So what were the negatives against QPR on Sunday? Well we got beaten 1-0, had two men sent off, everybody else gotbooked, the opportunity to get right back in between Man United and Man City was lost and even the manager might be up before the beaks because he gave an honest appraisal of how he felt the referee had done on the day. I should be on a bit of a downer but strangely enough I am not and maybe a few other Chelsea fans feel the same way for a variety of reasons.

First of all, with nine men on the pitch there is little or no argument that Chelsea were the better side, how cool is that? The spirit in the team was fabulous if maybe a tad over exuberant at times, but that is not surprising when you are putting in so much effort and nothing seems to be going your way. Luck and decisions deserted us but even at nine against 11 we looked a class above the Rs.

Actually let's deal with that now and get it out of the way. In the modern game, Didier Drogba or anyone else will always get sent off for a two-footed tackle. Never mind that it wasn't malicious (neither was Fernando Torres's a few weeks back) and that he got the ball and hardly connected with the player, that is the way Mr Foy and his colleagues have been told to interpret that situation, so you just have to deal with it.

The Bosingwa one is harder to call. Being totally unbiased I must tell you that under the laws of the game the referee has the right to send our full-back off in that situation. There were no defenders between SWP and the goal and there was just a little bit of shirt tugging. It was however also within his gift to say that it was some distance out, there was barging from both parties and it did appear a rather minor infringement of the rules so a yellow would suffice.

The referee was pretty harsh on us, but that happens. It was the other decisions from the referee, the possible penalty claims and the niggling constant unwillingness to give Chelsea the benefit of the doubt that got up most of our noses

Then there was the penalty decision which referees will give on home grounds every day of the week when players are blatantly, if gently, bumped and the opponent falls as if he has just suffered a massive cardiac arrest. It was naïve from David Luiz once again and it just underlines what I feel; that the brilliant, inventive, quick, powerful and talented player is not really a natural centre back, but a midfielder, preferably the deepest lying one.Even if it is in a Carling Cup game, can we please see him playing there one day, just to see?

Anyway that is my only minor question aimed at our manager AVB, because at the weekend once again he played an absolute blinder for the club. His tactical changes as we lost players in the first half were first and foremost text book in their application. There was no panic, but also no prevarication which could have killed the game there and then.

After the break I think we witnessed a tactical master class in how to play with nine men. Fifa will make a video of that and show it in their coaching classes for years to come.

QPR v Chelsea

It was interesting to see the difference at the game I was covering for the BBC. When Manchester United went down to 10 at home against Manchester City it turned into a complete and utter shambles for Fergie's men.

It was strange to sit there at Old Trafford and watch the fans look on in disbelief at how incredibly wrong it went tactically. They didn't make it clear at the time, but afterwards when the anger had subsided a bit towards their defenders, thoughts turned to the manager's contribution. Could the unthinkable have happened, could Sir Alex actually be as much at fault as any of his team by getting the tactics of playing with 10 men so badly wrong?

The red jury is still out on that one, but for us AVB got it right at every stage under more extreme circumstances and also while playing away from home.

Oddly enough a similar feeling of positivity after defeat affected me once after playing for Chelsea against QPR at Loftus Road back at Easter in 1986. If you think everything went wrong this weekend well that day 25 years ago was far worse. We had been doing well all season and then suddenly for a variety of reasons as the season drew to a close, the wheels came off completely. We crashed at home 0-4 to West Ham and then lost 6-0 to QPR two days later.

Everything that could go wrong, did go wrong but weirdly I walked out of the ground uplifted that day. Anyone who was there would instantly know why, the Chelsea fans were incredible, in fact in my life I do not think I have been more moved by a set of fans than I was that day.

The blue hordes (pictured top) knew we were having a weird nightmare, but they still managed to sing manically in support of the team not only after four goals were shipped, but after the fifth, the sixth and even after the final whistle. They knew we needing lifting and that there were important games to come and as a group they sensed it was the right thing to do.

It was astounding and as we sat in the dressing room afterwards we knew we would never let that happen to them again. Although the season petered out, an incredible bond had been formed between us and the spirit stayed with the team and the fans.

In short, a defeat doesn't always have to be followed by recriminations and abuse; now and again it can have far more positive than negative ramifications. I think this week was one of those occasions. Right now I can't wait until we get QPR down at the Bridge, with a full squad and maybe if it is not too much trouble, a different referee.

To have a chance of winning a copy of the Chelsea Uncut book signed by a player in this week's quiz, could you tell me who played in goal for Chelsea the day I mentioned earlier when the Blues lost 6-0 to QPR? Answers as ever to pat.nevin@chelsefc.com and the daughter who has finally tidied her room up after three whole years of nagging from me, will randomly choose the lucky winner.