Taking care of business

The worst thing about writing this blog is that you have to write something even during the bad times – otherwise it looks like you’re just avoiding them. This has been one shit week in football. I have not felt at all like reading a paper, watching a sports channel or listening to the radio. But, like a Jordan waking up on the morning after an Oscars party, it’s time to face the music.

Many areas for consideration:

Did the red card matter?

In terms of the outcome, probably not. Even the most rose-tinted bespectacled goonerite would have to admit that we were right royally battered for 90 minutes – and were definitely riding our luck at the point of the sending off. It’s true we will never know what difference it made. Barca needed two to knock us out at the time and it killed our chances of scoring a second, and conclusive goal. But they deserved the win overall. That’s not to say it doesn’t matter though. Sending a bloke off because he kicked a ball – having already shaped his body to do so – one second after you’ve blown a whistle is fucking mental. And it definitely draws curious glances towards the amount of decisions Barca get like this. Just ask any Chelsea fan.

Have you heard anything from Bendtner?

No. The self-proclaimed soon-to-be-best-player-in-the-world has been distinctly quiet this week and is no doubt rubbing his hands with glee that Wenger and Nasri are getting all the headlines. Because if he could control a fucking football we wouldn’t be talking about any of this. You have to wonder what the outcome might have been if van Persie had been on the end of that chance to send us through with two minutes to go.

Is Fabio Cappello an idiot?

Yes. This week Cappello came out to say Gareth Bale is the best footballer in the world right now. Fabio Cappello – despite being entrusted with the national team’s fortunes – has obviously never seen Lionel Messi play. A bloke who is scared to come on against a bloke who has scored 45 goals in 42 games this season. Hmm… tough choice.

Should Wenger resign?

If I was Wenger I’d be tempted to stick two fingers up to everyone who ever questioned me and just fuck off. What do people want? Chelsea have spent £500m trying to win the Champions League and haven’t got any closer than us. Just because we are out of this year’s Champions League does not mean we need to change a manager who has secured Champions League football for 15 years running. Get a grip.

Is Wenger a bad loser?

Very much so. But he should be. I don’t want one of these managers who comes out and says the best team won every time we lose. I want someone who fights for his players and the club.

Have the wheels come off our season?

Maybe. But these things are drawn on fine lines and we could still walk away with the Premier League and FA Cup this season. I remember in 1999, when the Mancs won the treble, how they came close to losing out on all three trophies. Dennis Bergkamp was a penalty kick away from knocking them out of the FA Cup, they were one down in the final minute of the European Cup Final, and had we not lost one-nil at Leeds in the penultimate league game we would have won the title. By the same token, you could argue that had we not defended like David Blunkett and Stevie Wonder against Birmingham and had Bendtner had more control than Richard Hammond on a race track against Barcelona, we’d still be on course for a quadruple. Only time will tell where we go from here.

Where were the fifth and sixth officials?

Against Barca. Where were the two behind-the-goal ones that they had at the Emirates and have had in all Champions League games this season? I’m not sure if there was one behind Barcelona’s goal because the camera wasn’t on it very often… but there wasn’t one behind ourse.

What is Diaby for?

Still don’t know. He’s neither an attacking nor a tackling midfielder.

Did Wenger get it wrong against Barca?

Yes. I think playing Rosicky against Barca – or against anyone – was wrong. And Denilson should have played instead of Diaby. Barca aren’t a big team and Denilson, despite his faults, is much better at chasing a football than Diaby.

Is Jez Moxey annoying?

Yes. If you’re Chairman of Wolves, you should shut up and get on with fighting a relegation battle. Moxey, who recently laid into Wenger, came out his week to say the big clubs target refs and get away with pushing them around. That from a man whose manager has said plenty himself about refereeing decisions. Also, is Moxey really entitled to take a moral high ground when his club dropped the entire first team for the away game at Man U last year – effectively meaning Man U’s season was a game shorter than everyone else’s? No.

Done. Let’s move on…