It was, according to Graeme Souness, speaking ahead of last night's Champions League game in Naples, the shortest suicide note in football history. Just 11 words long, consisting of the names on Andre Villas-Boas's team sheet.

It certainly looked a touch on the odd side, the Chelsea manager's selection. Why, for instance, would you pick Raul Meireles ahead of Michael Essien? And even if he were carrying an injury, why would you put Ashley Cole on the bench and play Jose Bosingwa instead? Frankly, Cole with one of his legs cut off would be a better option than Bosingwa.

And surely, given that

Robin van Persie and Aaron Ramsey shell-shocked at San SiroThat was without question the most chastening week of Arsene Wenger's tenure at Arsenal. There have been low-points before — eight of them at Old Trafford for instance. But what the drubbing in Milan told us about where his Arsenal now sit in the wider scheme of things was not pleasant. This was the week when the rot was finally exposed.

This, remember, was his proper back four on display in the San Siro, back together for the first time in four months. He had said that the most important transfer window for him was the one in the physio's room, the one that would allow him to pick his best

Carlos Tevez - pulled himself off the Man City bench

The news that Paul Scholes is to be offered a new contract by Manchester United, giving him at least another season at the club, will have come as no surprise to anyone who has seen him play since his unexpected comeback last month.

His passing, his control, his vision have been astonishing. As has been his ability, after almost nine months away from the fray, immediately to absorb himself back into the action. His manager is right: where else could he have found instant quality like that in the January transfer window?

Indeed, observing his performance against Liverpool on Saturday must have

The FA are in trouble if Harry Redknapp turns them downEven as David Bernstein was setting out the preconditions for the next England manager — preferably English, perhaps British but certainly not another pricey continental buy-in — so his shortlist of potential candidates was shortening.

First Martin O'Neill, then Alan Pardew ruled themselves out of contention. For reasons of national loyalty, we can assume all seven Glaswegians currently working in the Premier League would not be available. If they are worried about the language gap, if they do not want anything else — as Rio Ferdinand tweeted - "lost in translation", then Roberto Mancini might

Luis Suarez and Patrice Evra will come face-to-face once againThe fall-out from a few ill-spoken words continues. At Wembley, the England coach and FA chairman sit down together to discuss whether the coach is in breach of his contract. Why might he be? Because he spoke out about the sacking of his captain, something he believes should not have happened without his consent.

And why did the blazers strip his captain of the armband? Well, let's not go there. That is legal territory through which you require the razor-sharp brain of a Joey Barton to tread.

Meanwhile, in Manchester, the locals are preparing themselves to offer a warm welcome to a visitor

John Terry and Fabio Capello (PA Photos)

It is not something we often can do, but hey, let's praise the FA. We should applaud Lord Bernstein and the game's governing body for its swift and decisive action in removing the England captaincy from John Terry pending his trial.

It was clearly the right thing to do. Hammersmith's aptly named District Judge Howard Riddle had thrown them not so much a puzzle as a mystery wrapped in an enigma. By postponing John Terry's trial until after the European Championship, the judge returned the issue of the player's continuing role as England captain back to the football authorities.

There they were

Fernando Torres rues another missed chance

The bloke who chained himself to the goalposts at Everton is something of a serial protester.

On Tuesday at Goodison, he unleashed his latest protest about Ryanair's employment policy. Seemingly they charge you extra just to work there.

Maybe next time he decides to handcuff himself on a football pitch he might do so on behalf of a really important cause: those of us who tuned in to Sky Sports News yesterday hoping for some, well, news. As damp squibs go, the final day of the January transfer window was completely water-logged. We, the viewers, demand something a little bit more dramatic in

Micah Richards gives away a penaltyWatching Phil Dowd ease Liverpool's passage into the Carling Cup final at Anfield on Wednesday night, a refereeing friend of mine asked this: isn't it about time we restored the indirect free kick?

Under the current rules Dowd had no choice but to give a penalty when the ball struck Micah Richards on the arm. This despite the fact that the Manchester City captain clearly did not intend to handle the ball. Yet, his arms were raised above shoulder-height, so when the ball hit him, Dowd was obliged to point to the spot.

The trouble is, you try launching yourself in front of a moving football to