We live in a time when we demand success instantly and when we don't get it we demand a blood sacrifice. Marketeers like to say this is because we are getting more sophisticated but to me that's bollocks. We're impatient and when we don't get what we want we need to know why and whose fault it is.
Take Thailand last night against Malaysia.

And... another one bites the dust. (Rio, we'll get to you in a minute.) But for now, let's examine the public relations fail that somehow advised the very married Ashley Cole to explain away sending photos of his penis to a glamour model in this manner:

He was "larking about".

Alone.

Usually I'd trust the BBC to know the difference between bullshit and genuine transfer gossip when they see it but lately that's not happening anymore.

Today, during their live blog for the England squad (minute-by-minute updates on speculation about which 7 players would be left), there was a mention of a £95m bid for Wayne Rooney by Real Madrid.

The good and bad of tonight, aided of course by hindsight...

Good
- Wayne Rooney's fitness: He managed to run around and even after being kicked and looking as though he was fucked, managed to keep on playing. Hearing he was in the starting team on the radio on the way to the ground and listening to all those Ingerlernd pricks whinging about it was really a brilliant start to the evening.

Phew, what relief.
Glory from the jaws of national humiliation.
When the news came through that Lithuania were beating the Czechs there was a beam of optimism cast on Scotland's qualifying campaign.
And then we huffed and puffed through the first half against Liechtenstein.

I would like to start this post and report to say personally Well done to Roberto Mancini and his Man City side. The reason why, they played to their strengths and used WIDTH!!!. I know we had two players sent off, I know they scored their fourth when we were down to 9 men but the danger signs were there long before in the second half.

Let's face it – we all make mistakes. Some make more than others – I should know! However, it is my belief that it takes a mature, honest person to own up to their mistakes and take responsibility for them. On February 18th I wrote an article bemoaning the lack of fight and drive in our team.

COME ON JOSE MOURINHO!!!
That's right, I did it. Something I never thought I'd do. Cheer on Jose Mourinho. I really hope that Real Madrid win La Liga next season and take Barcelona down a peg or two.
Those cheeky Catalan bastards have done nothing but tap up Cesc Fabregas since the end of last season and until today didn't even have the decency to put in a bid for our skipper.

Champions! Champions!

I have not been a role model to small children in the last hours, imbibing copious amounts of sangria and singing snatches of dirty Spanish songs. Now I am left with a empty ache and a hangover. Its all over. Thank you South Africa, and bollocks Des Kelly, this was one of the most absorbing World Cups.

I was reading a post written by the United Blog "The Republik of Mancunia" and couldn't believe my eyes!. Its only because on their website you have to register to post comments we aren't able to defend Didier (as much as we all know we can eh!?) so I decided to highlight the quote taken from their article from Jose Mourinho.

By Ollie Irish

"I want you to go to the train station and buy a one-way ticket to Fuck Off"

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has played down his dressing-room row with Carlos Tevez on Sunday.

The Italian coach clashed with the Argentine striker during half-time in the (jammy) 2-1 win over Newcastle United.

Everyone has an opinion about football and sometimes they are even different which is nice. Wouldn't the world be a dull old place if every sad sap thought Manchester United were the biggest club in the world and the English Premier League was the best league in the world.
Now we have a former Indonesian international being wheeled out to give his thoughts over Indonesia's 7-1 humiliation by Uruguay.

After Manchester United's spineless performance against City in the match that marked the 50th anniversary of the Munich Air Disaster, I was absolutely livid with the players. Whilst of course I always want to see United win, it would be ridiculous to expect United to win every game. I also don't expect us to win every important game, regardless of how much we crave it.

Hi all. Its been abit quiet latley due to our game being called off last Saturday but one story that has been published this week has pulled my chain! Its this rubbish from the Daily Express about a "quote" from JT that he, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba are possibly more important at Chelsea than the Manager.

After Sir Alex Ferguson's comments that he has no regrets over Carlos Tevez leaving, many fans have compared the Argie's strike rate this season at City with Dimitar Berbatov at United.

It wasn't a case of buying Berbatov or buying Tevez, as the transfer money for Dimitar had already been paid whilst Tevez was on loan, but the comparisons are made.

Well, the transfer deadline came and went with nothing happening at Arsenal. It wasn't really any surprise. If the manager was going to buy somebody he'd have done it before now. The United defeat wouldn't have made him think 'Oh goodness, I DO need a player or two after all'. You know what I think, I'm frustrated because I really feel bringing in one or two players in this transfer window would have made a difference.

Red Headed Step Thoughts on a Friday...Lovely Stuff.
Well no, Roman Abramovich isn't the character Jacob from Lost...OR IS HE???
In other Abramovich news....
Chelsea manager and chief executive Ron Gourlay (acting on behalf of chairman Roman Abramovich) warned the Chelsea players that they will face 'severe disciplinary consequences' if they bring more negative press on the club.

Chelsea take on Manchester City at Stamford Bridge tomorrow in a game that has been overshadowed by the John Terry v Wayne Bridge story that has dominated the press in recent weeks . Its a shame really as because of Bridge's statement yesterday, it has only hightened tension of the situation and the public feeling towards John Terry.

Firstly, many thanks to everyone who has been in touch about the blogging over the last couple of days. Obviously it'd be far better not to have to write entries like that but your feedback is always very welcome and much appreciated. Thank you.

To those who have had a pop, accusing me of being biased, the clue is in the name of the blog, you fucking morons.

Derek McGovern is a Betting columnist from the Daily Mirror newspaper. I'll be honest, I usually find him quite funny.
Today however, he disgusted me. You can read his article here. If there is any prove that there is an anti-Arsenal feeling doing the rounds in the media then maybe this is it.

England beat Egypt 3-1 in front of over 80,000 people at Wembley last night, but as a Chelsea fan and bearing in mind the continued focus that surrounds John Terry, I was pleased with his performance. The boo-boys were evident at times during the game but I am pleased to report that it was confined to a minimal section of the crowd.

You know, there's nothing worse than a smart-arsed, told you so, blogger. Yesterday I said:

Last time Porto came to the Grove they got a 4-0 spanking. I don't see that happening again.

How right I was. I don't take any great pleasure in being right, under the circumstances.

As bouts go ladies and gents, this is right up there with the Ali-Frazier slugfest. Its games like these that we football fans live for. Anticipation, nervousness, abject terror, oscillation between easy confidence and sheer desperation; this is what each and every Gooner is going through right now.

One criticism aimed at the SLeague, and obviously one I don't subscribe to, is that there is no excitement in it. That's bollocks of course so it is appropriate that on the day after the Singapore FA announced it's Strategic Plan for the next six years two teams should have conspired to produce and absolute classic.

A nasty smack in the bollocks and a dead leg for me last night. Ally Christie's knee is the size of a watermelon, and Chris Juhlin has a broker 5th metatarsal both after Sunday. So we beat our Chilean Los Andes adversaries 4-3 but not without a price - I could hardly train the U10 lads tonight and I swear I still have a swollen pair.

Salary Cap approaches $5 million for cashed up clubs! (Can't find one under my bed)
More money for another Marquee announces the FFA. Fantastic but hasn't someone told them the Fury, Gold Coast, Brisbane, Phoenix, Adelaide, Sydney and more are all in some sort of financial woe.
Make that basket cases!

I can't wait for the game tonight, nothing beats two top teams playing a game of high stakes football to the death.

Playing for a place in the Champions League final is about as high a level of competitive club football as you could get, final aside of course.

Inter will take a 3-1 first leg lead to the home of the Catalans.

Today I bring you the blogger knows as Roswitha (although I prefer to use the moniker of her web address, the Angry Nun), author of Treasons, Stratagems & Spoils. It may seem to be a bit scatter shot reading right now, so may I suggest some John Cage prepared piano while looking through the back catalog?

Good morning and welcome to Suicide Blog.

Those of you who have read comments from Cesc Fabregas and feel that life is no longer worth living please form an orderly queue by the suicide machine and you will be dealt with in strict rotation. Please note that suicides may be recorded for quality and training purposes.

How many times have I heard that Arsenal Football Club is dead and buried?
It makes me fucking laugh!
According to everyone and their dog Arsenal are knackered. Goners not Gooners. Cesc Fabregas is on his toes, Arsene Wenger has had enough and we are a spent force.
I've heard that the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City will replace Arsenal and Liverpool in the top four.

I've been rumbled! Step aside Sherlock Holmes! Retreat back into the shadows, Lieutenant Columbo! As I will illustrate, your deductive skills are no match for the staggering powers of deduction displayed by the greatest investigators of all: deluded, brainwashed Liverpool fans (DBLF).
The latest breakthrough by the DBLF is that I am actually American, and in league with the Hicks and Gillett.

Tracking the many, many ludicrous angles to the Cesc to Barca story:

Some reports say that Barca refuse to pay more than £30 million for Cesc because they developed him in their academy. Which is about like saying they refuse to pay more than £30 million for him because Jesse James shouldn't have cheated on Sandra Bullock.

Good morning from a wonderfully sunny Dublin. Thanks to Tom for filling in yesterday. What a slacker though. You would think in my absence he would ensure there was something to blog about. Instead he chose to deal only with facts and actual stories. It's just so hard to get the right people these days, isn't it?

I've decided that I fucking hate FC Barcelona. I hate them even more than a proper kick in the bollocks.
I can't believe that after all the tapping-up and the constant noise that Barca really want Cesc Fabregas they haven't even put a bid in for him.
They have tried their damned best to unsettle our skipper and are trying take the easy route.

Sometimes you just don't get how stupid somebody is until they open their mouth. Ok, they might look like a woolly headed, mouth breathing troglodyte but appearances can be deceiving.

Here's Barcelona captain Carles Puyol:

Cesc is an excellent player and a great friend. For me, he would be perfect for Barcelona.

The Football League has a new chairman, in the form of former Leicester City chairman Greg Clarke, the man that took the club through one of football's more notorious insolvency events, during the 2002/2003 season. Mark Murphy takes a look at Clarke's first interviews since taking his new job, and compares and contrasts his views with those of Richard Scudamore, who seems to continue to believe that, in spite of all the evidence to the contrary, there is nothing whatsoever wrong with the Premier League's financial model.

Just the same old monotonous stories churned out day after day, one day Cesc is a hero, the next he is a Spanish mug, according to the gutter goon blogs that is.

Are certain sections of the Gooner blogosphere the most mind numbing, boring, life-less individuals this side of N5?

Seriously, get a life you deluded simpletons.

So there I am with me handycam and camera. But silly bollocks here only brought one SD card. And instead of emptying the damned thing before the game I done a Lennon & McCartney and let it be.
So there I am alternating between handycam, camera, handycam, camera and what happens? Midway through the second half the card is full and I have to watch the game.

When Roman Abramovich came on the scene, Manchester United fans were very touchy. Here we were, with a vast history, with wealth we'd amassed from our massive fan base, a massive fan base we'd amassed because of our vast history, and in walks Abramovich to attempt to buy it all. We were outraged. Probably not as outraged as Liverpool, whose impressive history really was a distant memory, but nevertheless, we weren't impressed.

*taps mic*

"Is this thing on?"

Looks like it is. No thanks to Amazon's hosting. This cloud bollocks is not all it's cracked up to be. 12 hours+ of downtime in one day. As someone who used to have a crappy little hosting business myself that's remarkable. And by remarkable I mean remarkably shite.