48 minutes ago, Nibs said:

There is not one player who I could honestly say, hand on heart, looks better than they did last season.

I am all for giving Maresca his P45 now, but can't see it happening as this lot like a yes-man and seem quite happy to stumble our way to the end of the season, probably finishing about 9th with the odd scrappy win here & there and perhaps with the Conference League trophy.

It's a f**king shambles and for the first time I can remember, I find myself losing a lot of interest. That's not being a fair weather supporter, as I've supported CFC for 50+ years and been there through the sh*t times with piss-poor attendances and relegations etc. But the football currently is so dull and boring and I think I'm literally watching in the hope that Cole Palmer can produce another bit of sublime magic to lift things. Without him, we are absolutely dire and even he's struggling now.

Some might say, "get a grip - we're 4th in the league", but I find it all utterly depressing.

  

I think that realization is probably more about the ownership than the current manager. When we were in a spiral under Potter there was some optimism that the owners were still learning and would get it right the following season, given a host of new signings etc. However, once Poch was overruled and shown the door when he questioned certain transfers after finishing the season well, the writing was on the wall. Hard to know how long Maresca will last and I suspect he will be shown the door if we do indeed continue our fall from the form shown earlier in the season. But if and when he does go, he will be replaced by a similar "Yes" manager that answers to the same SD's and owners. Then the pattern repeats. Under these owners the best I can see is RB Leipzig level where maybe we can qualify for European football. But that success will be entirely to ensure that we can then sell on our best players for profit, thus it won't lead to any long term progress or major trophies.

1 hour ago, Nibs said:

There is not one player who I could honestly say, hand on heart, looks better than they did last season.

Some actually look much worse Nibs! Gusto, Nkunku to mention a few! Palmer was also better under Poch, but I think our play is generally affecting him more now too!

On 09/02/2025 at 23:06, Term_X said:

 

I'd love to see the outtakes for that sketch! No way could he have got through that without bursting into laughter !

1 hour ago, forbzy said:

I think that realization is probably more about the ownership than the current manager. When we were in a spiral under Potter there was some optimism that the owners were still learning and would get it right the following season, given a host of new signings etc. However, once Poch was overruled and shown the door when he questioned certain transfers after finishing the season well, the writing was on the wall. Hard to know how long Maresca will last and I suspect he will be shown the door if we do indeed continue our fall from the form shown earlier in the season. But if and when he does go, he will be replaced by a similar "Yes" manager that answers to the same SD's and owners. Then the pattern repeats. Under these owners the best I can see is RB Leipzig level where maybe we can qualify for European football. But that success will be entirely to ensure that we can then sell on our best players for profit, thus it won't lead to any long term progress or major trophies.

Yep, totally agree and as I say, bloody depressing.

Those chants of "We've got our Chelsea back" seem a very long time ago, despite it only being December. Talk about jump the gun............!!

 

5 minutes ago, Nibs said:

Yep, totally agree and as I say, bloody depressing.

Those chants of "We've got our Chelsea back" seem a very long time ago, despite it only being December. Talk about jump the gun............!!

 

They probably weren't wrong. They just didn't specify which Chelsea we had got back. Sadly it increasingly looks like the Potter-era Chelsea.

The proof is in the pudding. The "valuation" of our team is literally on our shirt. Which is blank. 

No big sponsor wants to invest in us unless we achieve Champions League football, which our directors continously try to sabotage season after season. 

Thought it was a cruel joke that we needed a ST, don't get one, and the day the window closes both of our strikers get injured. 

Edited February 11, 20251 yr by Sconnie Blue

 

3 hours ago, The Rising Sun said:

I'd love to see the outtakes for that sketch! No way could he have got through that without bursting into laughter !

Its like Maresca heard that and said "we'll see about that..."

I think the job that Poch did was underrated. He had a lot to do but he managed to get it together towards the end. It was a very young, naive team but we looked promising. 
 

He told WinStewart what he thought of their strategy and selling Gallagher (evidenced by giving him the captaincy) 

Im convinced Maresca’s “winning run” of 5 games was just a purple patch on the back of Poch’s work. Every player has since regressed and got worse. I also think the players no longer believe in Maresca hence the last of running and effort. 

I know we're all joking around, but I think José as manager now would perform one very useful function, which is to turn the fanbase against the ownership when it inevitably all goes tits-up. Plus we might win the League Cup or something.

2 minutes ago, PloKoon13 said:

I know we're all joking around, but I think José as manager now would perform one very useful function, which is to turn the fanbase against the ownership when it inevitably all goes tits-up. Plus we might win the League Cup or something.

"Mr Eghbali ... PAY !"

8 minutes ago, PloKoon13 said:

I know we're all joking around, but I think José as manager now would perform one very useful function, which is to turn the fanbase against the ownership when it inevitably all goes tits-up. Plus we might win the League Cup or something.

Talking about Jose I just watched his entire first press conference at Chelsea. You all know the one line he says there but looking at the whole thing still makes me think he is a special one. Never have we seen someone talk like that, with that confidence in a presser. 

3 minutes ago, Sexyfootball said:

"Mr Eghbali ... PAY !"

"I ask for Núñez and they give me Dibling. I ask for Ndicka and they give me Anselmino. And we are against Gvardiol, van Dijk, Saliba, Haaland, Salah. You ask me 'are you disappointed to be fifth?' - it is a miracle that I have got us fifth. I have three Premier League titles; I am a serial winner, but at this time I am a schoolteacher."

“There is no suggestion the hierarchy are disappointed with what they’ve seen from Maresca so far. This season is viewed as a “two season season” due to the Club World Cup. Maresca was also handed a 5 year deal, unlike Pochettino. “(@SJohnsonSport)

Sigh. 

5 hours ago, JM7 said:

I think the job that Poch did was underrated. He had a lot to do but he managed to get it together towards the end. It was a very young, naive team but we looked promising. 
 

He told WinStewart what he thought of their strategy and selling Gallagher (evidenced by giving him the captaincy) 

Im convinced Maresca’s “winning run” of 5 games was just a purple patch on the back of Poch’s work. Every player has since regressed and got worse. I also think the players no longer believe in Maresca hence the last of running and effort. 

So many complained about Poch, but we were on an upward trajectory under him. Such a dumb decision by the owners to let him go just as we were making serious progress.

Jury is still out on Maresca. We're in the top 4 at the moment which is something and we have a good chance of winning the Europa Conference League so it's not all negative, but he needs to find a way to arrest our recent form slump since Christmas.

One thing that annoyed me about Maresca was his constant downplaying of our title aspirations back in November/December. He should have been instilling belief that it was possible to go all the way rather than constantly downplay our title chances. I feel like his comments filtered down into the players psyche, hence the recent drop off. In other words, it was a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you say you can't win the title, then you won't win the title. 

Maybe his comments were always grounded in reality, but the lack of winning mindset disappointed me. Guardiola, Ancelotti etc would never speak like this.

Edited February 12, 20251 yr by Jezz

4 hours ago, JM7 said:

“There is no suggestion the hierarchy are disappointed with what they’ve seen from Maresca so far. This season is viewed as a “two season season” due to the Club World Cup. Maresca was also handed a 5 year deal, unlike Pochettino. “(@SJohnsonSport)

Sigh. 

It is probably going to be a very short second season.

What we need is some stability.  We can't go on starting each season with a new manager and with hoards of players coming and going.

It's a ridiculous way to run a football club .

 

2 minutes ago, The Rising Sun said:

What we need is some stability.  We can't go on starting each season with a new manager and with hoards of players coming and going.

It's a ridiculous way to run a football club .

 

Totally agree. We have been crying out for some stability for a long time. However, for stability, you need to have the right tools in place first and right now that doesn't look to be the case.

 

16 hours ago, JM7 said:

“There is no suggestion the hierarchy are disappointed with what they’ve seen from Maresca so far. This season is viewed as a “two season season” due to the Club World Cup. Maresca was also handed a 5 year deal, unlike Pochettino. “(@SJohnsonSport)

Sigh. 

Exactly what I said he’s got a 5 year contract he’s not going anywhere so we just have to suck it up and deal with it.

17 hours ago, JM7 said:

“There is no suggestion the hierarchy are disappointed with what they’ve seen from Maresca so far. This season is viewed as a “two season season” due to the Club World Cup. Maresca was also handed a 5 year deal, unlike Pochettino. “(@SJohnsonSport)

Sigh. 

Same exact thing was said after we lost the League Cup final under Poch, when deep down we knew ownership were livid. 

I am interested in seeing what ownership does if we don't get Champions League because if Maresca is a rotten apple, then surely they must see the co-directors as the rotten tree. Two seasons with no front shirt sponsor. Two. How asinine is that?

It's crazy how we went from the fans chanting "we've got our Chelsea back" to fans questioning Maresca. What a mad turn of fortunes. 

46 minutes ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Same exact thing was said after we lost the League Cup final under Poch, when deep down we knew ownership were livid. 

I am interested in seeing what ownership does if we don't get Champions League because if Maresca is a rotten apple, then surely they must see the co-directors as the rotten tree. Two seasons with no front shirt sponsor. Two. How asinine is that?

Poch had a two year contract he’s got five. If they sack him then it’s no point keeping laurel and hardy around as we will be back to square one.

My take is, keep for a minimum of two years as it’s pointless now sacking him.

18 minutes ago, Sunspear_88 said:

It's crazy how we went from the fans chanting "we've got our Chelsea back" to fans questioning Maresca. What a mad turn of fortunes. 

Yeah, looks like big wallys than Steve McLaren with a umbrella.

So easily decieved, and still in need of waking up to what the onlwnership are doing to us 

1 hour ago, El regreso said:

Poch had a two year contract he’s got five. If they sack him then it’s no point keeping laurel and hardy around as we will be back to square one.

My take is, keep for a minimum of two years as it’s pointless now sacking him.

But no-one can say that. All very well keeping him for two years if we see a bit of progression and things are going okay with just the odd set-back. But our football of late has been some of the dullest and most turgid I can remember - and that's with an exceptional talent like Cole Palmer in the side. If the football was to carry on like that or get even worse, I wouldn't keep for one season, never mind two.

3 hours ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Same exact thing was said after we lost the League Cup final under Poch, when deep down we knew ownership were livid. 

I am interested in seeing what ownership does if we don't get Champions League because if Maresca is a rotten apple, then surely they must see the co-directors as the rotten tree. Two seasons with no front shirt sponsor. Two. How asinine is that?

It all links back to decisions made by the ownership. Coaches, SDs, ( two ffs) etc are all down to them. And in spite of crowing about how we weren't maximising out commercial opportunities and how they would double it, we are the ONLY PL club without a front of shirt sponsor.. As for Maresca, I don't want another coach, another reset and yet another "wait for the plan to work" start to the season.

I used to look forward to the new season, now I dread it..

We played some great football this season much the best for years, hopefully we can recover and move on.