I totally agree. We could certainly have handled the immediate post-match situation better, and we may find ourselves in trouble over that.
But after that, we went by the book. I can't think of anything we could have done differently. I don't believe many fans actually believed the accusations, not through any respect for Clattenburg, but because it's simply impossible to believe any referee would be that stupid.
I do think they may be on dangerous ground if they decide to throw the book at Mikel, there are numerous "interested parties" who are just waiting for a cause célèbre to latch on to.

I think it would be very harsh to issue Mikel with a massive ban for this, but i would expect the club to get a massive fine for the false allegations. You never know with the FA though.

Even that would put the FA on dangerous ground though, wouldn't it ? Chelsea (the club) didn't make any false allegations, we just reported them.
I can imagine a few people having a field day if we are given a massive fine for merely reporting an allegation of racist abuse.
I think the FA need to tread very carefully over the way the conclusion of this is handled.

Ps..I think the reprimand/fine will come as a result of the behaviour immediately after the game, which does sound unsavoury. That would be justified and allow the FA to punish Chelsea without wading into any murky waters.

Surely we are talking allegations that couldn't be substantiated enough to bring any case against Clattenburg.

Thre is nothing to suggest that the FA think the complaint was not made in good faith, whatever they or anyone else may actually believe, and I highly doubt they could prove oherwise. So nothing is going to happen to Chelsea or any player with direct regard to the complaint against Clattenburg.

Any actions against Chelsea will be for the post match reactions, for which Mikel has already been charged.

I agree..just added that in my ps (above)

As with the other recent controversies, i just wish this affair would be cleared up quickly and in an adult way - A public apology to Clattenburgh, plus compensation for the matches he's missed and a donation to a charity of his choice...And then everyone move on!

I don't think there is anything to apologise for. The FA did not say the accusations were false.

Football Journalists should all make a contribution to Roman for getting paid lots to write the same old stuff about Chelsea year after year, D.Mail and im sure all the other with a 4 page spread telling us basically the same thing "Chelsea is a box of frogs" type stuff, we know, thanks how about writing about something else?

Compensation for the matches he has missed?

You do realise he has still been paid dont you?

As a simple gesture of good will.

Our PR sucks, and i'm sick and tierd of our club being ripped to shreds left right and centre every bloody week over one thing or another.
We are becoming more like a soap opera than a football club, and it's time the club did something about that!

I guess that you should be kind of glad that you got Rafa, if you had waited aby lobger, you could have had Hughes in charge!

You know what? Nothing would surprise me anymore with my beloved club...who I don't recognise at the moment!

I was going to say, not even Roman would do that......but then again?!

Roman?

Ruthless Russian Roman?

CL? Thanks very much....now f**k off!


No, course he wouldn't....

True that, I am now never putting anything past him ever again!

Corrie, Enders, Dallas?

Nothing on us!!

Now that the dust is settling, are there any Chelsea fans who welcome the appointment of Rafa?

I just have no idea tbh, it's happened so fast and I didn't see this appointment coming at all!! It's not that I think he has nothing to offer, I don't, but it's just a weird one, why is he happy coming in for just 7 months? Was he brought in to get the best out of Torres? I bloody hope not, that's a disgrace if true. But Robbie did seem devoid at times of a Plan B, if Rafa can find one of those, it will be an improvement. Also, stop playing David Luiz at CB, for the love of God!!

I am not over the moon about it but I support the badge. Owners and players come and go, so he has my support. I don't agree with any Chelsea fans booing him on Sunday, won't help the team one little bit.

Calmed down a bit after the initial shock.

On the surface it seems a terrible appointment, but i have to understand that it is only till the end of the season, one where i am happy to see attacking football and finish 4th.

I hope that he gets the best out of Torres, nothing would make me happier in football to see him back to the player he was.

However, i do hope that this will not put Falcao off joining us, or Fellaini too for that matter.

Agree with these points.

I was reading a piece about Roman Abramovich the other day.
He is certainly used to getting his own way about everything, and he believes money should be able to solve any problem.

But I can sort of understand his attitude towards Chelsea and the results we've been having. Roman thinks like a supporter in many ways, probably one from years ago. He was apparently upset at losing In the Community Shield, and furious at our display against Atletico Madrid in the Super Cup.
Most of us probably weren't too bothered about those results, meaningless bits of silverware etc. But Abramovich wants to win everything, and in style. That's probably the way I thought years ago, until I became more cynical.
In some ways that's not a bad thing. He is ruthless and determined, he wants success and he wants it now..and let's face it, he is prepared to put his money where his mouth is, unlike some other owners.

I agree

He loves football, and he loves good football too. No Chelsea supporter should have any complaints whatsoever, as he has backed us completely. (even though some managers wasted a lot of money)

Yes, mind you he was probably personally responsible for some of that waste..Shevchenko was his own indulgence, and maybe Torres too ? But if you're a multi-billionaire, those are the perks that come with it.
I wish Chelsea was my real life fantasy team, and I could just shop around for the world's best players, with money no object.

Thats just it. If i had £10b i would buy players who i like, not just players who my manager liked.

And i would be much more ruthless!

I'm not sure. Rafa seems a strange choice for a caretaker.
Reading about him, he doesn't even appear to favour the style of football we've been attempting to play ? He is on record as saying he prefers a fast counter attacking style with a minimum of passes..but that was years ago, perhaps he's changed his mind ?

He does eat, sleep, and drink football, a real student of the game. But we had a younger version of that last year.
My fear, as I've said before, is that we'll see an awful lot of fiddling around. He was forever messing with Liverpool, trying to fix things that weren't broken. It would be disastrous if he started upsetting the players who have started so well with us.

I'm hoping he doesn't waste months on the hopeless (in my opinion) task of trying to get something out of Torres. But despite my misgivings, I don't think the man is a fool, so that's unlikely to happen.

I think he will strengthen our defence. He seems to be a pragmatist and believes in attacking football in front of a solid defence, I'll welcome that. But I guess we'll just have to keep our fingers crossed and hope for the best.