40 minutes ago, evissy said:

He is not a vibrant person to say the least however he is to me at least honest enough. I understand if you don't care for him everything he says hurts your ears but I don't think he has done that bad in that role. He is not very experienced in that either.

He speaks English pretty well as well although he is unable to really express himself the way he wants but that is normal language barrier issue.

Currently his biggest problem lie on the pitch with the performances and the Champions League target.

I still think he is going to get his second season and probably a transfer window where he can make his mark as well.

There is talk in the media that Chelsea is looking at more experienced players to help the squad and its short term leadership issues.

This is the most important window we will have, failure to address the glaring lack of quality experienced players will possibly be the death knell of the whole project. The young squad are looking around for leaders and good role models and there are zero within this group. It literally is the blind leading the blind on the pitch with Mr Magoo at the helm.

4 hours ago, PloKoon13 said:

Good news

I made a post in the nearest and dearest rivals thread about why football doesn't feel as good anymore, and I think this is another one to add to the list of reasons why. Booking the manager for celebrating a last minute winner? it's ridiculous.

1 hour ago, charierre said:

This is the most important window we will have, failure to address the glaring lack of quality experienced players will possibly be the death knell of the whole project. The young squad are looking around for leaders and good role models and there are zero within this group. It literally is the blind leading the blind on the pitch with Mr Magoo at the helm.

Andrey Santos could appease all parties being young and offering leadership. Lets see what happens when BM offer us £60m.

10 hours ago, evissy said:

Even though I honestly feel we are not ready for a Champions league season I hope the team reaches its target.

I know that you are the most optimistic person here, and fair play to you, I won't knock someone for being optimistic. But if three years into the project we aren't ready to even be in the CL, as you say, surely something must be off and the project needs to be reviewed, don't you think?

4 hours ago, Scott Harris said:

I made a post in the nearest and dearest rivals thread about why football doesn't feel as good anymore, and I think this is another one to add to the list of reasons why. Booking the manager for celebrating a last minute winner? it's ridiculous.

I presume we are at a similar age so we were really spoilt to have literally a team full of international captains.

And to have players like Terry, Frank, Ashley Cole, Drogba, Cech who’d die for the badge.

I really thought we were moving into another era like that with Mason Mount and Reece James but sadly it didn’t work out.

10 hours ago, evissy said:

Now that we have a chance to reach CL the team/Enzo/club has set themselves that target. This is voiced by Maresca and players that have been interviewed during this "Run-In".

So now that we haven’t got a chance in hell to get CL he says that’s the target but, when we were comfortably second in the league he said the team wasn’t good enough to reach the CL or compete for the PL and that there was no target? The bloke is a charlatan and so are the owners.

My 2 pence……

Getting Champions league football this season would be in the long term a worst outcome for us. I want Chelsea at the highest level winning trophies not just competing.

If we get CL football we will not make it past the group stages and would get battered with the manager we have. We would be embarrassing English football on a weekly basis.

It would also give Beavis and Butthead the much needed breathing space to say their plan is working when it clearly is f**kING not.

So I desperately want to be back at the top but I suspect if we creep into the CL it will give the 🤡’s confidence their 💩 manager and 💩 project is working.

UP The Chels!!!

With Nkunku, Disasi and possibly even Tosin leaving our squad age could actually get younger next season when you consider their rumored replacements.

On 22/04/2025 at 10:27, PloKoon13 said:

Good news

If we were to appeal and lose would it be increased, please.

7 hours ago, OneTommyLangley said:

If we were to appeal and lose would it be increased, please.

Talk about thinking out of the box , I like 😁

Let's hope we don't smuggle him into the dressing room within a laundry basket.

A snipped of the evergreen (ahem) Jonathan Wilson talking about the terrible nerd generation of managers:

6 hours ago, icecoolguy22 said:

Talk about thinking out of the box , I like 😁

Let's hope we don't smuggle him into the dressing room within a laundry basket.

If he’s hiding in laundry basket I hope they chuck it into a laundry chute!

49 minutes ago, dansubrosa said:

If he’s hiding in laundry basket I hope they chuck it into a laundry chute!

chuck it in the incinerator

2 hours ago, PloKoon13 said:

A snipped of the evergreen (ahem) Jonathan Wilson talking about the terrible nerd generation of managers:

Libero is a very good listen. Journos let off the leash.

The Klopp v Pep rivalry ruined everything. It was appearances only, as they were cordial and “buddy-buddy” when the cameras were on but no doubt were sick of one another. They presented how current top managers should behave and especially towards adversaries. Boring bellends. Pep I wasn’t surprised given he fled like a dog when ever Mourinho tried to rile him up, but I was surprised with Klopp given how aggressive he was in Germany.

1 hour ago, Sconnie Blue said:

The Klopp v Pep rivalry ruined everything. It was appearances only, as they were cordial and “buddy-buddy” when the cameras were on but no doubt were sick of one another. They presented how current top managers should behave and especially towards adversaries. Boring bellends. Pep I wasn’t surprised given he fled like a dog when ever Mourinho tried to rile him up, but I was surprised with Klopp given how aggressive he was in Germany.

Football has been dead for a few years now, the introduction and poor application of technology and overuse of stats has stripped the magic away. We barely ever see someone thunderc**t one top bins from 30 yards anymore. Imagine if Essien had tried that Arsenal goal under Maresca, he's have been hooked for not recycling possession. Its not even nostalgia at this point either, what magicians so we have left in the game? There was the era of Messi, Neymar, Hazard, Ribery etc. Now the best wingers are Vini and Saka. Neither would be playing at the top level a decade ago.

23 minutes ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

Football has been dead for a few years now, the introduction and poor application of technology and overuse of stats has stripped the magic away. We barely ever see someone thunderc**t one top bins from 30 yards anymore. Imagine if Essien had tried that Arsenal goal under Maresca, he's have been hooked for not recycling possession. Its not even nostalgia at this point either, what magicians so we have left in the game? There was the era of Messi, Neymar, Hazard, Ribery etc. Now the best wingers are Vini and Saka. Neither would be playing at the top level a decade ago.

Yeah floor has risen but ceiling has also shrunk.

f**k off in the summer please Maresca... Thank you for your consideration on this matter. Please, f**k off with turd ball

4 hours ago, PloKoon13 said:

This is the reality of modern football, the power of manager has shifted towards SD. So most managers are pure HC

here we go

CaughtOffside

Exclusive: Enzo Maresca's Chelsea future no longer safe a...

Enzo Maresca's position as Chelsea manager is no longer secure as we approach the end of his first season in charge at Stamford Bridge.

On 23/04/2025 at 00:22, RMH said:

So now that we haven’t got a chance in hell to get CL he says that’s the target but, when we were comfortably second in the league he said the team wasn’t good enough to reach the CL or compete for the PL and that there was no target? The bloke is a charlatan and so are the owners.

I know it is very easy to just say these things as you hate Enzo. If you, for a minute, look everything from his point of view (called empathy) what he has said makes sense and are consistent to me anyway. I don't hate him. I want him and any coach we have to succeed and I back them till kicked out. Benitez really was a coach I never wanted and I disliked the entire time he was here.

I asked ChatGPT to confirm the timeline:

Yes, Enzo Maresca has stated in interviews that he was not given any specific targets regarding league position before the start of the season.

In an August 2024 press conference, Maresca said:

> "No one from the club asked me to get into the Champions League this year. No one said, 'Enzo, we need to finish top four.'"

(naijanews.com)

Later, in February 2025, he clarified that the club’s goal was to qualify for the Champions League within two years, not necessarily in his first season:

> "I never said that our target was to finish top four – the club never said that. The target was to play Champions League in two years, not in one."

(notjustok.com)

However, as the season progressed and Chelsea remained close to the top four, Maresca admitted that Champions League qualification had become a realistic goal:

> "We said many times: we spent almost the whole season in the top four and, with 13 games left, the target is definitely to finish in the top four."

(therealchelseafans.com)

In summary, Maresca was not pressured to achieve a specific league finish at the start of the season—his focus was on long-term development. But as the team performed well, the goal of finishing in the top four naturally became more prominent.

So from that how is he lying or charlatan or any other name you give him?

I have talked here many times coaches talk with different voices in those pressers. Him/club and the squad have naturally set the target of CL to add on motivation for themselves for the remaining games as it is reachable. I think the players said that before Arsenal game or thereabouts when we were 4th I think.

52 minutes ago, evissy said:

I know it is very easy to just say these things as you hate Enzo. If you, for a minute, look everything from his point of view (called empathy) what he has said makes sense and are consistent to me anyway. I don't hate him. I want him and any coach we have to succeed and I back them till kicked out. Benitez really was a coach I never wanted and I disliked the entire time he was here.

I asked ChatGPT to confirm the timeline:

Yes, Enzo Maresca has stated in interviews that he was not given any specific targets regarding league position before the start of the season.

In an August 2024 press conference, Maresca said:

> "No one from the club asked me to get into the Champions League this year. No one said, 'Enzo, we need to finish top four.'"

(naijanews.com)

Later, in February 2025, he clarified that the club’s goal was to qualify for the Champions League within two years, not necessarily in his first season:

> "I never said that our target was to finish top four – the club never said that. The target was to play Champions League in two years, not in one."

(notjustok.com)

However, as the season progressed and Chelsea remained close to the top four, Maresca admitted that Champions League qualification had become a realistic goal:

> "We said many times: we spent almost the whole season in the top four and, with 13 games left, the target is definitely to finish in the top four."

(therealchelseafans.com)

In summary, Maresca was not pressured to achieve a specific league finish at the start of the season—his focus was on long-term development. But as the team performed well, the goal of finishing in the top four naturally became more prominent.

So from that how is he lying or charlatan or any other name you give him?

I have talked here many times coaches talk with different voices in those pressers. Him/club and the squad have naturally set the target of CL to add on motivation for themselves for the remaining games as it is reachable. I think the players said that before Arsenal game or thereabouts when we were 4th I think.

Mate, what a wast of time defending this clueless manager. We are where we are because of this guys tactics. We've been aweful since december, we get more and more unwatchable... The football is turgid, rotten, and players who scored goals at other clubs and freely for us are not even capable of hitting a barn door - from freescorers to low scorers, we are simply awful to watch. From second to joint 6th with Villa.

I dont really give a sh*t about the yank and what they want, they just want to extract as much money from you and us fans as possible. They dont care about us, making money is the motivation for them buying CFC...

As a fan, I dont align with that vision and expect my club to compete as best it can... so when the team sinks from 2nd in the division to joint 6th and misses out on playing entertaining european football I get a bit pissy. I get a bit pissy when Im not entertained and bored to death watching what should be entertaining and passionate football be so dull I get more fun watching my niece playing under 5's...

So while im epathatic to Enso, lovely guy, I can tell you he isnt the right fit. It happens in all walks of life, CFC is a club too big for his mid table aspirations and playing style.

1 hour ago, evissy said:

I know it is very easy to just say these things as you hate Enzo. If you, for a minute, look everything from his point of view (called empathy) what he has said makes sense and are consistent to me anyway. I don't hate him. I want him and any coach we have to succeed and I back them till kicked out. Benitez really was a coach I never wanted and I disliked the entire time he was here.

I asked ChatGPT to confirm the timeline:

Yes, Enzo Maresca has stated in interviews that he was not given any specific targets regarding league position before the start of the season.

In an August 2024 press conference, Maresca said:

> "No one from the club asked me to get into the Champions League this year. No one said, 'Enzo, we need to finish top four.'"

(naijanews.com)

Later, in February 2025, he clarified that the club’s goal was to qualify for the Champions League within two years, not necessarily in his first season:

> "I never said that our target was to finish top four – the club never said that. The target was to play Champions League in two years, not in one."

(notjustok.com)

However, as the season progressed and Chelsea remained close to the top four, Maresca admitted that Champions League qualification had become a realistic goal:

> "We said many times: we spent almost the whole season in the top four and, with 13 games left, the target is definitely to finish in the top four."

(therealchelseafans.com)

In summary, Maresca was not pressured to achieve a specific league finish at the start of the season—his focus was on long-term development. But as the team performed well, the goal of finishing in the top four naturally became more prominent.

So from that how is he lying or charlatan or any other name you give him?

I have talked here many times coaches talk with different voices in those pressers. Him/club and the squad have naturally set the target of CL to add on motivation for themselves for the remaining games as it is reachable. I think the players said that before Arsenal game or thereabouts when we were 4th I think.

I don't hate him, that's for sure. I want him gone? Yes.

I don't need chatGPT (really?) to help me make my mind up. If you go back to the early season, I was mostly on the fence and supporting him because I was seeing some improvement in the way the team was playing, with changes in tactics as the game required, and a mentality to come back from behind. As Christmas turned and we started losing games, I was giving him time to turn things around. But, as the new year progressed I came to realised that what we are seeing now is his brand of football, and I am not enjoying going watch my club every week any more. But, the fact that he is using us fans (not customers) as an excuse for his failures and that he thinks that we are idiots when he tells us that, now that we have massively dropped in the table (and in the performance) and unlikely to qualify for CL, we are good enough to reach top 4 tells me that he's a charlatan. And he's really pissed me off.

You ask, how's he a charlatan or lying? Well, from the evolution of his press conferences, either the board have changed their mind and now it is a target to get top 4 or he's an idiot/charlatan for saying so when we are 6th and probably won't make it to top 4. If the board haven't changed their minds and it was a target from the beginning, then he's been lying from the start.

4 hours ago, evissy said:

NI know it is very easy to just say these things as you hate Enzo. If you, for a minute, look everything from his point of view (called empathy) what he has said makes sense and are consistent to me anyway. I don't hate him. I want him and any coach we have to succeed and I back them till kicked out. Benitez really was a coach I never wanted and I disliked the entire time he was here.

I asked ChatGPT to confirm the timeline:

Yes, Enzo Maresca has stated in interviews that he was not given any specific targets regarding league position before the start of the season.

In an August 2024 press conference, Maresca said:

> "No one from the club asked me to get into the Champions League this year. No one said, 'Enzo, we need to finish top four.'"

(naijanews.com)

Later, in February 2025, he clarified that the club’s goal was to qualify for the Champions League within two years, not necessarily in his first season:

> "I never said that our target was to finish top four – the club never said that. The target was to play Champions League in two years, not in one."

(notjustok.com)

However, as the season progressed and Chelsea remained close to the top four, Maresca admitted that Champions League qualification had become a realistic goal:

> "We said many times: we spent almost the whole season in the top four and, with 13 games left, the target is definitely to finish in the top four."

(therealchelseafans.com)

In summary, Maresca was not pressured to achieve a specific league finish at the start of the season—his focus was on long-term development. But as the team performed well, the goal of finishing in the top four naturally became more prominent.

So from that how is he lying or charlatan or any other name you give him?

I have talked here many times coaches talk with different voices in those pressers. Him/club and the squad have naturally set the target of CL to add on motivation for themselves for the remaining games as it is reachable. I think the players said that before Arsenal game or thereabouts when we were 4th I think.

You honestly don't think the owners tasked him with finishing in the CL positions? We just finished 6th and you think they turned around and said "don't worry about finishing a single position higher with this additional quarter of a billion pound of talent"?

He's consistently lied in press conferences but this is where you take his word as gospel?

I'm happy you can be optimistic but at some point it just because blind delusion.

So he's recognized that Palmer is being double-triple marked compared to last season. Great. It's still his responsibility to find solutions.

Been slating Maresca a lot but with Sancho's goal against Ipswich and Neto's winner against Fulham, its clear that our wingers do have the ability but not the consistency. They will ultimately be the X factor in whether or not we finish in a Champions League place, as Jackson and Palmer have burned out for relying on them as long as we have.

Edited April 25, 20251 yr by Sconnie Blue