I’ve accepted that we will build as a back three but during the club World Cup and brief pre season I thought Maresca had learnt from last season but today really struck home how foolish I was.

I then (stupidly) got excited when santos and gusto were coming on for Enzo and James (admittedly too late) because I thought that meant gusto would attack high and wide like he did against PSG and santos would drop into the pivot and cucerella would be the third centre back. All of which in turn meant you could get estevao palmer and Neto in space to cause problems. But no he asked them to perform the same job that wasn’t working when Enzo and James were on.

That’s a long winded way of saying, the frustration of last season attacking stubborn defences looks to be a norm again this season.

46 minutes ago, bluelightening said:

As the commentator said wrapping up the game 400 million dollars spent and not a single goal.

Or for even more dramatic effect 27.3 billion rupees spent and not a single goal. Commentators are such mindless fking morons

Edited August 17, 2025Aug 17 by WhiteWall

It's just so frustrating. I watched Liverpool on Friday, they weren't great defensively, but their intent to attack was there and they score 4 goals. City yesterday, again, same thing, forcing things to happen, they picked Wolves apart. Then it's Chelsea's turn and we stink out the place with the usual crap football and play the most boring game of football in the opening round of fixtures.

Imagine talking such a big game all summer and that is what you have to show for it, the players and manager should be embarrassed. They need to go and watch the teams they think they are on the same level as.

We will scrap top 4 again

2 minutes ago, El regreso said:

We will scrap top 4 again

If Newcastle, Villa, Man Utd and Tottenham don't improve this season.

25 minutes ago, WhiteWall said:

Or for even more dramatic effect 27.3 billion rupees spent and not a single goal. Commentators are such mindless fking morons

The other way of looking at it is 3 shots in a game against Palace at home and we didnt trouble Henderson...

I find it staggering that we sign Delap, a platform striker that brings others into the game... much like Giroud would do despite not having any legs to run fast... and dont play him against Palace with Palmer down the right, in his best position.

All of this points to Marescas system... defensively we're alright but its tragic viewing going forward.

I think Gittens will be inconsistent but not going to damn him to shed end hell just yet.

4 minutes ago, bluelightening said:

The other way of looking at it is 3 shots in a game against Palace at home and we didnt trouble Henderson...

I find it staggering that we sign Delap, a platform striker that brings others into the game... much like Giroud would do despite not having any legs to run fast... and dont play him against Palace with Palmer down the right, in his best position.

All of this points to Marescas system... defensively we're alright but its tragic viewing going forward.

I think Gittens will be inconsistent but not going to damn him to shed end hell just yet.

Good post, agreed.

1 hour ago, El regreso said:

Doing the same thing over and over and expecting the same result is just stupid!!!

I don't know, seems pretty sensible to me. Now expecting a different result however....

Seems we are actually what we all thought we were before it was masked by the CWC.

Enzo will probably make a fantastic coach on the continent where you can play so slowly.

In the Prem, we’re just so EASY to play against, everyone not called City, Liverpool or Arsenal will just play a low block against us and hope to hit us on the counter.

Maresca’s insistence to hamstring our best player (Palmer) by playing him centrally where he can be so easily nullified as opposed to where he is most effective (cutting in from the right) is absolute beggars belief at this point.

It’s that kind of pig headed arrogance that hampered us so much last season.

Play our best players in their best positions and stop dicking about with it at the back, so f**king dreadful to watch and has 0 positives to it.

It clearly wasn’t working at half time and he should have spotted that and made changes, I wanted pedro and delap up top as a 2 with palmer and estevao behind them and santos beefing up the middle alongside Caicedo. But it took him too long to make the changes and when he did a) it was too late and b) he didn’t tactically alter the game plan he just swapped the personnel that were not doing anything

I said last season that I wouldn't put up with Maresca for another season if the same sh*t continues. For me, he has until the start of October. If we still play this football and if there is a big distance between us and the top 3, then I am more Maresca out than ever.

Edited August 17, 2025Aug 17 by Scott Harris

3 minutes ago, Scott Harris said:

I said last season that I wouldn't put up with Maresca for another season if the same sh*t continues. For me, he has until the start of October. If we still play this football and if there is a big distance between us and the top 3, then I am more Maresca out than ever.

No excuses really given what we have in attack/midfield compared to last season.

Now that I’ve calmed down, Palace are a tough side tbf. Need an immediate response next week though.

1 minute ago, Sconnie Blue said:

No excuses really given what we have in attack/midfield compared to last season.

Now that I’ve calmed down, Palace are a tough side tbf. Need an immediate response next week though.

Drawing with Palace is fine, it's the manner of the draw for me. If we tested the keeper a few times, played with some pace, created good chances, had something to our game, then walking away with a draw would be frustrating, but there would be something to take away from it. What we saw though was something that shatters the confidence.

Maresca: "The performance was good, we created chances"

I'm reconsidering, I think giving him until October is too long.

1 minute ago, Scott Harris said:

Maresca: "The performance was good, we created chances"

I'm reconsidering, I think giving him until October is too long.

He coached a loss, and Glasner coached a win.

That disallowed goal is very iffy. We never see that rule inforced and, likely after a spell in the limelight, won't again for a long while.

We got very lucky to get a point. Garbage performance. The sort we put in last season after Marescas "we are not in a title race" comments.

Has his blasting of fofana and Badiashile abused another rift?

7 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

He coached a loss, and Glasner coached a win.

That disallowed goal is very iffy. We never see that rule inforced and, likely after a spell in the limelight, won't again for a long while.

We got very lucky to get a point. Garbage performance. The sort we put in last season after Marescas "we are not in a title race" comments.

Has his blasting of fofana and Badiashile abused another rift?

Agree with everything apart from the disallowed goal, it could have been disallowed for a clear push and him being that close impeded Sanchez’s view, even though he should be doing better with that

Having got the fans partially on board by winning the Club World Cup and playing some nice football in the pre season friendlies, how typical of the stubborn Maresca to immediately blast both his own feet off with a sawn off shotgun ...

12 minutes ago, carefree franco said:

Agree with everything apart from the disallowed goal, it could have been disallowed for a clear push and him being that close impeded Sanchez’s view, even though he should be doing better with that

Now had the goal been disallowed for the push or impending Sanchez view then ok we see such things happen on a semi regular basis.

It was though, it was because Ghuei was within a meter of our wall.first time in 6 years I've heard of that rule being applied.

From the kick off I could tell we was going to struggle today.

The tempo in the first 10mins at home opening game of the prem season and they was strolling about a walking pace.

Almost as if they were told to take it easy, reserve energy or something. We have to play much quicker. We will get the mucked up pre season excuses. The new players have to settle excuses but that doesn’t change how fired up the players are before kickoff.

I see patterns of play that they have clearly been working on, triangles etc but it’s all in our box or half. Do we work on anything in the final 3rd or just hope CP on form.

The frustrating thing for me is the tempo, so flat no energy from the off not last minute throwing it forward. Disappointing.

34 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

Now had the goal been disallowed for the push or impending Sanchez view then ok we see such things happen on a semi regular basis.

It was though, it was because Ghuei was within a meter of our wall.first time in 6 years I've heard of that rule being applied.

I meant that although it was given for that, the contributing factors also played a part. The ref in the United game did also make a mark on how close the attackers were to the wall so maybe it’s a thing that’s being enforced more this season

Uninspiring dogsh*t from Maresca again. Does he realise he can play decent football in all competitions?

1 hour ago, Scott Harris said:

Maresca: "The performance was good, we created chances"

I'm reconsidering, I think giving him until October is too long.

I am giving it 10 games before Chelsea will be 10th on my weekend to do list. I will not accept this embarrassment every week wasting 120 minutes of my life I can’t get back. If I am going to give time I need something back in return and I don’t think that will happen.

The fact he thinks the performance was good is so infuriating and out of touch. This suggests to me he will not change has no intention of changing and will continue exactly in the same way.

After 10 games if nothing has changed I am deprioritising Chelsea.

I sound like a miserable bastard but football in 2025 is such a dreadful sport to watch at times. Coaches like Maresca just help that narrative.

We had it so good 20 years ago, big personalities and just big powerful players. This is not some reactionary take because I’ve moaned about it numerous times before but I don’t like the direction of this football club.

Spending an awful amount of money on players who wouldn’t even get a look in 5 years ago.

I sound old and jaded by my god I miss the days of just having a line up of Lampard, Essien and Ballack and a proper centre forward who doesn’t play multiple positions. I know football has moved on but as a sport it’s moved on in the wrong direction.

Sorry for the rant.

Edited August 17, 2025Aug 17 by Sheva

We could try and buy a player with skillset to do things off the cuff like Simmons or we could go for someone who generally has no success against defensive teams like Garnacho, I wonder which one we'll end up with...

As the saying goes it's the hope that kills you.

Edited August 17, 2025Aug 17 by 2211