Football

Does sacking Matteo and appointing Benitez show that your sugar daddy understands and cares about your views?

DiMatteo was an accidental manager. He was never intended to be anything more than interim. He would have gone at the end of last season but for two reasons. There was no immediate candiate and he had just won the Champions League. He went. No one was that surprised. The manner of his departure was disappointing but everyone knew he would go sooner or later.

He went because Torres has beome something of an albatross.

There were concerrns before Torres came that he was past his best but he received amazing support from Chelsea supporters for two years even though he was underperforming. From the start of this season it was apparent that the club were determined to make the Torres investment work. He had to be picked. When DiMatteo didn't pick him and we lost, DiMattteo was out.

Benitez was part of the plan to get Torres working. It is not clear if this is Abramovich or some of his advisors idea. Sadly, not even Benitez can make Torres whole again.

What happens now will be interesting. The views of the supporters aree born out of the frustration of having good players who are not palying well together and not getting the results that they should. Abramovich has the same frustration. Whether he can change manager now is another question. Who would come in? Who is available? More likely he will get someone in at the end of the season as planned. The positive thing is that whoever comes will be in a position to insust on a considerable degree of independence.

The frustration voiced by supporters has been at the strange decisions that Benitez appars to make during games. His substitutions are extraordinary and don't work. His tactics and style of play naive. His motivational skills are lacking. He is a twerp.