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"Roberto di Matteo's sacking raises the question 'are Chelsea an unmanageable club?' If the likes of Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti and Luiz Felipe Scolari - some of the best managers in the world - don't fit the bill, then who does? And if Rafael Benitez is keeping the seat warm for Pep Guardiola, does the former Barcelona boss really want to come to a club that operates such a revolving door policy? Let's be clear on one point: Roman Abramovich never wanted to appoint Di Matteo in the first place, not even after Chelsea won the Champions League." Are Chelsea an unmanageable club? Rafa Benitez is about to find out, says Jeff Stelling. Taken from 'A Bridge too far?'
"It's been very peculiar waking up in the middle of the night and finishing at midday. I've figured out that the best thing to do is to go to sleep as soon as I get back to the hotel after the close of play, then get up for a bit of dinner, and then go back to sleep again. But there's no doubt that it was odd to have a 5.30am fry-up in the studio, only to get the train back at 10am in time for yet another fry-up because it was still breakfast time at the hotel. And I must remember to set my alarm for 2.30 in the MORNING this week after a rude awakening last Friday..." Bumble blogs on why his body clock is struggling and why England need a fresh look in Mumbai. Taken from 'Freshening up'
"Personally, I think England are struggling to explain the problems the top-order is facing. I have some sympathy because there's not a glib and easy explanation - trust me, I've sat where Trott was and experienced the same grilling. There is a sense that England are just getting a little prickly about one or two of the criticisms that are floating around but I'm afraid that's part of the job; it does, perhaps, reveal their mind-set. All of these things, though, are quickly rectified with a few runs and a victory. What is clear is that there are more question marks about this England batting line-up than there have been for some time." England can compete in Mumbai, says Mike Atherton, but they need first-innings runs and Monty Panesar. Taken from 'Time to turn up'
"Ricky was a true fighter in his heyday, my kind of fighter; he was prepared to get hurt in order to inflict pain and destroy his opponent. He wasn't looking to be slick or pick up an easy win, he was there to entertain and get involved in a scrap. I'm sure Hatton would love to be just like that that against Senchenko but after three-and-a-half years out of the ring it will be asking a lot for him to be as sharp. I expect we will see cameos of the old Ricky, which I'm sure will delight the masses of fans at the Manchester Arena, but it won't be like before." Glenn McCrory says Ricky Hatton will shine in patches this weekend, but may not do enough to win. Taken from 'Flash player'
"I was not one of the supporters of Stuart Lancaster's appointment and my fears are beginning to churn inside as I watch England play as if it is the same field made for a different audience....Robinson's excuses, Johnson's excuses and now captain Chris Robshaw's excuses remain the same; failure to finish, inaccurate passing and the failure to understand the breakdown. New names and strange faces there may be but this is the November movie I have been watching for years." Performances, not just results, should be taken into account to assess England, says Stuart Barnes. Taken from 'Risk assessment'
"I just feel that Ward's outstanding technical acumen, which saw him beat Froch convincingly last winter, could be too much for the Briton to contend with once again. I would put the clash 70-30 in the American's favour but, of course, Carl's chances would be boosted if the fight took place in England and especially Nottingham - and with Ward seemingly open to that idea, I really hope that can happen; it would get British fans buzzing. Carl is one of the best British fighters of all time." Carl Froch has become a boxing great, says Johnny Nelson, but Andre Ward could be one step too far. Taken from 'Almost the best'
"I truly believe that playing under the European banner makes you a more-rounded player, which is why guys like Colsaerts won't shun the Tour entirely, and why the likes of Dustin Johnson, Jason Dufner and Bubba Watson often venture over here to broaden their horizons. However, I think it is vital that the European authorities do all they can to convince players to tee off on this side of the pond more often than not; you can't force guys to turn up, but the circuit may lose some of its lustre if the big names don't play more often."" Rob Lee says the European Tour will suffer if its top stars keep flocking to the other side of the Atlantic. Taken from 'Continental drift'
"In Spain the biggest story is the unhappiness of Cristiano Ronaldo and Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid. Ronaldo's frustrations are based on his financial situation while Mourinho's are about his authority - or lack of it in certain areas, such as the academy. Of course if you're happy you can negotiate things behind closed doors but it is interesting to see pictures of Mourinho's wife and children in England appearing in the press. It was also interesting to see that at the recent Spanish league awards for last season, Pep Guardiola was voted best coach." Guillem Balague blogs on Mourinho and Ronaldo posturing in Madrid and Man City's PR campaign. Taken from 'Double trouble'
