Hi again.

I ve been pretty much off line to the site since AVB got sacked. I lost a bit of the love that has accumulated in me over the decades for my club. But Ive got enough to lose a little every now and then, possibly like a series of disappointments and patch-ups in a long marriage, Its hard to explain.

The point of this post other than addressing a sneaking guilt over being a bit absent at a period of huge upheaval?

To ask if the malaise of the mid season taught us anything and if we are a better team now? I think the answer is that

Here we are on a run in April due to meet Spurs and Barca in semi final city, stuff we would hardly have thought possible in late Feb but the problems that RDM faces (other than wondering what he has to do to keep the job, win the semi's and nick 4th place) is how different are things now from Sept? Have any of the problems of the early season been solved. I was at the Napoli home game and it felt like the last great battle of the old guard, (except we won, but you get the point) then we did it at Lisbon, but the home Lisbon fixture was dreadful. All the old faults jumped out to anyone watching-No width. No imagination. Serial goal attempt abuse. The Matador looks tired and frustrated but has been our best player by a mile, Bob is settling in now and I cant recall ever seeing a man with a better 'engine' then Ramires, ('My word' indeed, Raymondo!). His run for Miereles' goal in added time was stunning. Hands up anyone not screaming 'pass' after the ref let the foot up challange go. Cos you werent anywhere near me if you didnt.

As much as I despise the whole Man Utd thing, particularly the bogus 'Theatre of Dreams' Sky hype and kids from London wearing 'Rooney' club shirts. I admire the singularity of purpose that the club shows and I do remember when Fergie was about five minutes from getting dumped while he tried to rebuild an ageing team and bring through his players. But if memory serves that was season 3 after 2 empty campaigns. None of our managers have really had the chance to do this, although the Jose and Gus endings were more er...multi-dimensional. Of course, its a RA thing and no-one could ever say that its not a roller-coaster ride following the Blues. Now we have the added question(s) of not only how to change the team up, develop strategies that can be adapted because the players know each other and the managers demands, get clinical, replace our ageing players none of which have been answered to the extent I would have expected after such a tragi-comedy season, but we dont even know who is going to be taking over and by this time someone should have had the squad nearly a year (at least, assuming you dont think sacking CA was a fuck-up etc.) and the extent the current Chelsea still relies on the over 30's rolls on. Do you think that all this high drama attracts potential signings to the club. Neither do I.

Anyway Im sure this has occured to most of you guys -just wanted to get it off my chest and check in. Best to you all.

CHELSEA 10