Chelsea’s defeat against Arsenal in the FA Cup Final on Saturday was, in truth, deserved. Arsenal were, without doubt, the better of the two sides on the day and in truth Chelsea supporters can have no qualms with that.  

However, the loss would have been more palatable had Frank Lampard’s team been playing on a level playing field.

The refereeing was appalling with Anthony Taylor showing the same ineptitude and clear anti-Chelsea bias as he displayed in the 2017 final and indeed, the last meeting Chelsea had at White Hart Lane against Spurs.

As I have said on plenty of previous occasions, those running the game (and in this case those who decided that Taylor should officiate) are ruining the game.

Moving on, and as people who know me will testify, I always speak from my heart and indeed write with my heart on my sleeve.

So, my opinion – for what it’s worth – is, with Chelsea going into their second-leg Champions League tie against Bayern Munich with a three-goal deficit, I hope that Frank Lampard looks realistically at the situation.

Instead of instructing his team to go all out to try to turn the tie to their favour, I hope Lampard looks upon the game as somewhat as a lost cause.

The game would be an ideal opportunity to give some of the younger members of his squad, especially those who he will want to focus on next season, the chance to get some European experience under their collective belts.

The recent injuries sustained by several of the Chelsea squad including those at Wembley do not bode well for the forthcoming season, especially in light of the fact that it begins in around five weeks.  The emphasis now surely must be on the 20/21 campaign.

The clueless, the bed-wetters, those who shout, “Look at me!”, the so-called ‘ITKs’ and everybody else who patently doesn’t understand what the word ‘support’ means, let alone display the merest hint of solidarity when it comes to backing the manager of the Chelsea players will undoubtedly have their valueless views on those who represent the club.

However, I know that the rest who know exactly what it takes to support their side will continue to be proud of their side and cheer for every individual who pulls on the shirt. For me and for many like me, backing Chelsea FC through thick and thin will always be the way that our attitude to supporting the club is summed-up.

Whatever the Bayern Munich games brings and beyond, from me and as ever, it’s ‘Win or lose, Up Frank Lampard’s Blues!’