Chelsea Terrace Talk – Irish Examiner Article By Trizia

The Brentford game was a welcome relief from the black cloud that seems to permanently hang around the club these days – well, the second half anyway. Lampard scoring will always put a smile on the face of a Chelsea fan and with another three goals, the sun shining and the Arsenal loss the previous day, it was a pretty positive day all round.

There is something very comforting too about seeing Terry, Lampard and Cole on the pitch together – as if the world is in balance – especially if you just don’t look at the touch-line – you can pretend that everything is OK. Of course it isn’t but what can you do – especially at this stage of the season? Things really could be worse – we could be Arsenal. At least we can see light at the end of the tunnel with Benitez going at the end of the season – whereas Arsenal seem to be making the same mistakes season after season.

That said, talking of making the same mistakes, the ghost of Avram Grant seems to be walking the corridors of Stamford Bridge again at the moment. I’m not sure how his re-appointment would be received by the great majority of Chelsea fans. I think as far as I am concerned it would be the last straw and I would find something else to occupy my time until the new season. Not necessarily because I hate Grant more than I hate Benitez – they are on a par as far as I am concerned, but more for the fact that it would confirm once and for all (should confirmation be necessary) – that those that run our club, do not give one iota what the fans think.

I am actually beginning to get pangs of unease in terms of who will be managing us next season. The papers are linking us with this manager and that – but in almost every case, I can think of more reasons for any given individual to turn us down rather than accept the job.

The optimist in me can see that our current malaise is exactly the situation to tempt Jose Mourinho back “home”. He would love Chelsea going to him for help – relish taking on the role of saviour and take full advantage of being able to detail his terms for accepting the job – it would be pure box-office.

That said, it would be the riskiest move for him to date. I would argue that Chelsea “made” him – that his reputation was forged in SW6 and enforced at Inter. On the whole he is still adored in these parts and the majority yearn for his return, but could he perform the same magic a second time? Would it not be better to keep well clear and leave his reputation intact? Most “normal” people would probably do that, but then Mourinho is no normal individual.

The lure of him taking on the role of the returning hero, to save his beloved Chelsea – and to stick one in the eye of Benitez at the same time, may just be too much for him to resist.

I myself am in two minds over this one; the sensible side of me wants to just remember what he did for us and not risk failure. The desperate side of me wants him back but just as desperately doesn’t want him at another English side – although the hypocrisy would be interesting to see.

United, City and Arsenal fans have all seemingly forgotten that he is Beelzebub, Satan and Lucifer all rolled into one since the possibility of his return to English football has looked on he cards. I even heard Liverpool fans get all excited when they were briery linked with the great man and no doubt will do so again when they accept that Brendan Rogers is nothing more than the footballing equivalent of the Emperors new clothes.

But back to Chelsea – this weekend will demonstrate whether this team still has the where with all to motivate itself when facing quality opposition, no matter who is at the helm. We are getting to the business end of the season and we need to drag ourselves over that Champions League qualification line – even with a deadweight like Benitez holding us back.

Posted by Trizia

(You can see all the Terrace Talk articles here)

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