1 hour ago, C3blue said:

I have a feeling we’re gonna lose our last 2. End up with nothing.Wind up back in the conference and they still keep him.😩

It would confirm our worst fears - that Maresca is a terrible manger.

On 17/05/2025 at 06:50, evissy said:

If he said that, he should be sacked .....again. Comparing Jackson to Drogba!! What planet is this misguided chancer from? Pepillini gets worse everytime he opens his gob. I doubt he has ever watched Drogba play. Next week he'll probably be comparing Sanchez to Buffon!!

Nuno Espírito Santo on the final day:

“The City ground another big boost for us it’s going to be bouncing.” [sky]

Can someone please send this quote to Enzo?

That Maresca quote “if Drogba was injured, Torres or Costa would have played” is bonkers, not for the general point he’s trying to make about strength in depth, but because it’s incorrect and he doesn’t know his Chelsea history at all. Costa era, Drogba was either not here, or brought back as an elder statesman who came on later, just because. Torres/Sheva were flops. If he knew what he was actually saying, the correct example would have ‘maybe’ been Anelka/Drogba but even then, they’d both be playing together anyway, especially under Carlo.

4 hours ago, JM7 said:

Nuno Espírito Santo on the final day:

“The City ground another big boost for us it’s going to be bouncing.” [sky]

Can someone please send this quote to Enzo?

He better not have us starting slow. Match their energy, stay focused, and let the quality show through. They must have learned post Newcastle.

If all else fails, let the players take over like Fulham away!

8 hours ago, Term_X said:

That Maresca quote “if Drogba was injured, Torres or Costa would have played” is bonkers, not for the general point he’s trying to make about strength in depth, but because it’s incorrect and he doesn’t know his Chelsea history at all. Costa era, Drogba was either not here, or brought back as an elder statesman who came on later, just because. Torres/Sheva were flops. If he knew what he was actually saying, the correct example would have ‘maybe’ been Anelka/Drogba but even then, they’d both be playing together anyway, especially under Carlo.

I think he meant in general. The likes of Drogba, Costa and Torres...if he didn't who really cares. Same with Boehly not knowing who Gullit is. What does it matter. Gullit didn't know Boehlys work 1997 either. Why does an investment banker know about Ruud Gullits Chelsea history? I hope he concentrates on the owner level stuff.

Enzo isn't wrong. The squad is so far from being on the level we had back in those days. What it has is tons of potential and we have players who can potentially be better than some of our legends. The money they spent is on potential and future. That is pretty simple and clear to see.

1 hour ago, evissy said:

Same with Boehly not knowing who Gullit is. What does it matter. Gullit didn't know Boehlys work 1997 either. Why does an investment banker know about Ruud Gullits Chelsea history? I hope he concentrates on the owner level stuff.

My god you dont half talk a massive load of sh*te at the best of times, but this is just incredible dumb.

He could have more accurately said ‘ the club ain’t what it was because we bought the European/world champions, spent over a billion and this is what we have to show for it’.

I have no cover for Jackson because I have loaned out or alienated my other attacking options.

Trying to blame your failures of today on successes in the past because they make you look bad is another way to go I suppose🙄

1 hour ago, evissy said:

I think he meant in general. The likes of Drogba, Costa and Torres...if he didn't who really cares. Same with Boehly not knowing who Gullit is. What does it matter. Gullit didn't know Boehlys work 1997 either. Why does an investment banker know about Ruud Gullits Chelsea history? I hope he concentrates on the owner level stuff.

Enzo isn't wrong. The squad is so far from being on the level we had back in those days. What it has is tons of potential and we have players who can potentially be better than some of our legends. The money they spent is on potential and future. That is pretty simple and clear to see.

The owner should absolutely understand the history of the club they're buying. When you have such a huge fanbase the bare minimum you can do is understand them and what they believe in and what made the club a success in the past. Why the f**k would Gullit learn about a banker? He isn't buying Clearlake. You can't be serious when you say this things, this has to be an act at this point.

Enzo is wrong. What players do we have that can be better than our legends? We don't have a single defender that looks anywhere close to being better than Terry. Caicedo might be able to reach Lampard levels when it comes to impact but he cost £115m so i'd hope so. We don't have a single striker that could reach Drogba's level. £1.5B spent and counting.

1 hour ago, dkw said:

My god you dont half talk a massive load of sh*te at the best of times, but this is just incredible dumb.

Why does he need to know that? I guess if Ruud was part of the buying process or the club structure he would know him. This bashing of Boehly and the owners is going a leap too far.

I hope Boehly doesn't obsess on who would be the best striker for us as the lad doesn't know the first thing about football. Hopefully our directors do. That is their job.

I am sure half of Prem owners don't know people they haven't met before from their respective clubs. Roman was special in he was a football fan but I don't think you need to be to own a top club and make that successful.

Makes absolutely no sense.

Well, whatever happens this season it looks like he’s here for another season.

I expect massive improvement next season, especially if we sign a half decent striker and have Petrovic, Santos coming back.

It’s hard to see how we can’t improve on this season, especially after 2nd half of the season.

If we still struggle to finish top 4 next season then hopefully he’s sacked and we all can get excited again.

2 hours ago, evissy said:

Why does he need to know that? I guess if Ruud was part of the buying process or the club structure he would know him. This bashing of Boehly and the owners is going a leap too far.

I hope Boehly doesn't obsess on who would be the best striker for us as the lad doesn't know the first thing about football. Hopefully our directors do. That is their job.

I am sure half of Prem owners don't know people they haven't met before from their respective clubs. Roman was special in he was a football fan but I don't think you need to be to own a top club and make that successful.

Makes absolutely no sense.

No your right, not knowing one of the most famous footballers ever is exactly the same as not knowing a board member of a random company...

1 hour ago, dansubrosa said:

Well, whatever happens this season it looks like he’s here for another season.

I expect massive improvement next season, especially if we sign a half decent striker and have Petrovic, Santos coming back.

It’s hard to see how we can’t improve on this season, especially after 2nd half of the season.

If we still struggle to finish top 4 next season then hopefully he’s sacked and we all can get excited again.

This has been an unusually poor season for most of the bigger clubs, it’s not going to happen next season. If Maresca stays and plays the same sh*te tactics then expect a mid- table finish…if we are lucky.

On 17/05/2025 at 09:24, terraloon said:

Shows the impatience of supporters in general.

Last night Utd were vastly more experienced than we were and despite all we got over the line.

Was it pretty ? Certainly not but defensively we are vastly improved and had we had a decent keeper we would be close to the top of the overall indeed I think we have the third best defensive record (joint) and I think the 5th best record in terms of goals scored.

Of course we has lost some guaranteed three points but build team takes time and along the way there will be problems but for me the progress is evident as are the areas that still need improvement

I think the impatience of supporters has been brought about by a number of things.

We have dropped so many silly points (games like Ipswich x 2), knocked out of both domestic cup competitions far too easily. Maresca might have had little say in Gallagher being sold and the whole shambles of Chalobah being sent to Palace and then recalled, but sticking with Sanchez and bigging up Jackson so much is down to him.

I don't even know how we are still in with a shout of a CL place as we have looked so average in 2025. We are limping along, playing largely dull football and that is down to Maresca.

We are not beating Forest at home and we are not getting CL football.

The biggest worry for me is we are going to carry this form into next season. What we've witnessed since the turn of the year is the norm for Maresca now. 3 goals in 17 games for Palmer, a shadow of the player he was before and the manager has no interest in changing that.

Unless Estevao comes in and is genuinely the next coming of Neymar, this is what we can expect.

1 hour ago, dkw said:

No your right, not knowing one of the most famous footballers ever is exactly the same as not knowing a board member of a random company...

He owns Dodgers and I have no idea whether he knows their players or past players. I have no idea. Hopefully he knows how to ask help in that area and has networking skills to find employees who know a thing or two about that.. he's done well in life at least financially.

And Ruud doesn't look like he did at his hayday...

People here go lengths on why the owner is horrible or the coach is useless because we are not winning right now. I know you contradict this by wanting to see progressive attacking football and a coach/owner who understands the soul of the team.

I am 100% sure no one would care if we won everything playing the ugliest football in the world. We did play the most boring style of football under Jose but kept winning. Even Roman didn't like that. He kept trying to bring in tiki-taka and kept changing coaches or brought in attackers to change everything.

12 minutes ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

The biggest worry for me is we are going to carry this form into next season. What we've witnessed since the turn of the year is the norm for Maresca now. 3 goals in 17 games for Palmer, a shadow of the player he was before and the manager has no interest in changing that.

Unless Estevao comes in and is genuinely the next coming of Neymar, this is what we can expect.

I personally don't think we are that far as a team/squad from the likes of Liverpool and Arsenal. Maresca's football is not yet engraved to the players. That is his and the squads challenge.

Early in the season we played Pochettino style gung-ho football which for many of our players is far from optimal but it created a lot of offence.

One player, two players can change a ton. Just ask Rodriless Pep what he feels about losing one player.

We need a brilliant keeper who Petrovic hopefully is and a prolific striker. I would also look at one experienced player to give that guidance to younger players if the squad needs that. KDB wouldn't be such a stupid look. Not sure if he'd come to Chelsea but still.

Edited May 19, 20251 yr by evissy

14 minutes ago, evissy said:

He owns Dodgers and I have no idea whether he knows their players or past players. I have no idea. Hopefully he knows how to ask help in that area and has networking skills to find employees who know a thing or two about that.. he's done well in life at least financially.

And Ruud doesn't look like he did at his hayday...

People here go lengths on why the owner is horrible or the coach is useless because we are not winning right now. I know you contradict this by wanting to see progressive attacking football and a coach/owner who understands the soul of the team.

I am 100% sure no one would care if we won everything playing the ugliest football in the world. We did play the most boring style of football under Jose but kept winning. Even Roman didn't like that. He kept trying to bring in tiki-taka and kept changing coaches or brought in attackers to change everything.

The owners are responsible - not least for:

• Buying Koulibally, Sterling, Aubameyang etc. Wasting millions, pouting it down the drain.

• for appointing sporting directors who appointed NoClueEsca

• For failing to do do anything to see the club move away from the ill suited boring and stagnant, pass it around aimlessly at the back, football.

Once again...it has nothing to do with not winning right now. You constantly say that, despite many of us repeating that IT ISNT ABOUT WINNING RIGHT NOW, but in stead it is about THE LACK OF PROGRESS WE ARE SEEING ON THE PITCH.

Mourinho crafted an identity, a style, a system....we were a machine. We would score and we could be confident we wouldn't concede. Of course people enjoyed that! Its the polar opposite of the tepid, timid, risk averse football Fraudesca has us playing.

Edited May 19, 20251 yr by nonotnowjim

Sack Maresca - the guy is a clueless yes man who has us playing the most insipid, negative, risk averse football... spinless cretin who seeks to copy Pep

2 minutes ago, nonotnowjim said:

Sack Maresca - the guy is a clueless yes man who has us playing the most insipid, negative, risk averse football... spinless cretin who seeks to copy Pep

Yes man because he listens to his directors/owners? He should be more like Tuchel who was sacked because he didn't go along with the plan laid by his employers?

I personally think in City they have a great line of communication from the owner to Pep. That is one reason why they have won so much. Not the only reason naturally but one reason.

I don't blame the owners wanting something like that. I hope they have had these talks with all the coaches they interviewed in the process.

12 minutes ago, evissy said:

a coach/owner who understands the soul of the team.

This is what I would suggest you fail to understand. It may seem small detail but this is the bedrock of all football clubs. The good managers and owners understand the history of the club, where it draws its core support, generations having grown up supporting the club. Who are the main rivals, past heroes. In our case , why the CPO exists. What previous owners have done right and wrong. How the team plays, is it attractive to the eye. Of course these and many other answers to questions can now freely be found on the internet.Managers like players come and go, most don’t grow up supporting the team, it’s a job to them and as such there is little point growing an attachment to them. Owners though are the present custodians of the club , they have a responsibility to make sure the club adheres to its roots whilst growing it ready to hand over to the next generation…rinse/ repeat.

23 minutes ago, evissy said:

We need a brilliant keeper who Petrovic hopefully is and a prolific striker.

But this is where Maresca is so stubborn and insists on playing Sanchez and seems to think Jackson is the second coming.

How confident are we that he will drop BOTH next season?

13 minutes ago, Nibs said:

But this is where Maresca is so stubborn and insists on playing Sanchez and seems to think Jackson is the second coming.

How confident are we that he will drop BOTH next season?

Fairly confident so long as there are actual upgrades.

So if the manager is not responsible because he can only work with what he’s got and the owners are not football people who know nothing about the game can we at least concede that the sporting Directors are to blame?

Because having 100’s of millions worth of players out all over the place while having giant holes in our first team squad is someone’s fault.

It still won’t change my opinion on the managers tactics though. Estevao and Paez are about to be stifled just like the rest of our creative players.

Hope he bores me to 2 more wins though. Then thanks for your help but we’ve decided to go in another direction bye.

Edited May 19, 20251 yr by C3blue