[Butter]

Sneijder is picked to the Team of the Week.

Reserve striker Michal Jablonski blasts me in the papers for not playing him, saying he might have to leave if he's not designated a starter. He's a good young player, but no starter. I ignore it. I also note, ironically, that his personality is that of a "realist".

As if to drive home his point, 2 days later Jablonski scores the game winner as Poland defeat Croatia in a friendly, 2-1.

We have an interesting series of games coming up... 2 road games in a week against lower table opponents, then our Fifth Round FA Cup match, then finally the Champions League picks back up as we visit Porto. I decide to use the main XI in the 2nd road league match, and then save them for Porto. So that means the backups will be playing today as we visit Fratton Park.

Feb. 11, Match 26
18-5-2, 1st pl., 59 pts.
@ Portsmouth (9-3-13, 14th pl., 30 pts. - Leading scorer: Yakubu, 11)
Series: Posh lead 4-1-2
Fav: Posh, 4:5

Injured: Svensson, Fernandes, Mokoena
Lineup:
GK: Arenas
D: Stenman, Kargbo, Sarr, Jensen
M: Jesus, Lunt, Bellomo, Kranjcar
S: Vagner, Balaban

Portsmouth just blitz us the entire first half. They get their first on a nice corner kick headed in in the 21st minute, then score again on a tight angle shot in the 40th minute. Our attack looks atrocious, and the defense isn't any better.

Wallner enters for Balaban, and Gavilan in for Jensen at halftime. We switch to an attacking 3-5-2.

53'- The switch pays off quickly, as Stenman finds an open Vagner near the arc... Vagner is dispossessed, but the ball bobbles free to Wallner, and he quickly slots it home from 15 yards to make it 2-1. Wallner's 10th goal in all competitions this season.

70'- After a couple of promising corner kicks come up empty, Portsmouth breaks our offside trap, and Yakubu slides it to Dirk Kuijt, who has an easy tap-in to finish this one off. It's 3-1 to Pompey.

Karsnak enters for Niko Kranjcar.

76'- Ibrahim Kargbo hits a free kick from our half of the field... he flights it long and into the box... Vagner has broken past the back line! He gets the pass at the penalty spot, then finishes past a shocked keeper! What a set piece that was! 3-2.

77'- Stenman steals the kickoff and passes to Karsnak... he zooms past the defense, then centers to Bellomo, who has a great look from 10 yards... his hard shot caroms back off the crossbar!

82'- Gary O'Neil crosses short to Yakubu off a set piece, and Yakubu with a well-directed header finds the target. 4-2, Pompey.

89'- Lunt beats his man down the left... the old man crosses into the middle, where another oldster, Diego Gavilan meets it and scores! 4-3 now.

We are unable to mount an attack during the 3 added minutes, and take a tough road loss. We came back 3 times, but Portsmouth's offense just beat our defense like a tired mule. Vagner picks up our only 8, as Arenas, Sarr, and Stenman pick up 6's in a horrible defensive display.

Loss, 4-3, lead shrinks to 3 pts.
Shots/on target: Pompey 23/7, Posh 7/3
Poss: 57-43, Pompey
A: 22,513

EPL Round 26 results
Boro 3:0 Cardiff
Arsenal 5:1 Newcastle
Villa 3:0 So'ton
Blackburn 0:2 Spurs
Man C 0:1 Palace
WBA 0:3 Liverpool
Norwich 1:2 Birmingham
West Ham 0:1 Chelsea
Sheff Wed 1:3 Man U

Sure enough, despite a 5-1 win over the Magpies, Arsenal sack Arsene Wenger immediately following the big win, and the press immediately ask me if I'm interested. I declare that no, I'm not interested in the Arsenal job. This pleases the board, who already love me like a son.