Damian 27 December 2025
We can't stop the changes that are coming and we accept them and it's like we want them to happen. I'm writing this because someone posted a comment yesterday about how it might be that the 3pm matches on a Saturday may be broadcast in the UK at some stage in the near future and that news came out on the day when we used to have a football schedule.
I don't know how to write and make this funny, we're just all accepting it now.
Don't get me wrong, it doesn't bother me that the 3pm blackout might be ended. I've not lived in the UK for years and outside of the UK, you can get pretty much every game shown live, but there is a reason why the 3pm blackout was put in place and the only reason why they are thinking about ending it is for the money.
They've created a monster and they don't actually care about the supporters attending the match, they're more interested in making the money from the supporters, like me, sat at home watching it on the screen. Have I gone to far by saying they don't care? I don't think so, but this doesn't really impact the supporter that attends and wants to, this just generates more money. But what comes after this?
Truth is, it doesn't matter what it is, if they want to do it, they will. But it wasn't a proper Christmas this year not having a Boxing Day schedule. But, Aston Villa are playing later and it's Chelsea in London and that's what this post should be about.
And because we are doing so well at the moment, every match is more important than the last, but we have to lose or not win at some stage in the near future and today and next Tuesday are tough matches. And if we lost them both, we'd still be third. It's that easy get out of jail free card again.
It's not something the manager has or I suspect most of the players, it's just the way it is and I expect it to happen. I'm not saying it's going to be today or next Tuesday, but I'm preparing myself for it. It's something I am allowing to happen, even though I'll be disappointed.
But imagine for a moment you were an Arsenal fan. You're convincing yourself you are going to win the League, but deep down, maybe too deep to recognise it because you have convinced yourself, you know you're going to bottle it again. Or maybe you're a Bluenose, convincing yourself you will one day be supporting a Club that can be thought of as a real Premier League side.
There is delusion and there is having to accept you are not going to win every game. I don't know what will happen today, but this is going to be tough. But we do well in tough situations.
I think also at some stage in the past I had a soft spot for Chelsea. There are many things about the Club I like, like the location and stadium. The supporters are nice (the ones I know anyway) and as a Club, albeit they have purchased all their recent success, they've not had it easy.
But they are sitting on 70+ charges from the FA that they'll ultimately get away with, just like Manchester City will. And it's because it's a game. To you and me whatever happens might seem tough, but they'll both still be playing the game and that is ultimately what matters for them.
And yes, it was a late night and I did have too much to drink and I today, I have some shelves to put up. I'll be back in a bit, but remember, whatever happens later, we're good.
Match facts from the BBC
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* Chelsea have lost two of their last three Premier League home games against Aston Villa, though they did win this exact fixture 3-0 in December last season.
* Aston Villa have won three of their five Premier League games against Chelsea under Unai Emery (D1 L1), as many as in their previous 20 against the Blues before the Spaniards arrival (D3 L14).
* Having scored in 21 consecutive Premier League home games against Aston Villa between December 1998 and September 2021 (50 goals in total), Chelsea have now failed to score in two of their last three at Stamford Bridge against the Villans.
* Aston Villa have won each of their last 10 matches in all competitions and could equal their all-time club record of 11 consecutive victories, set in both September 1897 and March 1914.
* Chelsea have already suffered two home defeats in the Premier League this season (W4 D2 L2), losing to Brighton in September (1-3) and Sunderland in October (1-2). If they lose here, they will have lost more home league matches this term (3) than they did in Enzo Maresca’s first full campaign in 2024-25 (W12 D5 L2).
* Chelsea are unbeaten in the three Premier League games they’ve played this season against teams starting the day above them in the table, beating Liverpool 2-1 (October), Tottenham 1-0, and drawing against Arsenal (both in November).
* Aston Villa have won their last seven league games, last having a longer run in the top-flight between October and December 1910 (9). The Villans have also won 12 of their 21 Premier League away games against London sides under Unai Emery (D4 L5), more than they had in their previous 59 (W11 D10 L38).
* Chelsea’s top scorers in the league this season have netted just five goals (Pedro Neto and João Pedro). After 17 games of a Premier League campaign, only on three occasions has Chelsea’s top scorer(s) netted fewer at this stage – 4 in 2022-23, 3 in 2015-16 and 4 in 1995-96.
* Enzo Fernández has created more chances from open play (24) and made more passes breaking the opponent’s defensive line (17) than any other Chelsea player in the Premier League this season.
* Aston Villa’s Morgan Rogers has been directly involved in more Premier League goals than any other English player across the opening 17 matchdays this season (10 – 7 goals, 3 assists); he could the third Villan to net 2+ goals in three consecutive appearances in the competition after Dean Saunders (1992) and Dion Dublin (1998).