Tonight:
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News that William Hill have suspended betting on Luiz Felipe Scolari's future at Chelsea following a rush of bets he's the next Premier League manager for the chop is not at all surprising. The vultures always gather at the first sign of a big beast being wounded.
It is, however, stupid that anyone should think that even a ramshackle outfit like Roman Abramovich and Peter Kenyon's Chelsea would be crazy enough to force the Brazilian out. It would turn an already much-disliked club into a detested laughing stock.
As for Scolari himself, he's surely too much of a man to let a few poor results make him walk away.
That's not to say there aren't causes for concern. There manifestly are. For the last 10 or 11 games Chelsea have been awful, and to ship late equalisers to outfits like Fulham and Southend is unforgivable. It suggests that Steve Clarke is much missed and Scolari needs urgently to address the club's defensive coaching, particularly against set-pieces.
I believe the fans still have confidence in the manager. They like his obvious strength and commitment to the cause, as evidenced by the intensity of his body language and verbals during matches.
But understandably a few reservations are creeping in, notably over his flawed handling of substitutions, which tend to be too little too late and all to often, like for like. Jose Mourinho made radical changes to alter the course of matches, sometimes as early as the first half. Big Phil is too stolid to do that.
Most fans, however, accept Scolari's major problems are his inheritance and bad luck with injuries and suspensions. Ageing players like Michael Ballack and Scolari's own signing Deco are no longer fit enough to deliver consistently high-class performances, while Didier Drogba, whose wastefulness in the Southend game was a disgrace, seems to be irretrievably mired in self-love. The more mediocre his performances, the more he seems to love himself. It's a pernicious combination.
The real sadness is that despite the cost of the squad, Chelsea seemingly can't cope without John Terry. Alex is openly disaffected, while it beggars belief that the club were prepared to spend almost £10million on a carthorse like Branislav Ivanovic.
Bad luck with injuries has meant not only the prolonged absence from the heart of the defence of Ricardo Carvalho, but also of Michael Essien just in front of them. He was the natural successor to Claude Makelele and the present incumbent of that slot, John Obi Mikel, lacks the bite in the tackle to keep Chelsea's defence as impregnable as once it was.
But for me, as so often, Corporal Jones is the wisest counsellor.
"Don't panic," he cried, and let's hope Kenyon, our over-promoted shirt salesman cum chief executive, admires Jones as much as I do. It's a big four weeks for Chelsea, beginning this weekend at Old Trafford, and ending on the first day of February at Anfield. Do well in those key matches and Chelsea are back at the top of the League again.
So impressed am I with my own breezy self-confidence, I'm tempted to quote Jim Callaghan - "Crisis, what crisis?", except we all know what happened to him. Scolari's best chance of avoiding Jim's fate is to start winning again. Football is a simple business, and winning solves every problem.
Your decision to go leaves you bottom of the class, Pietersen
Alas poor Kevin, we know him well. Too well to shed many tears over his demise as England captain after an entirely unnecessary spat with coach Peter Moores, who has also gone.
This was purely an ego thing, with the ostensible casus belli the inclusion of Michael Vaughan in the West Indies party, which Pietersen wanted, and Moores didn't.
Since Vaughan would have trouble scoring a ton against a pub team, this was all about as futile, to recall an old jibe, as disputing the precedence between an ant and a louse.
Pietersen demanded the ECB dance to his tune, and to their credit they didn't. So he threw in the towel, which shows how much the England captaincy really meant to this imported mercenary.
As one of England's two biggest stars, alongside Flintoff, Pietersen is certainly a world-class cricketer. What a shame there isn't a word-class human being behind the talent.
City paying a mugs game
Wayne Bridge going to Manchester City for £12million is good business for Chelsea. And right for the lad; a player of his talent shouldn't be left to rot on the training ground, not even making the bench most of the time.
But is it such a good deal for City? Wages of £92,000 a week are an awful lot to pay a reserve left-back with a lot to prove.
Perhaps Bridge's new employers should be called Manchester Mugs rather than Manchester City and, before the month is out, I dare swear they'll have proved that a few more times.
Fabio right to blast Gerrard
Apparently, the Football Association are embarrassed by Fabio Capello having a go at Steven Gerrard for getting involved in a post-midnight melee in a bar in Southport, which has led to him being charged with actual bodily harm.
An FA spokesman says Capello “was clearly not trying to be critical of Steven”. Cobblers. Of course he was — and he was right. English football's barfly culture is anathema to the disciplined Italian and he isn't wrong, is he?
What pathetic, useless wimps the FA are.
Reader views (9)
I find it very hard to feel sorry for a team that will live and die by the cheque book. As for Terry being 'Chelsea through and through', that is only because he got the mugs in charge to guarantee him top pay. he'll be off like a shot if somneone's happy enough to give him even more.
- Paul, London
I think Mistake Mellor is totally wrong on Bridge and his wages. He is not a reserve left back through choice, in fact, it is an indictment of Chelsea that he is not a first choice. They went through a period when they bought players almost just to prevent other clubs buying them and then put them in the reserves. Bridge was not part of this but as one of the top three English left backs in the country was unfortunate to find himself as reserve to the best one at the same club. SWP made the move back from Chelsea to City which was excellent business and the money we made on that deal will more than compensate the large wages being offered Bridge who is still being paid commensurately less than Cole. One transfer to watch out for in the summer which appears to have gone below Mistake Mellor's radar is that of John Terry in the same direction. It is a possibility and I would not be at all surprised to see that move take place because, even though he is Chelsea through and through, money talks! Sadly, Mistake has not come out with his normal controversial rubbish about Man City which really makes my blood boil but with a transfer window barely open, I am sure he will find something in the next three weeks that I can lambast him about.
- Andrew Shaw, Brentford
"Perhaps Bridge's new employers should be called Manchester Mugs rather than Manchester City"
Would you like to join the Algonquin Round Table, David?
- Dorothy Parker, NYC, USA
People keep on talking about what Scolari done for Portugal , i am sorry to say but NOTHING.He had at that moment one of the great group of players that any COACH would dream of , Carvalho,Figo,Rui Costa,Couto,Ronaldo,Maniche You name it and it was there.
You would give that team to Lippi,SAF,Mourinho and they would have been World Champions , but he did absolutely NOTHING .
The example could be seen when he anounced Chelsea during the European Cup , that is not professional at all.
I am sorry for his admirers but even with Brasil , look at the team they had !!!
Any coach would win with that .
Good by mr Scolari second division is to good for.
- Fred, mississauga canada
Look what Cloughy did for Notts Forest and Derby all those years ago. Truely great managers make men out of boys and possibly even aging soccer players. No excuse for Scolari. I can think of many managers in the premier league who would get on their knees and pray for the squad Chelsea have. There may be weaknesses here and there in the current way the team is set up but great managers get the most out of their players and perhaps that's where Scolari still has to prove himself from a Chelsea perspective.
- Jonathan, Totteridge. England
'Alex is openly disaffected' - is there any evidence or just easy rumour? Steve Clarke missed? I doubt it given these probelms have afflicted Chelsea for years (Jose's 2-2 with Bolton in his first season, anyone?). Problems with inheritance - isn't that what an international coach should be used to? Deco was Scolari's buy so that won't wash - although it takes time to settle in the Prem. Scolari needs to show a plan for winning if not winning itself.
- Peter Bench, London
Michael Ballack aged and forever out-of-form? He is always in top form. It is how you use him on the pitch that determines his effectiveness. Ballack's true strength is at the Central Attacking Midfielder position. Forcing him to share this by moving him off to the Right or Left-mid positions will greatly limit his chances on goal and touches in the build up. Ballack has shown how well he can perform in that CAM role, in the past with Bayern, and forever with Germany. Get more use out of this legend, place him just behind the strikers in the center of the pitch. Then we will see how he performs, and how much more successful Chelsea become.
- Tyler, Milwaukee, U.S.A.
Come on now David! Deep in your heart you must also feel the obvious. Scolari is just not good enough for the Premiership let alone Chelsea. His style is monotonous and he does nothing to change the fate of a game gone wrong. Why should the paying fan put up with another trophyless season? Because that is precisely what Scolari will offer us . Nothing.
- Kypros Shacolas, Nicosia, Cyprus
Abramovich cannot fire Scolari so soon, without being mightily embarassed. Lets not forget that Chelsea are still in 3 competitions, and still 2nd in the Premier League.
However, Scolari could resign, as he looks increasingly frustrated with the team as well as the inability to sign new players due to a lack of transfer funds.
I can't quite see Chelsea turning around their season without any new blood coming in this January, but time will tell.
- Boon Koh, London, UK
