Stand and Deliver

So, tomorrow night at Old Trafford an expensively assembled and overpaid squad will attempt to overturn a narrow deficit and force their way into the Semi-Finals of this years Champions League. It's time to put up or shut up. To be honest, a bit more bluster would do no harm I'm sure. Times were more interesting and encounters more fiery when the Special One was around.

In the 1st leg at Stamford Bridge last week, I had to watch (and listen) as the worse than average Carrick and geriatric Giggs schemed to create the scoring chance for the council estate thug Rooney to give Man Utd what could be a decisive lead. Chelsea huffed, but didn't really puff, and Man Utd looked comfortable throughout, helped I'm sure by the fact that Messrs. Ferdinand and Vidic were re-united at the heart of their defence. I'm being a bit unkind to Rooney-this was as well as I'd seen him play in a while, and he showed remarkable self-restraint when being kicked around by Essien and others earlier in the game.

So, tomorrow night, it's going to take something special. Nothing, and I mean nothing, I have seen this season gives me any faith that Chelsea are capable of getting the win in normal time. Fernando has had the time, if not the chances, to open his Chelsea account, but it didn't really look any more likely last week, even though I was relying on the big occasion and the memory of what he's managed to achieve against Vidic and Co in the past to spur him on. Tomorrow night he should have the bile of the thousands in the stands to egg him on-the fact that he has played for Liverpool and was booked for diving last week is sure to attract plenty of of ire from the Stretford End. Hopefully he will feed off this negative energy, but I'm not holding my breath.

Meanwhile, Arsenal managed a win at the seemingly doomed Blackpool to 'stay in contention' for the Premier League title. Please. Arsenal must go to Old Trafford as well as face Spurs and Liverpool in the remaining 5 weeks of the season. If they win even 1 of those games I would be surprised. I for one am giddy at that the thought of Andy Carroll getting in Jens Lehmann's face at a set piece. This recent story suggests that he's still someone with issues. Prior to their win at Blackpool, Arsene Wenger unwisely had a go at the Arsenal supporters-calls for his head likely to grow louder between now and the end of the season-where they will end up, again, with nothing.

As I write this, Liverpool are dismantling Man City at Anfield, watched by the fawning Ray Wilkins-surely the nicest man ever to provide commentary on a football game (he was equally wide eyed and gushing at the Bernabeu last week). I still like him in the job better than the bald Scottish sexist.