I'm going to attempt to keep this short because, quite frankly, spitting viciously vile vitriol is not how I'd like to spend my Saturday afternoon. Virulence really isn't going to get us anywhere.

But, shit, I'm fucking pissed.

Don't worry, it got much worse.

As you people know, I have been right behind AVB as our manager. I have said that it's a hard job trying to regenerate this team and build something new. We have heard the saying a team in transition alot this season but you need a base to build from and that base has to be a good team. As it proved today Chelsea are NOT a good team.

Luis Suarez returned to a hero's welcome at Anfield after serving a lengthy match ban for racially abusing Patrice Evra. And four minutes after he entered the match as a substitute, Suarez proved he is not racist by kicking Spurs' old-timey white man Scott Parker square in the belly during the scoreless draw (moving pictures here).

By JOHN BOSCHINI

Manchester United just will not go away as they overcame a 3-0 deficit to draw away to Chelsea and keep pressure on Manchester City.

It was shaping up to be a long afternoon at Stamford Bridge as a 1-0 halftime lead for Chelsea from Jonathan Evans' own goal was quickly extended.

Fresh off a transfer from the struggling Bolton Wanderers, defender Gary Cahill is reportedly already unhappy at Stamford Bridge. Cahill found himself on the bench for Chelsea's recent match against Swansea City, as he was hoping to fill in for the injured John Terry.

Goal.com is reporting that an inside source close to the Chelsea training camp noted that Cahill looked as if "his head has gone," but noted that Cahill has not filed any official complaint with manager Andre Villas-Boas.

Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas has dismissed suggestions that the club will part ways with either Didier Drogba or Fernando Torres in the near future, insisting that both will have roles to play at Stamford Bridge.

Torres has struggled for goals since his £50 million move from Liverpool a year ago and his goal return has not been improving while Drogba has been on international duty with Ivory Coast at the African Cup of Nations.

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech is extremely impressed with Swansea City's home record and suggests that the toughness of the Welsh outfit at Liberty Stadium should ensure survival in the Barclays Premier League.

Following last night's 1-1 draw with the Blues, the Swans are now nine points clear of the relegation zone with a little over a third of the season left to go.

Chelsea have completed the signing of 20 year old Kevin De Bruyne from Belgian side FC Genk. A 5 year, £6.7 million deal has been agreed by both parties after which Bruyne will be loaned back to Genk for the rest of the season.

De Bruyne who underwent a medical yesterday at Chelsea's training grounds becomes Chelsea's second signing in this transfer window after Gary Cahill completed his move from Bolton earlier this month.

Another frustrating day out and about for the Chels, who, despite a heap of possession and a fair few scoring chances, failed to break down a resolute Norwich City side at Carrow Road. Good result for them; us, not so much. That, as we said in our innovative preview, is another golden opportunity wasted.

We're off to Carrow Road tomorrow. My suggestion? Take the morning train.

It's a fixture that promises to be kind of fascinating. For one, it wasn't easy at Stamford bridge at the end of August; it sure won't be easy in Norfolk, either, with Norwich undefeated in four and currently in ninth.

With the signing of Gary Cahill, it seems to me that slowly but surely, Chelsea are rebuilding the core of our side. For years, the core of the team has been Petr Cech, John Terry, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba and we have seen them lead the side to the recent successes we have had. We have seen different players come and go as managers have built sides around them.

AS Lyon Duchère vs. Olympique Lyonnais

Coupe de France, Round of 64

Coupe de France greets us on the other side of the winter break, and OL travels to, well, Lyon. The fourth division team of Lyon Duchère, the youth club of Eric Abidal, hosts Olympique Lyonnais, the big boys this time.

It's a simple question but there could be so many answers. Chelsea could do with another win but with the busy festive period only just finished, I wonder if AVB will rotate the side and bring in some of the fringe players and some youngsters?
This is a competition the club always wants to win.

You could see it coming a mile off couldn't you!. Once again we struggled to break a side down that comes here and lines up with ten men behind the ball. It's all well and good having the majority of the possession of the ball but you HAVE TO do something with it.
How many fucking times am I saying the same thing over and over again?

Apologies for not producing a killer match preview before this one, but work has been one hateful bitch this week. Anyway, do we really even need to look ahead to this New Year's Eve fixture when we have classic images like the one below?

Yes.

Who: Aston Villa (est.

Tottenham failed to close the gap on the top two after a thrilling 1-1 draw with Chelsea at White Hart Lane.
Both sides were chasing victory to keep pace with the runaway leaders, but cancelled each other out in a free-flowing encounter.
Controversial Chelsea skipper John Terry played 24 hours after discovering he was being charged with racially abusing QPR defender Anton Ferdinand.

A genuinely poor performance it was not. It was, however, a rather terrible result.

A myriad of culpable parties

Chelsea again surrender a lead despite being in a position to record a comfortable win. First Wigan, and now Fulham. What the hell. More bemusing, the fact that this latest setback arrived just days after we put in an excellent shift at White Hart Lane in a game we easily could have won.

By Chris Wright

"Well hello there young lady"

I watched the Tottenham-Chelsea game in the boozer last night so, praise be to Allah, there's another drunken and completely verbatim match report heading your way...

◊ John Terry wearing WHITE boots.

We'll touch on the latest news surrounding John Terry's current predicament very soon. For now, though, we focus on the massive contest at White Hart Lane. I don't think I'm overstating when I say this is going to be kind of epic.

Team news and the like from 2:45pm EDT.

Third meets fourth on Thursday in the English Premier League. The home side, Tottenham, are on a ridiculously good run where they have garnered 33 points out of the last 39 available. That means they have moved from a precarious position in the early part of the season, near the bottom of the table after damaging defeats against Manchester United and Manchester City, to the loftier position of third.

Ep.18 Christmas Special by Off The Post on Mixcloud After injecting mince pies into our veins, doing shots of Bucks Fizz via our retinas and recording wearing nothing but tinsel jockstraps, the OTP Podcast is in fine, slightly chafed, festive cheer for its Christmas Special. (That unorthodox preparation may partly explain why we sound like [.

1. Wayne Rooney's hair transplant was definitely worth it. His new quiff got the ball rolling for Manchester United in their match against QPR. 2. The QPR supporters' "Warnock for England" chants might encourage Blackburn fans to try a change of tactics. Kean for Scotland, anyone? 3. Then again, if Aston Villa keep putting in [.

Some would call it robbery, a late Jordi Gomez goal denying Chelsea a fourth consecutive victory on Saturday at the DW Stadium. However, robbery would imply that the visitors actually deserved to win. That, my friends, was hardly the case.

Dejection

What is it with this team?

We need a win. This man needs a game.

Team news and the like from 12:15pm EDT

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Wigan Athletic
TBA

Chelsea
TBA

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Younes couldn't have picked a worse time to roll out his Petr Cech impressionWWWWDWWWWWWFOY. Tottenham's remarkable run of winning form came to a shuddering end at Stoke yesterday but the controversial decisions made by referee Chris Foy left a particularly bitter taste in the mouth.
An inept first half showing from Spurs, unbecoming of a title-chasing team, had left them 2-0 and with the prospect of scaling a metaphorical mountain in order to get anything from the game.

This should be pretty damn good. As you can see, Mario is dressed for the occasion.

Team news and the like from 2:45pm EDT.

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Chelsea
TBA

Manchester City
TBA

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As a player, you have respect for Barcelona but you never have fear. You have to plan for a good game against them and to try to cause them problems. So no, we do not have any fear of Manchester City, especially because we're playing at home in this match but we do have the ultimate respect for them because they're the league leaders.

Anxiety? Not needed.

A pulsating showcase, carefully imagined by Andre Villas-Boas and anchored by the irresistible Didier Drogba, sees our beloved Chelsea into the knockout stages of the Champions League once again. As group winners, too, no less. This, my friends, was a night to cherish.

Happiness is a warm brace

What to say, what to say.

The bums they are a squeaking.

Frank Lampard and Fernando Torres are on the bench for the defining match of Andre Villas-Boas' tenure at Chelsea thus far. Bold and correct decisions, will they pay off?

Architects

Team sheets
Chelsea
Cech, Ivanovic, Cole, Luiz, EBJT (c), Romeu, Ramires, Meireles, Mata, Drogba, Sturridge.

Andre Villas-Boas attempts to shake off the haters, as well as an unforeseen run of truly shit results, on Tyneside. This isn't go to be easy. Four defeats in five? I can't go for that (no can do).

Not available

Who: Newcastle United (est.

Mick probably would like to have Michael J. in midfield today. We'll take Styles and the three points.

Team news and the like from 9:45am EST.

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Wolves
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Whatever the hell you think is going on at Chelsea right now, whatever you think the club is mired in A Carlo-esque bad moment, crisis, et al. it doesn't matter. What we all can agree on is that anything less than a win this weekend at home to Wolves is going to see the shit hit the proverbial fan.

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech is dumbfounded by the heavy criticism heaped at manager Andre Villas-Boas in the wake of the club's recent struggles, arguing that the manager cannot run on the pitch and prevent errors made by the players.

Cech's teammate Florent Malouda made the same assertion before the disappointing 2-1 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen last night but Villas-Boas maintained that he must take the responsibility on his shoulders.

It isn't just one man, damn it. It's ZORRO(s). For a while last night it looked like there was going to be more face masks than goals during the Champions League match between Chelsea and Bayer Leverkusen. Petr Cech's almost looks like part of the furniture now. You're so used to seeing him in the [.

It isn't just one man, damn it. It's ZORRO(s). For a while last night it looked like there was going to be more face masks than goals during the Champions League match between Chelsea and Bayer Leverkusen. Petr Cech's almost looks like part of the furniture now. You're so used to seeing him in the [.

In the wake of their widespread criticism in the press following their 2-1 defeat at home to Liverpool, Chelsea's visit to Germany to take on Bayer Leverkusen tonight has much more attention than their manager would like, and a result will prove crucial for a boost in morale.

The Blues have not won since their 5-0 smashing of Genk over a month ago, and though they currently lead second-placed Leverkusen by 2 points, another defeat would give the Bundesliga side and Valencia (in third spot with 5) hopes of topping the group themselves, and make the rumors about Guus Hiddink's potential arrival a bit louder.

Bayer are looking to turn Group E on its end tomorrow night in Leverkusen. Current Bayer midfielder and former Chelsea boy Michael Ballack, for visual aid, demonstrates the effect the home side is seeking to have in the splashy photograph below.

Beat Street

But really, nevermind the hosts.

Glen Johnson and Charlie Adam dedicated Liverpool's 2-1 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge to Reds goalkeeper Brad Jones.
The visiting players wore black armbands during Sunday's Premier League encounter in memory of Jones' young son Luca, who died on Saturday after a battle with leukaemia.

Not quite the titanic clash it was just a few short years ago, but still a fixture ripe with storylines and overall disdain. And, you know, we're kind of in somewhat desperate need of a signature win.

Let's have it, boys.

Team news and the like from 10:45am EST.

After the first leg of the Euro 2012 play-offs, there were a wide variety of results to compare and analyze before the second leg on Tuesday. Some ties already look finished, while some are still very much alive.

We take a look at one thing we learned from each match.

Croatia remain world class

A 3-0 demolition of Turkey reaffirms that despite missing out on the World Cup, Croatia are still a team with enough quality and talent to win the European Championships.