A blog of two halves

Chelsea’s overpaid superstars needed a good kick up the Arsenal from the manager after last weekend’s flabby, lethargic defeat to the Gunners.

Chelsea play their second 5.30pm Saturday game in a row this weekend, aiming to wipe the Arsenal, as it were.

Despite (or maybe because of) the problems encountered in the latter part of the 20th Century, Fulham FC had some notable fans.

With cup fever raging on all fronts, it’s easy to overlook the fixtures that really matter – the bread-and-butter Premier League games that ultimately define the season.

My first ever FA Cup tie was a 3rd Round match at Craven Cottage against Walsall, on Saturday 8 January 1949.

For the first time in 22 years Queens Park Rangers will be in the draw for the 4th round of the FA Cup, after a 2-1 victory over Championship leaders Leeds United.

With Darnell Furlong missing through injury Steve McClaren must have feared the worst when 36 year old Àngel Rangel was ruled out for up to eight weeks.

No one can explain why we supposedly hate Nottingham Forest. It features in one of the Blues’ oldest continually sung terrace chants, yet half today’s fans weren’t born when Chelsea regularly played them in the league.

After the bore draw at Newcastle, Fulham treated us to a Christmas stocking full of excitement, with moments of real excellence.