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Thin Blue Line

by | 21st, February 2005

‘POOR old Chelsea! Oh dear! Even with all the cash in the world – or at least a large chunk of it – they have learnt that money cannot buy you luck.

‘I’ve got them, officer’

Sure, the Blues had their slice of this most precious commodity this season, but yesterday their good fortune appeared to run out in spectacular style as they went down 1-0 to Newcastle.

They may have been “FROZEN OUT” of the FA Cup, as the Guardian says, but the Blues still have three trophies to go for, which, all told, would not be bad haul of silver for all the millions spent.

But, as the paper says, since the loss off Arjen Robben, Chelsea have scored one goal in 335 minutes of play. They have now lost Wayne Bridge with a possible broken leg and suffered injuries to Damien Duff and William Gallas.

With a trip to Barcelona looming and next Sunday’s Carling Cup final to Liverpool now looking far less than a formality, the wheels on the Chelsea troika are looking a little less than tight.

While we and the papers contemplate a Chelsea collapse, the Independent looks at Wayne Rooney’s return to Everton for the first time since his move to Manchester United.

And didn’t the boy do well. Which is more than can be said for some sad elements of the Everton crowd, especially the inadequate who hurled a mobile phone at United’s goalkeeper, Roy Carroll?

The boy who enriched his club to the sweet tune of £27m deserved better than this spite and stupidity.

As for the phone chucker, the Sun has a grainy picture of him/her/it and asks: “DO YOU KNOW THE LUNATIC IN THE CROWD?”

We are unsure, but keen to see the Premiership race thrown wide open, believe it could be either Jose Mourinho, Petr Cech or Frank Lampard.

Indeed, it may even be a conspiracy between all three.

While the police follow up our lead and chuck the trio in jail for the remainder of the season, the Times has news of Urs Meier, the Swiss referee with the tinted beard who was in charge of England’s defeat to Portugal in Euro 2004.

Speaking to the paper, Meier reveals the extent of the abuse he suffered from disappointed English fans who bombarded him with abusive emails and telephone calls.

“I think the first three or four week after this were the hardest in my life,” says he. “They wanted to kill me, to finish me off.”

And who are they? Why, John Terry and Glen Johnson we suppose. They too are now being rounded up…’



Posted: 21st, February 2005 | In: Back pages Comment | TrackBack | Permalink