Fingers crossed

The title stays at the Bridge for another year. It was always Chelsea's title to lose when you consider the immense squad depth and the relative health of a world class set-up of players. An astonishing 91 points with 2 games to go. 18 home wins out of 19 this season. I couldn't bear to see the celebrations as the crowd in Chijmes erupted. Those few Chelsea fans beside me raising their hands high up in euphoria. Defeat is hard to swallow. Didier Drogba was grotesque to look at. The worst part came when Wayne Rooney was stretchered off after landing awkwardly on his foot.

England collectively held their breath when Rooney stayed on the ground, grimacing in pain. The deja vu of Alan Smith's injury came quickly into mind. It was like a horror film watching England's shining knight on the floor. John Terry and Frank Lampard looked on with mixed emotions. England's World Cup hopes look to diminish every second Rooney stayed on the ground.

My version of this year's World Cup is Rooney vs. Rest of the World. I'm never a fan of England but I want to see them go far. I want to see Wayne on a one-man mission, killing off the likes of Cannavaro, Schneider, Stam, Lucio, Ayala and company on the way. The stage is set for him to conquer the world and what injustice it would be to rob him off that chance. Again, it was Rooney chasing a ball when the team's already 2-0 down. He didn't want to give it up without a fight, he didn't wanna budge but fate has its own plan.

The uncompromising character is what I believe in. I believe in fighting hard for the cause. And nothing is closer to war than football. Football is the closest thing to war. We haven't seen a warrior for a long time and Rooney is one.

The other great players do not qualify as warriors or knights.
Ronaldinho is an artist. He is there to entertain, to enjoy the game. Joy he may bring to the world but seldom you see blood on his face. Seldom you see him panting or sliding in hard for challenges. There is wizardry but there is no fire.

Thiery Henry in war is like aerial attacks. Swift, efficient and reliable. Speed and grace is very much of his game. He is instrumental in the attack and is very good to look at but somehow it doesn't seem like he's very much in the battle. Usually he just zooms past opponents.

Frank Lampard, David Beckham, Andrei Shevchenko and Samuel Eto'o all fall into the category of cultured and contemporary attackers where fitness is a key factor in their game. They are the survivors in the battlefield, outlast and outfighting their adversaries. They do serious damage albeit less spectecularly.

Defending the turf are players such as John Terry, Jamie Carragher, Carlos Puyol who guard their territories with their lives. They are the people who block the bullets and the knives and they are the ones with blood smeared all over their faces. But defending alone can't win you wars.

The old Roy Keane, Bryan Robson and Steven Gerrard are probably the midfield generals with swashbuckling styles of play and they are the probably the ones fighting with their lives in war. They are the one helping out everywhere in battle and killing on sight. They are exciting because they kill everybody, they fight even when they drop off their horses. But they probably have too much responsibility in helping out in defence which adds on to too much dirty work.

Wayne Rooney is the one who spearheads the attack and push and fight his way through. He is the one who fights man to man, four to five soldiers at one go. He falls, gets up again and fight. The British bulldog that bites off anything and charges down everything it sees in sight. In this context, he will be the best man to lead England to war. But things look bleak now.

My World Cup looks over.
I'm devastated.