Footienotes

[El Gordo]

Yes, it was clear to me that Fergie and Grant at least, had made it clear to the usual suspects that ref-bawling was off the menu for the time being. I can't recall the last time I've seen a ManU or Chelsea game that didn't have Rooney or Terry racing half the length of the pitch to scream in the ref's face. Looks like Benitez and Wenger didn't get the message across so forcefully, if Mascherano and Eboue were anything to go by.

Benitez has made a fool of himself, trying to defend his player. Much better to have done a Gordon Taylor, the egregious PFA supremo, who normally appears to share the same incompetent optician as Arsene Wenger when it comes to commenting on the shortcomings of his charges. How refreshing to hear Taylor this morning, chiding Mascherano in particular, and ref-bullying in general.

You know how it is when you see a TV clip from a game in the 70s, and you recall with horror the state of the pitches they used to have to play on? Or the state of their Keeganesqe barnets? And sprayed-on shorts? I really hope that a few years from now we'll see old clips of screamimg Chelsea players surrounding the ref, and think, "My god, did they really get away with that in those days?" And I think it will happen, too. People are fed up with it.

Well done to ManU yesterday for the result, and for their on-field behaviour, but of course it was barely a couple of weeks ago that Ferguson was berating and intimidating referees himself, in his own rather underhand way. He's a cunning bugger. Even the complaints about Ronaldo's treatment seem to be aimed at casting an influence on the referee's performance. So I haven't been able to listen to his post-Ashley Cole pronouncements without a rather grim smile on my face and an admonitory shake of the head. But if he has genuinely changed his views on the need for more respect in the game, then fair play to the guy. I'll congratulate him. Let's wait and see!

I'm still hoping for a ManU or Arsenal title, with just a very slight preference for the latter. United have shown greater consistency, and perhaps that's what it's all about, but for the relative neutral, Arsenal at their best have been scintillating. Patchy though, and perhaps sort of emotionally fragile. The Eduardo injury has obviously had some effect on them. Is it conincidence that since that moment, they've had their worst run in the league for 9 years? Surely not. But I'd take Arsenal or ManU -- just not Chelsea, please.