Chelsea's arrogance is staggering

Chelsea are getting irritating.

Their assertion that Mark Clattenberg had racially abused John Obi Mikel was ridiculous from the outset. I've said it before: NO referee - pretty much at any level - would be stupid enough to abuse at all - let alone racially abuse - a player. Perhaps players (and I don't just mean Chelsea's) should not judge other people by their own standards.

It was inevitable that the FA would throw out Chelsea's complaint with no evidence. There was no evidence, because it didn't happen. It is interesting that the FA have decided to charge Mikel himself for actions after the game. It will be interesting to see what comes of those.

Then Chelsea sacked Roberto Di Matteo: a man who last season, when standing in after Chelsea had sacked Andre Villas-Boas, won them the FA Cup and Champions League. Now, because they've lost a couple of games, the tantrums at the top start again. Good grief, if every club acted in this manner, then Sir Alex would still be Mr Alexander Ferguson, scratching a living with Partick Thistle until he retired in 1997. And Arsenal would still be playing at Highbury, having scored only 11 goals so far this season (but conceding only six).

But Chelsea expect instant success. Today, today, TODAY. Why?

Because of the money.

It's only because of the money. There's little history from the last century. Not until the money arrived.

These days, any club needs an almost bottomless pit of cash to be able to compete, so all the clubs have to look to rich overseas magnates to own their clubs. It's a sad trend.

Chelsea's arrogance is staggering as they throw their weight around, complaining about referees' decisions, trumped up accusations about what referees say, and sack managers like they're going out of fashion. And, having had their case against Mark Clattenberg thrown out, they have the audacity to refuse to apologise. Outrageous.

Now the man that all Chelsea fans hate, Rafa Benitez, is the interim manager until the end of the season. That's a laugh: the interim manager will be in charge for more games than the erstwhile permanent manager!

Manager after manager has come and gone. Hired by whom? Someone else? No, the man at the top - that's who.

Perhaps he should take a look at himself and sack himself.

That would be good for English football.

Nani goal was morally wrong

That Nani goal can't be right, can it?

If you didn't see it, I'll try and describe what happened.

Nani was running towards the Spurs goal just on the angle of the six-yard box. In a challenge by a defender, he went down. No penalty was given, but somewhat petulantly, he reached out and rolled the ball towards himself with his hand. Nani then got up, claiming that he was fouled. Spurs keeper Gomes retrieved the ball, defenders moved upfield, and Gomes threw the ball forward with backspin about ten yards ahead of the place where the handball took place, as if to take a free-kick. But the free-kick for handball had never been given.

As Gomes retreated to take the kick (by the way, waving his hands as if asking his defenders to be available for a short one - they weren't interested), Nani realised that the whistle had never gone. Looking round, wondering, he mentally shrugged and poked the ball goalwards and into the net.

Referee Mark Clattenberg gave the goal, but then did go and talk to the assistant referee, who obviously said that there had been a handball. But Mr Clattenberg had played an advantage. It was up to Spurs (Gomes) to play the ball out without stoppage. That he failed to do so was, according Mr Clattenberg, his own fault. The goal was allowed to stand.

By the letter of the law, I guess the referee was right. But morally, the outcome was wrong. Nani handled the ball. A free-kick should have been given. After Nani had stabbed the ball into the net, Mr Clattenberg should have retrospectively given the free-kick for handball. Nani could hardly have complained – he blatantly handballed it (on purpose actually, so he might have been booked!).

None of this probably affected the result. Manchester United were already 1-0 up and won 2-0.

But this was morally wrong.