3 minutes ago, SimonH said:

All entitled to different opinions, for me out of our Todd era signings, only Palmer and Nkuku seem to have the quality I would expect for our club.

Madueke? Mudryk? Cucu? Jackson? Hell I’m worried about Caicedo too. 

I was probably being a bit optimistic with the 80% but Colwill, James, Enzo, Caicedo, Palmer, Nkunku, Mudryk, Lavia I think a lot of the established champions league teams would jump at the chance to sign them if they were available. All of those players have had interest from big clubs before and I doubt that has changed because of how we're playing this season. 

I think we have a solid foundation of players where if we added a top coach and 3 top signings (centre back, a winger and a striker) we could be challenging for top 4 again next seasons and even the league next season or the season after.

Remember when Tuchel out-thought Pep about 3 times in a row including the biggest game of the season?

When has Pochetinno ever done anything except get out-coached by lower midtable managers? A top class manager can make a big difference, even with poor players. Look how Emery has turned around Villa, with basically the same players Gerrard had.

Edited February 4, 20242 yr by Zeta

2 minutes ago, Zeta said:

Remember when Tuchel out-thought Pep about 3 times in a row including the biggest game of the season?

When as Pochetinno ewver done anything except get out-coached by lower midtable managers?

Well, he's played 3 won 3 against De Zerbi ... so there is that ... :-) 

For the first time, I reckon sacking Poch before season ends is a realistic possibility and option. It's not just we lost 1:4 twice in 3 days, it's the manner we got rolled over, and everyone just looked clueless and helpless. Every team has struggles, but good ( or even decent ) manager finds a way to steady the ship and get some results. Looking at Man United, Spurs, Wolves or even Forest, they were really sh1t at times, but when a few players come back and getting a bit of luck, they all find ways to get points. Unlike Poch's Chelsea, never hit any real height so far ( highlight was 4:1 against 9 men Spurs), but consistently getting into sh1t and beaten up. Sooner or later ( think we are already there), people start wonder what's the point of Poch, or Sterling, or Jackosn, they all need to go sooner or later.

bring back Mourinho

It is hard to overlook the fact that we are all over the place with f**k all cohesion, seemingly no seige mentality and a pathetic inability to defend whilst Conte and Mourinho are both free.

Don't care what anyone says about their track record to implode wherever they go. An 18 month contract for either would be better than suffering along the way we are just now.

 

Neither of those would be appointed by this ownership. They want a "nice" guy who won't tell them they don't know what the f**k they are doing, like Tuchel did if you believe rumours.

Starting to lose faith now.

I was hoping for us to be a top 6 side this season, but we don’t look anywhere near it.

12 minutes ago, loz said:

It is hard to overlook the fact that we are all over the place with f**k all cohesion, seemingly no seige mentality and a pathetic inability to defend whilst Conte and Mourinho are both free.

Don't care what anyone says about their track record to implode wherever they go. An 18 month contract for either would be better than suffering along the way we are just now.

 

Both of them would instantly lift the mood at the Bridge and around the club. Which we are in desperate need of.

They'd also both improve us dramatically, Conte the most probably and it should be done if he's interested. Yes, it will likely burn in two years or so but who cares at this point? We are currently burning up with no hope in sight.

2 minutes ago, Zeta said:

Neither of those would be appointed by this ownership. They want a "nice" guy who won't tell them they don't know what the f**k they are doing, like Tuchel did if you believe rumours.

I have to believe they're learning lessons but I guess we'll have to see, if they sack Poch at all, who they appoint next. They've tried twice with the nice guy approach and it hasn't worked so I'm hoping Egbhali and Boehly are being advised that a different approach is probably needed.

There are probably worse managers than Pochettino and the injuries, no striker argument is valid enough but Poch is the worst manager at Chelsea I can recall since the sacking of Villas Boaz. He makes Potter, who in my opinion, had a far worse squad to deal with, look like a genius. The players are not untalented there were other bidders for nearly all of them. But they are being made to look awful.

As Bob Stark says it actually starts with Silva who can't cover the wide areas and is utterly unable to do the required job in a back 4 despite being a fantastic player.. Most useful thing Bob has ever said on this forum as far as I am concerned. And it just goes on from there.

It starts with Silva, and you might just make it work this season in a back 3, but it goes onto the midfield and playing Enzo too far forward and playing Gallagher as 10. At one fell swoop this makes Caicedo, Enzo and Gallagher into half the players they actually are. And that's before we get to Colwill, or playing Palmer as false 9 etc.

Above all it's the lack of belief and defeatist mentality that now pervades everything. 

I reckon Conte might jump at the chance of working with young players. But he will get grumpy at lack of input into management.

I  can see him getting sacked.

3 minutes ago, Ibby_786 said:

I  can see him getting sacked.

I don't think we can even afford it.

1 hour ago, OriginalS said:

You know its desperate when you have to admit Jamie O'Hara of all people absolutely nails it.

 

This is scarily spot on!!!

4 minutes ago, Scott Harris said:

I don't think we can even afford it.

I hate the manager merry-go-round and I want to have a settled manager for at least 3 years but can we AFFORD not to sack him?  We can still get some European football this season but not with Poch, I fully backed him before but I can't anymore I just can't. 

I gave him the benefit of the doubt with injuries but that can't be used anymore as an excuse, we have no identity no fight no passion absolutely nothing!!!

 

 

44 minutes ago, OriginalS said:

Both of them would instantly lift the mood at the Bridge and around the club. Which we are in desperate need of.

Same was said about Lampard. Any "feel good factor" will be gone before they even manage their first home game.

This isn't the squad that can get by on "vibes", they need a micro manager who will basically follow them to the toilet.

29 minutes ago, Scott Harris said:

I don't think we can even afford it.

Yep, we can’t, and Poch knows that too.

Another point is that Poch has not taken any responsibility for himself. This goes to character.

I don't think it's a case of we can't afford to sack Poch, if we want to sack him we'll sack him. I firmly believe that it will happen tomorrow, as Chelsea fans we've seen enough final match performances from a manager and today's was one of the more obvious ones.

Don't think it will happen this season but if I am wrong and it does it will be after:

We exit the FA Cup

Lose to Liverpool in the league cup final.

Sink down the league so top 5 (for European places) becomes impossible.

When Poch was appointed most of us could see the rationale. He did well at Spurs and Southampton with a young squad.

The further we go into the season that rationale gets blown to bits. We aren’t the Chelsea of Roman anymore. We are a club that might win a cup every 4 or 5 years at best at the moment. We need a disciplinarian to start the journey back similar to Jose mark 1. We need a siege mentality as it’s when we are at our best.

I don’t think Jose is the man for today though. I’m not sure anyone can turn us into contenders next season especially if they aren’t getting the players they want.

We’ve fallen so far that it’s a long way back. 

So about a year ago the common belief was it was all Potters fault.

All those players signed, including a British record world cup winner.

Still all his fault?

Coming on what? 3AM in the UK at this time?

I reckon a lot of our fans are going to wake up disappointed this morning. 

Unless the owners are prepared to clean house, send Winstanley and Stewart with Poch out the door, bring in Edward's or someone else of a top, top level, then don't bother sacking him. 

Will be the same stuff with a different face as these guys don't don't a clue. They are not football directors they are talent scouts.

Sack him and bring Mourinho back

I heard name like Xabi Alonso being mentioned as if he would pick us instead of Liverpool, Mourinho is the only one available for us right now.