Last Chance Saloon

Exactly twelve hours of the transfer window left and no real sign of any action. Updates later if anything does actually happen.

Meanwhile, consider the following from The Guardian: "Corinthians are partially owned by the mysterious Media Sports Investments company, in which Roman Abramovich is said to have a significant holding. It has also been reported that MSI owns the contracts of both players and can therefore block moves to, say, clubs likely to rival Chelsea for domestic or European glory".

Hmmm...

UPDATE: It's 21.50 UK time ATM and there's no confirmed news about anything, but it looks like JAR9 is being swapped for The Beast and Cashley **** is being swapped for Gallas. More tonight if there's anything solid published, otherwise I'll see you tomorrow.

No News, Some Light Rain

It's one of those days. There we are, all waiting with baited breath for some transfer news and there isn't any. There are a few rumours, mind. A couple of Argentinians, a Scottish kiddie and Buffon may all be on their way. Or, rather more likely, they aren't.

Further news later if there is any, otherwise we'll just have to see what tomorrow brings.

Normal Service Now Resumed

I'm back from my stint acting as carer for The Boss. She's doing fine now, which is excellent. Respect to anyone who cares for people on a full-time basis, respect too for those being cared for, I suspect it isn't exactly easy for them either.

A nice sunny day for my return to work, which sees Sod's Law in action yet again as the weather's been bloody awful for the last week or so.

Changes

As you can see I've changed the colour scheme for the new season and I've got rid of the advertising. I'll carry on the prettying-up process over the next week or so in the hope of making the place look a little less template-like, though I have to say it's a perfectly nice template IMHO :) I'm not sure about the ads yet, they don't actually generate any money so I guess they're a little pointless, perhaps I'll look into adding some more picture/video goodness and that sort of thing.

Still no transfer news, the only footie news at all ATM relates to this evening's entirely pointless England friendly.

It's A Partridge Sort Of A Day

In that the repetition is starting to make it all rather meaningless. Apparently AC3's "autobiography" may be shelved if he ends up staying at Arsenal - quelle surprise! I wonder just how he's feeling about the whole fiasco right now - if he thought Arsenal have shafted him (by doubling his wages) then WTF does he make of Chelski's current behaviour? Perhaps a year in the reserves will give him a chance to reflect on it all.

No further news on the JAR9 front, apart from EA25 joining in the fans' chorus of "let's just get it over with".

A Plan So Cunning...

So AC3's *still* there... the new season starts on Saturday (though the transfer window's still open until the end of August) and Chelski still haven't signed him. No one else appears interested. This is now getting quite interesting as we don't look to be willing to budge on price and the Ruskies aren't prepared to pay it. C***ley stays with us, therefore, and Chelski have real problems at left back. All rather interesting, but we'll no doubt hear at lunchtime that he's gone down the Fulham Road for the price of a tin of beans such is the power of my predictions...

More later if there's anything to report.

Tis The Week Before Kick-Off

Here we are then in the home straight before the new season gets under way. Still no more incoming transfers, and the fates of AC3 and JAR9 remain undetermined. It could well be a busy week, I suspect.

Good to see Chelski get off to a losing start yesterday, beaten by a Peter Crouch header of all things.

Slightly More Than No News At All

Well, on the football front, anyway. Plenty going on else in the world, very little of it good. The AC3 saga rumbles on with rumours suggesting that he'll be off any day now for around £20m. Sounds good to me.

In JAR9 news reports are suggesting a swap deal involving Baptista. This one has promise, although at least one of the red tops suggests Baptista still doesn't have a European passport - I thought one of the reasons he'd stayed in Spain last season was that he was due to get one during that season - which could well mess things up as he'd be unlikely, I suspect, to qualify for a work permit on the basis of his international appearances.

Spiders On Cider

Mr Fisher has another outlet for his artwork, which you can now get on mugs, t-shirts, "trucker hats" and all manner of other stuff. I've ordered some fridge magnets, so some of you may be getting early Christmas presents...

You'll find the stuff here. Give it a look!

Half Way There

A splendid result in Zagreb last night which sees us take a 3-0 lead into the second leg of the CL qualifier at the Emirates Stadium. You'd have to think it's enough, surely...

AC3's still there, JAR9 is still there (though only on the bench last night) and there's no hint of any incoming transfers. Time (and it's running out) will tell.

Liverpool are on the box tonight in what is on the face of it a foregone conclusion of a game, but I think I'll give it a look unless there's a Vicar Of Dibley repeat on.

A Week Goes By Like Nothing

Urgh. I've spent most of the week in bed with some or other bug. No fun. Not much fun in the world of footy either: we've still got AC3 and now JAR9 wants to go to Madrid. Actually, I've a lot of sympathy for him, he's clearly never settled in England but nonetheless he's always tried his damndest for the club and for the fans. I hope he gets his move - and I hope we bring in someone half-way established to keep up the numbers.