WHO LIVES IN A HOUSE LIKE THIS?
On their way to a midweek FA Cup fourth round replay at Villa Park, Chelsea’s hardcore travelling support are unlikely to surf into Birmingham on a wave of anything approaching optimism. Mauricio Pochettino’s side were humiliated in their most recent match against a side from that neck of the woods, having their collective backside handed to them by a Wolves team that was forced to shed many of its best players during the summer and only appointed their inexperienced young manager 10 minutes before the first game of the season. Despite the turmoil in which Wolves were forced to begin the campaign, the manner in which they went to Stamford Bridge and blew Chelsea’s house down came as no great shock. Particularly now that we’ve been told the house in question is only in the early stages of construction.
“It’s like building a house,” said Pochettino in his pre-match media address after being asked – and we’re paraphrasing Dolly Parton here – how on earth club owners can spend so much money to make their team look this cheap. “You need to be sure of all the steps you take. We are building from zero. Always it takes time. Look at the project of Manchester City or Liverpool. It’s always about time and a very clear leadership like Pep [Guardiola] or Jürgen [Klopp]. It’s so clear from there you build these projects.”
Now Football Daily likes Poch, thinks he’s a nice guy and knows him to be well-mannered because he once held a door open for us at the Spurs training ground in an incident that led to a no-you-go-first stand-off that lasted so long we almost came to blows. However, we can’t help but feel that while the Chelsea manager is correct in pointing out that Pep Guardiola and Jürgen Klopp took time to build their respective houses, they at least appeared to have had competent architects and experienced construction workers, rather than some firm of cowboy builders who sit around on the site all day drinking tea and playing cards.
Having seen the number of unsolvable problems Pedro Neto caused Chelsea’s defenders and midfielders last Sunday, Pochettino must undertake some urgent snagging if his side is not to be torn apart by the combined forces of Alex Moreno, Douglas Luiz, John McGinn and Ollie Watkins, who were all in sensational form against Sheffield United last weekend and will be fancying their chances of scampering around and over the creaking load-bearing wall that is Thiago Silva tonight.
Following Sunday’s defeat, the Brazilian’s wife, Belle, was quick to air her thoughts on the platform formerly known as Twitter, appearing to call for Pochettino’s dismissal in a Tweet that one suspects may have led to a slightly strained atmosphere around the Silva dinner table on Sunday night. “I’m sorry that my personal outburst as a passionate Chelsea fan has caused such an impact,” she said today. “I’m passionate about the team, I thrive on victories and am saddened by defeats. We all want the same thing, a winning team, come on Chelsea.” Mrs Silva has spoken and now it’s time for Pochettino to get his half-built house in order.
LIVE ON BIG WEBSITE
Join Scott Murray at 8pm GMT for hot minute-by-minute updates on Aston Villa 3-1 Chelsea in their FA Cup fourth round replay, while Michael Butler will be on hand at the same time to bring you coverage of Ivory Coast 1-1 DR Congo (3-2 pens aet) in the Afcon semi-finals.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“The Force Awakens, that gave me a lot of inspiration last night. And I’m certain the resistance continue to inspire and we can keep at bay that evil empire. For now, all I’m thinking about is I need to get on to The Mandalorian. The message is always have skilled finishers like the Jedi knights, have the ability to deliver a fatal hit into the Death Star” – erm, Emma Hayes there, on how she is using Star Wars to navigate her final season at Chelsea.
FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS
Re: the picture of Lionel Messi (yesterday’s Quote of the Day): did Inter Miami decide to troll/pre-empt the inevitable question from journalists and fans over whether Messi would play in the Vissel Kobe friendly match by printing ‘Never say never’ all over the screen behind him?” –
Alistair Hubbard.
A doff of the cap to the great Eden Hazard (yesterday’s Football Daily). To appropriate the great Mark Renton, choose life. Choose a job. Choose flash cars. Choose expensive homes. Choose individual awards at long, dreary ceremonies. Choose being a ‘brand ambassador’ and hawking products you don’t like on Instagram. Choose spending your late 30s racking up numbers in easy leagues. Choose meaningless friendlies in far-off places … but why would I want to do a thing like that? I chose not to choose life. I chose something else. And the reasons? There are no reasons. Who needs reasons when you’ve got good friends and a beer?” – Noble Francis.
I’m lightly appalled the Eden Hazard has a glass of rosé when he attends a barbecue. Assuming that the barbecue is primarily steaks, chops, briskets, or heavily-seasoned ribs, surely any continental type would want to pair that meal with a hearty red wine. There are innumerable choices available for the prosperous Mr H: a bold Californian Cabernet, a Chilean Rioja, a sassy Burgundy. Rosé - phfffft!” – Mike Wilner (and no other wannabe wine buffs).
Send letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s letter o’ the day winner is … Alistair Hubbard, who lands a copy of The Social One: why Jürgen Klopp was the perfect fit for Liverpool, published by Pitch Publishing. Visit their football book store here.
CLUB STATEMENT OF THE DAY
“This collaboration with Boyzone is part of ongoing discussions that could potentially see them becoming the face of [the club]. This is a game-changer that has the potential to bring our town into the limelight like never before, generating a buzz and publicity that will shine a bright light on [the town]” – Chorley FC trumpet news that Ronan Keating, Shane Lynch and Keith Duffy will be attending the FA Trophy tie against Solihull Moors thanks to a friendship with co-owner Prince Yemoh. Surely the existence of Chorley cake has already done more for the town than the ageing warblers.
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