Afternoon Mugs

I've been tardy again haven't I? It will pick up I promise, I'm just a lazy bastard who needs something to motivate my writing mojo. 

Anyway following on from my last major discourse with a friend with whom I have a weekly written football dialogue, here's another copy of this weeks communication based on the events at Chelsea FC yesterday. He’s an Arsenal fan. 

Dear Jack,

After the weeks events I will be astonished if Chelsea don't win. I think the players will have to get their fingers out. You are right about the toxic atmosphere though. A trust between players and supporters has been sundered.
I would be happy with anything but a defeat when The Arsenal face Man. City.
Happy Christmas to you and yours.
All the best

Good Morning Sir!

The dust has settled ever so slightly. The departure was inevitable I suppose. I have publicly engaged in conversations on Twitter that it's six of one and half a dozen of the other. Mourinho made misjudgements in selling Lukaku and not giving him time or chances, Mata being sold over the hapless Oscar was another error. Letting Felipe Luis leave despite him being a very capable natural left back who could also cross the ball was another error. De Bruyne? The jury is out but I suspect he's a flash in the pan player. Jose's treatment of Eva Carneiro bordered on misogyny, but at the very least was discriminatory. 

I would categorise Mourinho as being akin to Descarte's evil genius but one that gets the results he wants. Manipulative, scheming, deceitful and above all  very clever. I'm sad he's gone, but on the other side of the coin we have the players. Almost the same squad that won the PL at a canter has turned into a pub team. And this is not down to one man, attributes and flaws included. 

I am a romanticist at heart and believe that the players are very privileged to wear the shirt. It is an honour to play the game you love as a job. It is an even higher honour to don the shirt of a club that's 110 years old and is forging a new history, much like City by gatecrashing the former duopoly operated by your good selves and Manchester United. If the players decide they do not like or respect the manager then fine, that happens. But to down tools as they appear to have done, to create discord in your group and to the manager (palatable or not) is cheating both your employer and the fans. Lest we forget the fans are the only people who actually PAY to watch the game.  The players lack of pride and effort shows me they a robbing a living at the moment. So, I expect a toxic atmosphere tomorrow. I won't 'boo a Blue' but I will be adopting the silent treatment irrespective of how they play and who (if anyone scores). I will join in with some Jose chants because in my view he deserves that from the fans and he will get it. 

Being a Chelsea fan is like being in the ring with Muhammed Ali, all you can do is try to enjoy the experience whilst constantly running and trying to avoid the inevitable punches it deals you. I am bruised and battered today as are many Chelsea fans, the ring seconds need to give us an extended ring break, much like Ali used when floored by Henry Cooper, to recover and pick ourselves up. We love our club, but in some ways it treats us like a brutal parent, sometimes great reward and love, and other times caning our backsides and making us a laughing stock.

For the first time in a long time I can truly say I couldn’t care less what our result is tomorrow but if the players turn in a great display and smack Sunderland then it reinforces my view that they have been cheating me all season. 

One last paragraph on Chelsea.  To issue a statement was enough, but sending the generally loathed Michael Emenalo out onto the club TV channel to refer to Jose as 'the individual' and to absolve the players of any part in our current situation was mealy mouthed weasel words, patronising rubbish and utterly contemptuous of the fans. It was disrespectful and also treats the fans like  mugs living on blind faith. We may well be close to that, most fans of most clubs are, but we don't need to be publicly treated like such. We will of course at some point release some ludicrous waffle about wanting stability, strategy, style and dynasty building. But the owner is from Russia, and we ll know what they do with dynasties in the end?

Finally, let's also stop all talk of our wonderful academy of youth. No manager will ever use them, none will break through with us (they may do elsewhere). John Terry, a man of little influence in the squad these days, remains our sole and last youth breakthrough player. We will buy and buy to maintain success and we will continue to repeat the 2-3 year cycle of appoint/sack/appoint/sack ad infinitum.

Your game is very interesting, with Arsenal arguably being the most consistent at the moment in a very inconsistent league. I therefore predict a 2-2 draw as both defences are shaky but both teams have game changers in Sanchez and Aguero. 

I wish you and your family a lovely, peaceful and Happy Christmas and New Year. 

Cheers Jack

Later Mugs, GJ