I’m so proud of Chelsea’s lions

FOR Chelsea fans it has been a week of roller coaster emotions.

On Sunday at the Emirates I don’t think I could have been prouder of the team — they fought like lions. They were not going to surrender that title without a contest even though we were reduced to ten men for over half the game.

As soon as Boulahrouz saw red, my companion said that he wouldn’t be surprised if Jose had played him purely as an “I told you so” with press and fans alike questioning why he had not been utilised previously. I imagine The Cannibal must be packing as we speak as I doubt we will see him in a blue shirt again.

As for Arsenal fans — just look at what they have come to; reduced to chanting “Liverpool” and blowing silly whistles. It was virtually the only noise they made all afternoon, and their fickleness was compounded by no more than a few hundred staying for their team’s lap of honour at the end.

Perhaps they should put up a blue plaque on the old Highbury which says “there used to be a decent team here 1989-2003. RIP.”

But then, Jose and our (young!) boys in blue had already upstaged anything that Arsene and his whingers could muster. Mourinho strode defiantly across enemy territory, oblivious to the childish booing and catcalls from the newly christened Liverpool fans, towards us, his adoring loyal blues.

He had no need to tell us to lift our heads up, as we already knew that we had witnessed the team giving it everything they had. Having seen back to back league titles and despite crippling injuries, pushing United almost all the way, we hailed a team which has a strength of character which will stand us in good stead again next season. And at Wembley in a fortnight.

If only we could have played like that up at Anfield last week — and perhaps if we had, had Drogba we might have done. The long ball was our undoing and I don’t understand why changes were not made earlier as it was evident from early on that this tactic was not going to work.

The other thing that came out of that match is that we have finally found Cech’s Achilles heel — penalties. He’s as good at saving them as we are at taking them. But then I suppose that no one is perfect.

We edged the game at home, just as they edged their game at Anfield and the difference in the end was that they could take penalties and we couldn’t. ! What I was disappointed at was that “special Anfield atmosphere” — I don’t know if it was poor acoustics, but we found the ground almost silent at times.

But what’s done is done and we have to accept that we won’t see the Acropolis adorned with the banners of Chelsea any time soon.

I hope tonight against United that we show the same grit and determination and most of all, pride, that we showed at the Emirates.

Let us give them their guard of honour, for they deserve it, but let us mark a line in the sand ready for next season.

Much is being made of the Tim Howard clause or no clause. Does it really matter? Not really. Would it have made much of a difference? I doubt it. Will United face punishment? No. But if it had been Chelsea, would we have faced sanctions? Of course — after being tried, found guilty and hanged by the media first.

However, there’s a reason why they always say that the league table doesn’t lie. It’s because it doesn’t. Winning the FA Cup has as much to do with luck as skill, and Liverpool, amongst others, have proved that the Champions League is the same, but the Premiership is not won or lost on one single piece of luck. United are worthy champions and I congratulate them wholeheartedly, even though the same grace was not offered to us in the last two seasons.

Both United and Chelsea have raised the bar yet again this season and I would be disappointed as a Arsenal or Liverpool fan to once again have finished so far behind the top two. What should worry the chasing pack even more is that both United and especially Chelsea have had to endure crippling injuries to key team members and they have still left the also-rans eating their dust.

We will be back next year — fitter, fully rested, fired up and ready to rumble. Hopefully we will have also added two centre-backs and another striker to our team and the boys will have the disappointment of this season to drive them on to try and recapture the title.

Ferguson, are you listening? You better keep our trophy glistening . . .

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