week in the quiz, I asked which Colombian player had played the most games at the top level in the English game. There were a few suggestions, and by the way, welcome to our new legion of fans from Colombia, but it came down to either Tino Asprilla, Hugo Rodallega or Juan Pablo Angel. The correct answer was Angel with 175 Premier League appearances between 2001 and 2007 for Aston Villa. There can be only one winner and it is Steve Leppard, from Waimairi Beach, Christchurch, New Zealand

This week to have a chance of being the lucky winner of a Premier League goals DVD signed by Eden Hazard, could you tell me the name of a player who has scored for the Chelsea first team against Everton and for Everton against Chelsea. For reasons of fairness I should say I am not looking for me as the answer! Send your suggestions as ever to me at [email protected]

Good luck with that and to the team tomorrow.

Pat Nevin: The work continues

In this week’s column, Chelsea legend Pat Nevin looks forward to tonight’s events in France and our Game for Equality which follows this weekend…

A weekend off was a real bonus for the team after a long, hard slog this winter. Having said that, I was still seething after some of the coverage of the home win against Everton.

It was a great advert for the game with Chelsea having the best of the chances while Everton defended manfully, if a tad robustly at times. The last-minute winner was a headline grabber if ever I have seen one but no, many thought the only story worth leading on was Branislav v McCarthy in the aftermath of the (clearly correct) sending off of Gareth Barry. It could happen anywhere else (try having a look at Tim Howard on Cesar Azpilicueta earlier in the season) and there would be no chance of such a media uproar/campaign.

I didn’t want Howard sent off for nudging heads with Dave back then or now, I just want a sensible, reasonable and fair reaction to those sort of moments - incidents when there is no danger of injury, just a little passion being shown. For clarity, I watched the incident again and again with the aid of studio technology and do not believe Branislav even touched the Everton midfielder with his head and young McCarthy certainly didn’t react.

Anyway it is all done now and there is a vital Champions League first leg to deal with. PSG are probably pretty devastated to be facing Chelsea yet again after last season’s final outcome. They are of course a top side and have strengthened their squad in the summer, but their form hasn’t been sparkling so far domestically. I do however suspect that they will raise themselves for this one, it would be difficult to imagine otherwise.

Of course there are a few individual battles that will be intriguing. Ibrahimovic against our centre-backs will be a cracker.

ibrahimovic_terry-19460556

The flanks will see Marquinhos (if fit) and Hazard locking horns but let’s be honest, David Luiz and Thiago Silva against Diego Costa will be worth turning up/tuning in for on its own. I remain a huge fan of David Luiz, as so many others are, in that he was named in the World Team of the Year, notwithstanding the events in Belo Horizonte in the semi-final of the World Cup against Germany. He can have however weaknesses and it is hard to imagine a striker better than Diego to make some capital from those.

Chelsea are of course a very different side from the one that faced PSG last season as well. Cesc and Diego along with Juan Cuadrado and Filipe Luis make us a different proposition. On top of that Eden Hazard is a vastly improved and improving star, so we have nothing to fear, but have good reason to be wary. The biggest point is of course that the second leg is at the Bridge on 11 March. Knowing what you have to do in the second leg when you have as good a home record as Chelsea is a great aid.

Personally I am looking forward to the visit of Burnley to Stamford Bridge on Saturday. They are a side that is almost universally admired for their efforts, considering their size. Manager Sean Dyche is a no-nonsense plain (if a bit gravelly) speaking real football man. Most of us well remember when they went ahead back at Turf Moor earlier in the season. The response from the Blues was clinical, but it served as a warning that you don’t need be comprised of football royalty from elite European clubs to be worthy of respect.

Hopefully it will be a day of respect, in that it represents the second annual Game for Equality at Stamford Bridge. As a club of ever-growing international importance and influence it is right we lead by example not just this week but throughout the year as we continue to do in our Asian Star and anti-discrimination workshops. As ever the partners such as Football v Homophobia, Kick it Out and Show Racism the Red Card are doing some great work In the area of education, particularly of the next generation of fans.

Those who know me from the old days will be aware that I have been fighting on these fronts from the very early 1980s. Fewer will be aware that I am actually Dr Nevin after receiving an honorary doctorate for my pioneering work in the area, back when virtually no one else was speaking out on the matters of bigotry, hate crimes and racial inequality.

The work continues with more emphasis also now rightly falling on anti-homophobia and discrimination against those with disability, not just racism. Football is for all and there is no place for discrimination in the club or our communities, Saturday underlines the clubs steadfast stance and its overall support of the campaigns.

jack_cock_2778516

Now and again I get questions regarding the inclusivity of my weekly quiz. It is of course open to all, no matter where you are in the world. Also it is useful if you put down where you are living when you enter!

And so to last week’s quiz which was the last player to score for Chelsea against Everton and for Everton against Chelsea? Many thought Samuel Eto’o, but he never scored for Chelsea v Everton. Graham Stuart, Duncan McKenzie, Garry Stanley and even Tommy Lawton were good guesses but the answer is Jack Cock (pictured right), so a very hard one indeed this week with only a few right answers. Jack played in the 1920s and was a poster boy of his time. A singer, a film star and a decorated WW1 hero to boot! Kind of puts David Beckham in the shade doesn’t it?

The winner in the end chosen at random from the correct entries was Dave Finlayson from Carnoustie in Scotland.

This week, while we are in Paris, could you tell me how many French internationals have played for Chelsea in the Premier League era? Answers as ever to me at [email protected] and the lucky winner chosen from the correct entries will receive a Premier League goals DVD signed by Diego Costa.

Pat Nevin: You can't defend the indefensible

Having been infuriated by what he saw at the time on Saturday, columnist Pat Nevin writes about what’s wrong with the refereeing, the actions of the authorities and subsequent words from the Burnley manager…

Back when I played professional football, in over 750 games, I tried very hard not to be angry.

It generally didn’t help my performance and anyway what would I get angry about? Bad luck? No point really, stuff happens. Getting injured in the call of duty? Once again it was just an occupational hazard. Even tough tackles from opponents were taken in the spirit that my opponent simply wanted to win the game and the ball as much as I did. It was and is part of the game.

There were two things that generally got me and every other player furious to the point of rage. The first was a fellow professional attempting to seriously injure me and the second was referees who were incompetent to the point of endangering the players’ safety. I can guess you are slightly ahead of me here considering what happened at the weekend.

The two tackles by Ashley Barnes, the first on Branislav Ivanovic and the second follow-through on Nemanja Matic were so far beyond fair attempts for the ball that the old fury boiled over. Now I am not the only one who thought that on the day at Stamford Bridge, but I was working as co-commentator for BBC Radio 5 Live and I was fully aware of my responsibilities. I have to be fair, impartial and if possible, composed to give the listener an accurate view of proceedings and hopefully I do that most of the time.

I think I just about managed to keep in control but my comment immediately on seeing the attack on Matic, was to describe it as a ‘vile, vile tackle that could have led to an extremely serious injury.’

This did not take three replays from different angles and a slow-motion replay; it was clear and obvious to me, seated right at the back of the East Stand in the commentary area. The referee was just a few yards away and wait for it, has since claimed to have seen and judged the incident at the time and has left it unpunished. It was such a dangerous and foolish misreading of the situation that I really think, purely on the grounds of safety, you have to question the man’s right to make these judgements.

In the aftermath it wasn’t just Chelsea fans or staff who lined up to vent their fury, pundit after pundit, particularly ex-players were extreme in their condemnation of the referee and of course of the player. My next line of commentary when I realised Barnes hadn’t been sent off, was to explain to the listener that there would be absolutely no doubt that Barnes would be serving a lengthy ban when the footage was reviewed later. I am currently in a state of shock that we now find Nemanja is expected to serve a three-match ban while his assailant is to get off scot free.

The statement and ruling from the FA was beyond belief for someone who has played the game. For a shove to illicit three games and a potentially career-damaging ‘tackle’ to get not so much as a slap on the wrist shows a broken system, or a deliberately warped system, and it also shows a gross unfairness that seems to regularly affect Chelsea more than anyone else.

It is impossible not to think back to the ban meted out to Diego Costa and feel that there is anything other than a deep injustice here. The panel involved looks foolish and indeed incompetent right now, while the authorities have the appearance of specifically treating Chelsea players more harshly than others.

With even top former referees coming out openly and saying it is a ridiculous and wrong outcome, boy it must be obvious. Only a very small number of people have tried to defend the indefensible and most of them have been from the Burnley area. Backing your team and players is natural, even if it is clearly wrong. But this stance can’t really be taken seriously by anyone with even a passing interest in getting to the truth of the situation. I take that sort of argument with a pinch of salt knowing that in their heart of hearts even they probably don’t believe what they are saying themselves.

Sean Dyche also gave his position last night and my reading between the lines is this. He would not have argued had Chelsea been given two penalties, so not a huge defence of the referee there. The kick on Brana he admitted was probably a yellow in his opinion. I don’t agree, I thought red, but he has to back his player and I understand why he defends his player even if I don’t agree.

burnley_h-22297504

The next discussion is on his viewpoint of the tackle on Nemanja. He argues coherently, but his point regarding JT and Kurt not reacting is wrong. From their angle they cannot see the tackle at all, so of course they do not react. He claims there to be no immediate reaction, well my immediate reaction on the radio at the time was pretty damning. But even if few did see it in real time as he suggests, including the referee, the follow-through is unarguably dangerous and reckless. That means that it should have been a red card at the time or best case scenario for him, a definite ban after the fact.

I like Sean and indeed respect him but he has accepted the possibility of two penalties against his team not being given, a yellow card that should have been shown and that the tackle on Matic does look bad when you get a close look at it. It is a pretty weak if nicely and intelligently argued defence.

There was also a final point on the ‘injured’ player at the end of the game. Mee went down with an injury in the 92nd minute. When the referee doesn’t stop play he gets up again and gets back involved in the play. When his keeper gets it he goes back down again, in the middle of the field some distance from where the incident happened.

Could I respectfully suggest that there is the very faint possibility that he might not have been quite so badly injured that he had to go down a second time, thus wasting more time in injury time, it is just a thought. Okay, I’ll admit that I am being deeply sarcastic. Maybe that is why Chelsea were not keen to give the ball straight back, it would be extremely naïve to think the referee, on the form he had been in, would really have added the extra injury time this secondary ‘injury’ would have merited.

When all is said and done Chelsea have been stung again, 10 against 11 when it should have been 10 against 10 (or 11 Chelsea v 10 Burnley had Barnes been sent off for the first challenge!) and we all know it could be costly in the long run.

Others forget these moments but generally we do not because of the lasting effects they can have. Willian getting sent off against Aston Villa a while back in one of the poorest decisions I have ever seen stands out for the effect it had on that campaign. Then there was the infamous Barcelona debacle of the non-award of a host of penalties, which to this day still feels like a conspiracy. The ghost Liverpool goal… I could go on but will not because we all know the effects of those incompetent referees on what were massive moments.

This season however it has been particularly bad and all the while there is little or nothing that can be done about it.

If Jose wants to clearly state his case which he should be able to do in a free society, he will be fined by the authorities. He then faces the possibility of a ban from the touchline on a whim from them on how they interpret his comments. In the next breath they say that coaches should be made to talk to the press after the game no matter how they feel. What is the point of coming out after a set of crucial injustices and then saying, ‘I’m sorry I can’t talk about it.’?

There is a Kafka-esque madness surrounding some of the current rules that accept the clearly unfair, the wrong and the stupid. And don’t get me started on the Luddite backwardness of not trialling video technology during the games to help/correct inept decisions. The game is now worth billions of pounds, the fans spend millions on it and the authority figures still can’t find a way to right a simple wrong or engender fairness in obviously unfair situations because of their rigidly inflexible rules. In another sphere they have a phrase for it, ‘not fit for purpose.’

Also quickly, well done to the club from me personally, on their swift and strong reaction to the few who tried to drag Chelsea’s name through the dirt in Paris. Just to let those people know unequivocally; the club doesn’t want your sort, the players do not want you, the rest of the real fans don’t want you and I certainly never want your type near our, not your, club. Go away or better still, mend your grotesque ways.

Right that’s off my chest, how about a few jokes. Actually I am not quite in the mood yet so here is the quiz information. Last week I asked how many French internationals had played for the club in the Premier League era. The answer is 10 (they are named below) and the winner chosen from the correct answers this week is Denis Kirk from Kelowna, Canada.

To have a chance of winning a Premier League goals DVD signed by Eden Hazard, could you tell me which player appeared in Chelsea’s first League Cup match and the club’s first League Cup final? Answers as ever to me at [email protected]

Good luck with that and to the lads at Wembley and West Ham. Here’s hoping the results are decided by the players on show and not the officials on this occasion.

France internationals: Anelka, Desailly, Deschamps, Diarra, Gallas, Leboeuf, Makelele, Malouda, Petit, Remy.

Pat nails it.

Edited February 24, 201511 yr by Zola

Yes, a quality column from a top, top bloke.

Wonderful read yet again

Agreed. always articulates his thoughts well   

Great article.

Pat Nevin is a gentleman, is listened to and will be heard because of that.

Edited February 24, 201511 yr by Droogba

Pat...as anyone from the 80s would attest, one our most skillful and entertaining players ever. He's also an articulate, erudite, and interesting guy. While I'm here, what's the answer to his question?