2 minutes ago, RMH said:

He’s not been rested, he’s just not included in the first round of the competition. We’re going into this competition shooting ourselves in the foot. We could have included Palmer and rest him unless we needed to bring the big guns to win a game. Unless they are injured, I’m not sure that it is he right decision.

Yeah that's a good point actually. I wouldn't play him because of the pitches but yeah, having him on the bench would have been a good idea just in case.

It's 6 matches in total right for the league stage..guess the positives is chucky will be able to show off a bit and maybe get back into the PL squad.

On 03/09/2024 at 12:15, Sexyfootball said:

There's also an alternate universe where Crespo settled in London, and we didn't sign Shevchenko, and we won 10 straight PL titles with Mourinho 🙂 

Those 10 straight titles happened when we didn’t sell Jimmy Greaves. 

1 hour ago, RMH said:

He’s not been rested, he’s just not included in the first round of the competition. We’re going into this competition shooting ourselves in the foot. We could have included Palmer and rest him unless we needed to bring the big guns to win a game. Unless they are injured, I’m not sure that it is he right decision.

It’s the correct decision for all 3 I reckon.

If we can’t get through the group without Palmer, Lavia and Fofana then it would be a huge shock which I just don’t see happening.

Palmer has been playing constantly over the last year and will continue to do so over the next year without any real break so he definitely needs rested for the European games whilst Fofana and Lavia are both coming back from long term injuries.

Correct decision in my opinion 

2 hours ago, 19seventyone said:

It’s the correct decision for all 3 I reckon.

If we can’t get through the group without Palmer, Lavia and Fofana then it would be a huge shock which I just don’t see happening.

Palmer has been playing constantly over the last year and will continue to do so over the next year without any real break so he definitely needs rested for the European games whilst Fofana and Lavia are both coming back from long term injuries.

Correct decision in my opinion 

We lost to Servette because we went with the b team. Why those three but not Colwill, Jackson, Nkunku, Enzo, Caicedo, etc?

40 minutes ago, RMH said:

We lost to Servette because we went with the b team. Why those three but not Colwill, Jackson, Nkunku, Enzo, Caicedo, etc?

We lost to Servette because it was the first time that team had played together. Most of the teams we are going to play would get handed a hiding from Servette too.

A Chelsea B team has to be more than good enough to win the group.

To maintain a challenge to the top 4, we will need to rest key players for the group stage. We should have enough depth ( bar an injury crisis) to make it through without Palmer or Caicedo . We will take a few hits in the group stage, but at the 1/4 stage who's going to care you lost a game in Belgium back in October. If the likes of Mudryk or Diasi couldn't cut it at Europa conference league, they are playing at the wrong level.

13 hours ago, icecoolguy22 said:

To maintain a challenge to the top 4, we will need to rest key players for the group stage. We should have enough depth ( bar an injury crisis) to make it through without Palmer or Caicedo . We will take a few hits in the group stage, but at the 1/4 stage who's going to care you lost a game in Belgium back in October. If the likes of Mudryk or Diasi couldn't cut it at Europa conference league, they are playing at the wrong level.

Liverpool, City, Villa, Spurs, United and Arsenal only have one week rest once the Champions League/Europa League league stage starts. You should seriously see their schedule, Liverpool's in particular, as they are going to get knackered. This is why I expect Liverpool to drop off massively mid season. 

We fortunately only have the standard group stage in Conference league + sending our B team for that. Need to take advantage of that in every possible way. 

 

1 hour ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Liverpool, City, Villa, Spurs, United and Arsenal only have one week rest once the Champions League/Europa League league stage starts. You should seriously see their schedule, Liverpool's in particular, as they are going to get knackered. This is why I expect Liverpool to drop off massively mid season. 

We fortunately only have the standard group stage in Conference league + sending our B team for that. Need to take advantage of that in every possible way. 

 

It’s not the standard group stage but similar to the CL league, although with 6 games instead of 8.

What is the new Conference League format?

The biggest change is to the group stage, which will become a single 36-team League stage. Each side faces six different teams (three at home, three away). The top eight overall advance directly to the round of 16; sides finishing from ninth to 24th will contest the knockout round play-offs, with the victors going through to the last 16. From then on it is a straight knockout.

On 06/09/2024 at 06:32, icecoolguy22 said:

 We will take a few hits in the group stage, 

Damn your assessment for this squad is so low. 

On 05/09/2024 at 16:54, RMH said:

He’s not been rested, he’s just not included in the first round of the competition. We’re going into this competition shooting ourselves in the foot. We could have included Palmer and rest him unless we needed to bring the big guns to win a game. Unless they are injured, I’m not sure that it is he right decision.

He's not included because he's being rested... 

On 05/09/2024 at 18:41, 19seventyone said:

It’s the correct decision for all 3 I reckon.

If we can’t get through the group without Palmer, Lavia and Fofana then it would be a huge shock which I just don’t see happening.

Palmer has been playing constantly over the last year and will continue to do so over the next year without any real break so he definitely needs rested for the European games whilst Fofana and Lavia are both coming back from long term injuries.

Correct decision in my opinion 

Don't we have the club world cup this summer too? Going to end up playing about 60 games this season, resting players is 100% the correct decision with the depth we have on the wings and Lavia/Fofana's injury woes. 

And now Enzo is going to get a blitz of questions about our owners in the presser before the Bournemouth game .

21 hours ago, Bob stark said:

Damn your assessment for this squad is so low. 

Didn't they lose the last game 1:2? 😎 I expect group qualification, but there will be a few slip ups

Arteta extended at Arsenal if we don’t get manager stability going forward we will not be anywhere near challenging again for years.

13 hours ago, El regreso said:

Arteta extended at Arsenal if we don’t get manager stability going forward we will not be anywhere near challenging again for years.

You should tell Abramovich that.

21 hours ago, El regreso said:

Arteta extended at Arsenal if we don’t get manager stability going forward we will not be anywhere near challenging again for years.

Yeah, we won nothing under Romans chopping and changing of managers policy did we....

23 hours ago, El regreso said:

Arteta extended at Arsenal if we don’t get manager stability going forward we will not be anywhere near challenging again for years.

Stability at manager is good but not sure that tis our problem. 

9 hours ago, Bebe1980 said:

You should tell Abramovich that.

 

1 hour ago, dkw said:

Yeah, we won nothing under Romans chopping and changing of managers policy did we....

Wait, Roman is back in charge, didn’t see that coming.

 Marina and Bruce Buck back too?

 

Enzo, why do you persist in playing all these sh*t players when there are actually better players on the books? Are you nothing more than a stooge for your incompetent paymasters?

Think he's handling himself alright, quietly impressed so far. I think we've had a taste of what could happen at Wolves, good to see a bit of grit against Bournemouth for the win. ever onwards

If I had to score him so far it would be a 6/10 at best.

Doesn't seem to know what his best team is. Doesn't seem to have a set tactical structure. Has binned off or benched some good players without actually giving them a chance, and has given too many minutes to others who shouldn't be getting them like Jackson and Mudryk. And by Christ, it doesn't look like he has done anything at all to correct our set-piece defending.

7 minutes ago, just said:

If I had to score him so far it would be a 6/10 at best.

Doesn't seem to know what his best team is. Doesn't seem to have a set tactical structure. Has binned off or benched some good players without actually giving them a chance, and has given too many minutes to others who shouldn't be getting them like Jackson and Mudryk. And by Christ, it doesn't look like he has done anything at all to correct our set-piece defending.

Yah... has to bench Jackson... must give Nkunku the shirt and if that fails try Felix there.

And with Sancho... seems like Neto and Mudryk are surplus to me... but I bet he starts Neto again against West Ham next week.

13 hours ago, just said:

If I had to score him so far it would be a 6/10 at best.

Doesn't seem to know what his best team is. Doesn't seem to have a set tactical structure. Has binned off or benched some good players without actually giving them a chance, and has given too many minutes to others who shouldn't be getting them like Jackson and Mudryk. And by Christ, it doesn't look like he has done anything at all to correct our set-piece defending.

If he starts Jackson again over nkunku in the next game, I don't know whatelse to say at that point

Maresca has done better than i thought tbh.

He understands the game very well and i see what he is trying to do by eventually playing free flowing football. 
 

The way he has managed the team has being spot on. Despite what people think i think he knows exactly the strengths and weaknesses of his players.

He gave opportunities to Mudryk at first to show what he can do whilst the new additions settle in.

Jackson has being scoring goals hence he has played regularly and couldnt drop him but i think plan is to give Nkunku that spot.

Madueke took the chance against wolves that bought him more game time. Eventually Palmer will move back to that right wing as i think thats his favourite position too.

Number 10 playmaker will eventually go to Felix and left wing Sancho.

So it will look something like this:

                  Nkunku

Sancho.      Felix.        Palmer 

That front line is a dream and they can all swap positions seamlessly. Neto and Madueke will get plenty game time too and am afraid mudryk will be loaned out or sold eventually.

 

ps: he was quick to figure out players that were not needed and i am sure mudryk disasi and badiashile would be on that list too but that is for another window.

2 hours ago, Gentian said:

Maresca has done better than i thought tbh.

He understands the game very well and i see what he is trying to do by eventually playing free flowing football. 
 

The way he has managed the team has being spot on. Despite what people think i think he knows exactly the strengths and weaknesses of his players.

He gave opportunities to Mudryk at first to show what he can do whilst the new additions settle in.

Jackson has being scoring goals hence he has played regularly and couldnt drop him but i think plan is to give Nkunku that spot.

Madueke took the chance against wolves that bought him more game time. Eventually Palmer will move back to that right wing as i think thats his favourite position too.

Number 10 playmaker will eventually go to Felix and left wing Sancho.

So it will look something like this:

                  Nkunku

Sancho.      Felix.        Palmer 

That front line is a dream and they can all swap positions seamlessly. Neto and Madueke will get plenty game time too and am afraid mudryk will be loaned out or sold eventually.

 

ps: he was quick to figure out players that were not needed and i am sure mudryk disasi and badiashile would be on that list too but that is for another window.

bold of you to assume he figured anything out and wasn't just binning off which players the owners told him.