17 minutes ago, nonotnowjim said:

People will gloss over the performances, and focus on the UCL qualification - but this would be short sighted.

What we need to see is progress on the field, and an evolution of our playing style. Maresca has failed to deliver that - and there remains zero signs that he can.

I don't care about 4th. In fact, I was disgusted at the players celebrating failure as if they had won the UCL or EPL. Shows how far standards have called that we are celebrating failure in this way.

I don't believe it is a failure. The only way it's a failure is if you cling to the concept that Chelsea's, relatively recent in football history, success since Roman is somehow now a right.

It isn't and this squad of players is not good enough to win titles or compete for them.

Finishing top four is the top end of what this squad is good enough to achieve and when you manage to do that it isn't a failure.

Only Caciedo, Palmer and James are title challenging quality. Lavia might be in future and I'll also give Cucurella a doff of the cap for a much improved season.

The rest of them are not in the running to be title contenders and a few who have actually been first team regulars are miles off it.

We have spent big money. But overspending on players doesn't them better or good enough

2 minutes ago, loz said:

I don't believe it is a failure. The only way it's a failure is if you cling to the concept that Chelsea's, relatively recent in football history, since Roman is somehow now a right.

It isn't and this squad of players is not good enough to win titles or compete for them.

Finishing top four is the top end of what this squad is good enough to a achieve and when you manage to do that it osbt a failure.

Only Caciedo, Palmer and James are title challenging quality. Lavia might be in future and I'll also give Cucurella a doff of the cap for a much improved season.

The rest of them are not in the running to be title contenders and a few who have actually been first team regulars are miles off it.

We have spent big money. But overspending on players doesn't them better or good enough

its embarrassing. We used to rightly mock arsenal for celebrating a top 4 finish. We should not be celebrating such an outcome - these players should be going off the pitch itching to do better, fuming they only had 1 shot on target, coming off and looking right away at the euro cup final in a few days....not mincing around like they had just won the world cup after sneaking into the top 4.

4 minutes ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Honestly was hoping Villa would kick the draw at the end just so I can read Jim’s reaction on Howe bottling top 4 for Newcastle.

I would have liked to see it just because I think Newcastle need to come back crashing down to earth. They have been on too much of a high since winning the League Cup.

3 minutes ago, nonotnowjim said:

its embarrassing. We used to rightly mock arsenal for celebrating a top 4 finish. We should not be celebrating such an outcome - these players should be going off the pitch itching to do better, fuming they only had 1 shot on target, coming off and looking right away at the euro cup final in a few days....not mincing around like they had just won the world cup after sneaking into the top 4.

This is miserable tripe even by your standards Jim

2 minutes ago, nonotnowjim said:

its embarrassing. We used to rightly mock arsenal for celebrating a top 4 finish. We should not be celebrating such an outcome - these players should be going off the pitch itching to do better, fuming they only had 1 shot on target, coming off and looking right away at the euro cup final in a few days....not mincing around like they had just won the world cup after sneaking into the top 4.

Sorry but this narrative in particular is very silly, especially when we weren’t even the only team celebrating getting CL football.

Majority of this team has never played CL football, it’s completely understandable that they would be excited.

43 minutes ago, evissy said:

I am 100% sure you will. Sorry but I don't trust your silly outburst.

I have avoided a lot of our matches this season because of how boring and frustrating they were. So if the sh*te performances continue then I will definitely do the same next season.

7 minutes ago, nonotnowjim said:

its embarrassing. We used to rightly mock arsenal for celebrating a top 4 finish. We should not be celebrating such an outcome - these players should be going off the pitch itching to do better, fuming they only had 1 shot on target, coming off and looking right away at the euro cup final in a few days....not mincing around like they had just won the world cup after sneaking into the top 4.

Chelsea points totals since winning the title in 2017 under Conte

2017/18 - 70 points (5th)

2018/19 - 72 points (3rd)

2019/20 - 66 points (4th)

2020/21 - 67 points (4th) (did win CL though)

2021/22 - 74 points (3rd)

2022/23 - 44 points (12th)

2023/24 - 63 points (6th)

2024/25 - 69 points (4th)

With the exception of the disastrous 2022-23 season, this is just where we're at as a club at the moment, even before the clowns took over.

Mourinho's speech about 'football heritage' comes to mind. We made a huge mistake not giving Conte the players he wanted in 2017, and we haven't come close to the title for 8 years since.

Given that this squad is arguably a lot weaker (at least experience-wise) than those previous teams pre-Boehly, I don't think 4th is a bad season at all.

Uh, you literally said we weren't good enough to win the league, you even tried saying Champion League wasn't an objective this season before it got quickly shut down. You don't get to say you didn't doubt them now that we have qualified.

3 minutes ago, Scott Harris said:

Uh, you literally said we weren't good enough to win the league, you even tried saying Champion League wasn't an objective this season before it got quickly shut down. You don't get to say you didn't doubt them now that we have qualified.

I do appreciate that bit of fire to tell all us critics to f off though.

23 minutes ago, nonotnowjim said:

its embarrassing. We used to rightly mock arsenal for celebrating a top 4 finish. We should not be celebrating such an outcome - these players should be going off the pitch itching to do better, fuming they only had 1 shot on target, coming off and looking right away at the euro cup final in a few days....not mincing around like they had just won the world cup after sneaking into the top 4.

I agree that the football has been turgid throughout, Maresca's style, if you can call it that, is complete anathema to me and there are a number of players that have been tactically stifled by him.

But when the football has finished all that counts is the points and the position. To have the youngest side in the division and to ultimately end up fourth is an achievement worthy of celebration.

If this is backed now, if the hierarchy now have a better understanding of what is needed as a blend and build on this with real quality then this is an occasion for us all to take heart from. If however they double down on bang average players simply because they're young, then all of this is somewhat pointless.

I think it was telling that yet again the players came out after half time, and had their own huddle, and proceeded to play differently to how pep lite wanted. they pressed properly and fought harder until they got the goal. i think the win is purely down to the players, not the bald twat.

Not 100% sure if Maresca should go this way but it showed he was under a big pressure. Hopefully this translates positively to Chelsea fans. Us vs them has worked before.

1 minute ago, Ajbod said:

I think it was telling that yet again the players came out after half time, and had their own huddle, and proceeded to play differently to how pep lite wanted. they pressed properly and fought harder until they got the goal. i think the win is purely down to the players, not the bald twat.

I'm anything but a fan of this guy and his tactics, but even I think you're reaching a bit there 😃

Finishing 4th fair enough, but the football MUST improve next season.

This seasons football has been some of the dullest I have ever witnessed. You look forward to games, only to be bored out of your mind, with the turgid style of football with little in way of goal threat. We have one of the biggest talents in the PL in Cole Palmer and yet first half today, he was played out of position and every time he got the ball he just passed it backwards. Absolutely criminal and that has to improve next season. I'm not asking for or expecting Brazil type football or loads of goals every game but it has to be more than what has been dished up for large parts of this season.

1 minute ago, evissy said:

Not 100% sure if Maresca should go this way but it showed he was under a big pressure. Hopefully this translates positively to Chelsea fans. Us vs them has worked before.

He's entitled to take that stance and i like the bullish attitude but the presentation was completely ruined. He gained the high ground and then immediately lost it again with the profanity, disguised or not. You don't swing the establishment by antagonising it.

Edited May 25, 20251 yr by WhiteWall

37 minutes ago, nonotnowjim said:

its embarrassing. We used to rightly mock arsenal for celebrating a top 4 finish. We should not be celebrating such an outcome - these players should be going off the pitch itching to do better, fuming they only had 1 shot on target, coming off and looking right away at the euro cup final in a few days....not mincing around like they had just won the world cup after sneaking into the top 4.

Given the circumstances and phenomenal change this club has been through I think it should be celebrated.

The style has been questionable at times, but there’s glaring weaknesses the board hasn’t addressed that can help with this. The whole structure is young in one way, shape or form. Champions League unlocks commercial and player opportunities we sorely need, then we hope they learn from the mistakes and continue to grow.

Also, can’t help but be excited by Estevao coming in!

1 minute ago, WhiteWall said:

He's entitled to take that stance but the presentation was completely ruined. He gained the high ground and then immediately lost it again with the profanity, disguised or not.

I think it was the pressure what did it. Losing to Betis in the final would put him under elevated pressure for no reason.

Wisey up 5k 😅

1 minute ago, evissy said:

I think it was the pressure what did it. Losing to Betis in the final would put him under elevated pressure for no reason.

It's an olive branch to us fans, for sure (as he would say). If he can just get us playing fast paced expansive football the vast majority of fans would definitely be on his side. I do like the bullish comments though, the punditry bias today was comical at times, particularly when Dave Jones spoke over the bellend that is Redknapp three times at half time and at every turn the scouse pr!ck turned it back onto what forest had to do.

True that Liverpool were on the beach, but aside from the game where Jackson screwed us over, our form this last month has been very good

Honestly our mid season dip seems to really be down to injuries more than anything.

9 minutes ago, Drogba1 said:

True that Liverpool were on the beach, but aside from the game where Jackson screwed us over, our form this last month has been very good

Honestly our mid season dip seems to really be down to injuries more than anything.

We got the wins, but the performances were terrible. The Fulham one was just two late smash and grab goals, we were terrible on the day. The Everton game were barely created anything of note. The United and Forest games were the same. I'll take them, but it's these types of performances that had us struggling to qualify in the first place.

1 hour ago, evissy said:

Not 100% sure if Maresca should go this way but it showed he was under a big pressure. Hopefully this translates positively to Chelsea fans. Us vs them has worked before.

If that’s aim at me £ shop Pep fairs but you have to perform a lot better next season or you will be out.

I give you credit you got the team CL but I want league and champions league trophies

1 minute ago, El regreso said:

If that’s aim at me £ shop Pep fairs but you have to perform a lot better next season or you will be out.

I give you credit you got the team CL but I want league and champions league trophies

He doesn't even need to win them yet for me. He just needs to have us playing football I can enjoy and stop with the bullsh*t he comes out with in interviews. Even now he is doing it "I never doubted them".......horsesh*t. Your doubt in them was what started the loss in form.

9 minutes ago, Drogba1 said:

True that Liverpool were on the beach, but aside from the game where Jackson screwed us over, our form this last month has been very good

Honestly our mid season dip seems to really be down to injuries more than anything.

Our form has been terrible but our results were good.

Aside from the Southampton game, in the second half of the season we have scored the same number of PL goals as West Ham, and we are all painfully aware of how sh*t Potter is at setting up attacking teams.

We've scraped into 4th in spite of Maresca, not because of him.

Someone asked if this meant he had done better than Pochettino. I don't see that at all. I think we've been very fortunate, particularly with the low level of injuries, which even at their peak were still equivalent to the very best availability we had in any game last season. The more Maresca has implemented his "style" the worse we have got. We are 7th on results for 2nd half of the season. vs 4th for first half, when for 16 of the 19 games (at which point we were 2nd) we were playing more the Poch "chaos ball" style that Maresca said he wasn't happy with,.

Don't get me wrong, I'm delighted we have made the CL places, but there is now a real danger that the multiple bad decisions that have been made by the Owners/SDs and Maresca himself are now re-interpreted as "good" because we finished 4th, and with the risk that they'll continue on down the wrong path as a result, especially as they say they aren't even planning a proper performance deep dive.

Eddie Howe, Unai Emery & Nuno Espírito Santo have been lauded all,season long by the media all candidates for EPL manager of the season apparently.

Enzo Maresca our much maligned manager has bested them all at the end of the day. (Cost of squad is irrelevant imo because our owners level the financial playing field by the way they spent that loot). So even if Evissy is an algorithmic Trojan horse not the lone voice of Maresca support on the forum it’s been proven partially correct.

Edit. P.s. Just heard Maresca to tell the collective media to “F Off” he gets credit in the bank front me for that !

Edited May 25, 20251 yr by General