Tough for battle-scarred Blues to keep things in Cech

ONLY Stephen Hunt will know whether his “challenge” on Cech was a deliberate attempt to make his presence felt early on in the match or an accident.

Not for one minute do I think that he meant to injure Cech to the extent he did; BUT he could have lifted his leg, and didn’t. Perhaps it was just a small gesture to make the keeper think twice about going for those loose balls later in the game.

With Cech on the floor, Hunt walked away laughing. Is this really the kind of reaction you would expect from a player when a fellow professional is prostrate on the floor being tended by medical staff? I repeat: Hunt had no intention of stoving Cech’s skull in (be under no illusion, that is what a depressed skull fracture means).

But he was reckless, and he was laughing.

Then we come to Cudicini — Carlo was body checked, pure and simple. The ball had gone. Sonko’s intent was to take the keeper out, so that if the ball had come back in, Cudicini was in no position to get anything on it. Sonko probably meant to knock him over rather than knock him out.

But the incredible thing about these episodes was the referee. Having made the grievously-injured Cech crawl over the goal-line for treatment — to appease baying Reading fans in the Royston Vasey End — he then blundered appallingly over the Cudicini injury. It was evident to everyone Carlo was out cold yet Mike Riley allowed play to go on.

He even allowed Reading a shot which had to be cleared off the line by Drogba. Only then did he stop play and allow medical attention. When Chelsea say they have sent their observations to the FA, I don’t think their analysis is going to be limited to the contribution of Stephen Hunt.

I expected the reaction of fans from other football teams and the media.

It was all accidental and the only villain was Jose Mourinho for his inflammatory remarks.

The fact is José — who studied the video footage before making his comments — got this one bang on.

Once again Britain’s useless football pundit industry didn’t want the facts to get in the way of a good story.

When the final whistle went after 107 minutes, I experienced the kind of elation from last season when we came from behind to destroy West Ham with 10 men and in that defining game against Blackburn at Ewood Park the season before when they tried to kick seven shades of shite out of the team.

The sight of John Terry in goal, going ballistic, fists clenched, screaming his head off, showed us what that win meant. The rest of the team were hot on his heels throwing their shirts into the crowd. They had recognised the part we played and at that point, without trying to be cheesy, team and supporters were as one.

It’s only Reading, you may say, but that’s not the point. Reading came to fight (literally) and defend.

Both keepers gone, down to nine men, it felt like a war, and a war we won.

I had never previously understood why so many Manchester United fans used to hate their players appearing for England — until last Saturday. Then the penny dropped. Anyone that pulls on the England shirt is pilloried after a bad performance.

Hearing “where were you on Wednesday night?” directed at Lampard and Terry from Reading supporters is a bit much. Will they ever have a player in the England set-up? Could any of their thugs have done any better?

I have just added them to Newcastle and Charlton supporters as tossers of an extreme variety. They didn’t have one original song between them. Their signature tune was “Carefree, we are the famous RFC” — where have I heard that before? Despite being given almost every decision they whined Riley was our “12th” man. Yeah, right, keep taking the tablets.

So tonight we face Barcelona with our third-choice keeper between the sticks and an 18-year-old on the bench.

I can’t really comment on the unfortunately named Hilario.

I was concerned to find out that in the last two games he faced Barcelona he let in six goals. But then he didn’t have JT and the Cannibal in front of him.

It’s difficult to see Cech returning any time soon. We will, I imagine, be given special dispensation to get a keeper (unless UEFA decide that usual rules don’t apply to us again). I’d offer a big wedge of cash to Juve for a six-month loan of Buffon. Great keeper and also able to play in the Champions League. Now that really would freak the Chelsea-haters out.

Back to Cech. Everyone at Chelsea wishes him the speediest of recoveries.

I also hope that the FA will do something to stop this happening again. But I won’t hold my breath — it was only a Chelsea keeper (or two) after all.

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