Chelsea vs Fulham (PL) Thurs 26th Dec 24 15:00 GMT

[Snedger]

I mean I am starting to get nervous of our drop off if we get Champions League football next season. Playing once a week and we have players who are slow on their feet and not executing what they are supposed to be doing. 

That’s a very good point that our ‘best’ eleven are only playing Fulham and Everton quantities of football. Imagine we were playing the number of games that Arsenal and Liverpool are playing.

 

[WhiteWall]

I mean I am starting to get nervous of our drop off if we get Champions League football next season. Playing once a week and we have players who are slow on their feet and not executing what they are supposed to be doing. 

We also keep talking about top 4 as if it's a done deal. We are only 6 points ahead of 5th. A couple of games like we have just had and we will be back into a scrap.

 

[Womble]

Maresca is a one trick pony! Honeymoons over now ffs!!...only thing that can save my boxing day is united getting thumped!!

 

[Sconnie Blue]

In the past 3 matches, of our 15 subs Maresca only used 3....

 

[timetowaste]

Maresca is a one trick pony! Honeymoons over now ffs!!...only thing that can save my boxing day is united getting thumped!!

Makes zero sense considering he's changed tactics in loads of games this season to fit the opponent. Today though that second half was complete sh*te.

 

[nonotnowjim]

Nkunku was a great sub though… for f**k sake embarrassment. 

Yeah - Nkunku wasn't great. Who would have thought that coming on with 15 mins, playing with players you have hardly had a chance to gel with, and be expected to turn it on, perhaps isn't as easy as expected. If Maresca was doing his job properly, then maybe Guiu and Nkunku would be a bit more integrated into the first team, and we wouldn't be constantly selecting the donkey, however ineffective he plays.

 

[Carloseyebrow]

Not sure what's more pathetic

That 90 minutes from Sancho or people turning on Maresca already.  

We are way ahead of any rational person's expectations after the mess the club has been in for seasons and that was our first defeat in a long time relatively speaking.

No doubt we were poor from 50th minute onwards and I'm surprised we didn't hook Sancho but, then again, a similar change was made against Everton and delivered nothing.

Anyone who seriously thinks Maresca is f**king things up really needs to focus more on playing Championship Manager than watching actual football.

Literally the post of the year.

Slow down, have a beer, a glass of wine or a Pepsi. Think about it and relax.

We are over achieving in my opinion since my expectations at the start of the year . An exceptionally young inexperienced team who will only improve.

We fecked up, but we move on. over the years particularly many years ago, Christmas was always our downfall.

All the best people, let’s move on.

KTBFFH

 

[big blue]

Not sure what's more pathetic

That 90 minutes from Sancho or people turning on Maresca already.  

We are way ahead of any rational person's expectations after the mess the club has been in for seasons and that was our first defeat in a long time relatively speaking.

No doubt we were poor from 50th minute onwards and I'm surprised we didn't hook Sancho but, then again, a similar change was made against Everton and delivered nothing.

Anyone who seriously thinks Maresca is f**king things up really needs to focus more on playing Championship Manager than watching actual football.

No one is turning on Maresca, he is there to be criticised when  he makes mistakes and he there to be trained when he has done well. Same as any player or manager ever.

I'm sure Maresca will think he made a mistake today

 If you think he is happy with his own performance, then maybe it's yourself who needs to have a look in the mirror. 

It's obvious what ever he tried today, did not work as we lost, and deservedly so, any sportsman worth his salt will be his own biggest critic. 

 

[BewareoftheDrog]

Disappointed frustrated, p*ssed off but still think Maresca' s better than our previous 3 or 4 managers. Agree with most everyone here that Guiu needs a chance in the PL. Palace away next. Lets get back on track with that one View attachment 18325

 

[Term_X]

As soon as Madueke said pre-Everton that ‘we’re not in a title race’ wink wink i.e the twitter meme coming to life, you just knew complacency was around the corner in that dressing room. And the scary thing is, if it wasn’t for clubs like Newcastle and Villa falling off and of course the City demise, we’d be way off it.

 

[El regreso]

Not sure what's more pathetic

That 90 minutes from Sancho or people turning on Maresca already.  

We are way ahead of any rational person's expectations after the mess the club has been in for seasons and that was our first defeat in a long time relatively speaking.

No doubt we were poor from 50th minute onwards and I'm surprised we didn't hook Sancho but, then again, a similar change was made against Everton and delivered nothing.

Anyone who seriously thinks Maresca is f**king things up really needs to focus more on playing Championship Manager than watching actual football.

The overreaction by some is just shockingly stupid isn’t it. We are second, no one expected that at all at the start of the season. Our players didn’t look aggressive today at all even Caicedo they just looked like they were coasting around.

 

[TheCeleryKing]

Not our finest day.  Fulham probably only deserved a draw, but got that win.  Hopefully they will have to wait 45 years for their next one. We should have had a simple 1-0 home win, bit of a boring game and then move on to our next game. But we managed the game poorly.

Enzo Senior needs better game management especially when our young team doesn't have any. Maresca needs to make better substitutions and smarter changes much earlier. BUT - The reality is Maresca doesn't have much managerial experience. Awkward. No wonder he feels that we are not 'ready'.

 

[Dr. Socrates]

What was Sanchez doing with all that long kicking today? Don’t think he found a Chelsea player once and it led directly to their winner. 

Bigger problem though is that Sancho, Jackson, Neto and Madueke have all decided to be sh*t at the same time. Don’t know where that leaves us to be honest. But Maresca needs to use the squad better.

I also think we need to seriously look at bringing in a striker in January. Jackson doesn’t have any competition and it shows in his performances lately. 

 

[Sconnie Blue]

What was Sanchez doing with all that long kicking today? Don’t think he found a Chelsea player once and it led directly to their winner. 

Bigger problem though is that Sancho, Jackson, Neto and Madueke have all decided to be sh*t at the same time. Don’t know where that leaves us to be honest. But Maresca needs to use the squad better.

I also think we need to seriously look at bringing in a striker in January. Jackson doesn’t have any competition and it shows in his performances lately. 

Thought his kicking was fine up until Fulham scored where he just randomly kicked it long to nobody which led to Fulham to attack us with numbers. 

 

[loz]

No one is turning on Maresca, he is there to be criticised when  he makes mistakes and he there to be trained when he has done well. Same as any player or manager ever.

I'm sure Maresca will think he made a mistake today

 If you think he is happy with his own performance, then maybe it's yourself who needs to have a look in the mirror. 

It's obvious what ever he tried today, did not work as we lost, and deservedly so, any sportsman worth his salt will be his own biggest critic. 

Nobody is turning on him?

Called a one trick pony.

Called a c**t

Said he had been 'shown up again'

He's inept

Or more obviously 'Maresca out'

Absolutely agree he deserves criticism for elements today and against Everton but he deserves a lot more credit for his achievements to date than the sort of idiocy quoted above.

 

[guddy69]

What was Sanchez doing with all that long kicking today? Don’t think he found a Chelsea player once and it led directly to their winner. 

Bigger problem though is that Sancho, Jackson, Neto and Madueke have all decided to be sh*t at the same time. Don’t know where that leaves us to be honest. But Maresca needs to use the squad better.

I also think we need to seriously look at bringing in a striker in January. Jackson doesn’t have any competition and it shows in his performances lately. 

I agree.. We need a decent striker ASAP. 

But we haven't tried our own young striker yet.

 

[axman2526]

The overreaction by some is just shockingly stupid isn’t it. We are second, no one expected that at all at the start of the season. Our players didn’t look aggressive today at all even Caicedo they just looked like they were coasting around.

Though we will be 3rd tomorrow, a point ahead of 4th.

 

[Snedger]

I agree.. We need a decent striker ASAP. 

But we haven't tried our own young striker yet.

Let’s not waste any more points trying young players who might hopefully develop into ok. Let’s go and buy someone that has a fighting chance of making a difference before the rest of our young squad retires.

I see Isak scored again today. I know most here think Jackson is miles better, but let’s just try a whacky experiment and see if Isak can score self made blinders from outside the box for us.

 

[loz]

Thought his kicking was fine up until Fulham scored where he just randomly kicked it long to nobody which led to Fulham to attack us with numbers. 

I don't really understand the tactic of an outfield player playing him the ball for him to hoof it.  Surely, if we are going to insist on that, it should be the other way round.  

 

[Liam]

Not sure what's more pathetic

That 90 minutes from Sancho or people turning on Maresca already.  

We are way ahead of any rational person's expectations after the mess the club has been in for seasons and that was our first defeat in a long time relatively speaking.

No doubt we were poor from 50th minute onwards and I'm surprised we didn't hook Sancho but, then again, a similar change was made against Everton and delivered nothing.

Anyone who seriously thinks Maresca is f**king things up really needs to focus more on playing Championship Manager than watching actual football.

I think it;s fair to say Maresca didn't have a great game today, That is not to denigrate the excellent work he has done thus far. 

It might have been worth throwing Guiu  for Jackson when we clearly lacked intensity ,bring Unkunku on for Sancho, switch Neto and let Cole drift along on the right.  Then get Caicedo and Enzo closer to try and exert some control.  All said with hindsight but it was obvious to eceryone watching that we had no control over the game.