46 minutes ago, Ledg said:

I can't anymore... Just get him out. This guy doesn't even watch the games, he just does what he wants.

Reece didn't have any problems against Minteh the whole game, everything started to crumble when he put Gusto there...

There was one occasion where Minteh did Reece 1 on 1 at the edge of our box. But a better manager wouldn't automatically think "oh no! I have to make a substitution now". A better manager would have charged another player, (usually to cover a RB, a centre-half or right midfielder), with instructions to close quickly and double up on Minteh whenever he was getting the ball to try and avoid a 1 on 1 situation. It's just basic. He is so tactically wanting it is embarrassing.

Is Villas Boas back, this guy is a fraud and should do one back to the championship.

22 minutes ago, just said:

There was one occasion where Minteh did Reece 1 on 1 at the edge of our box. But a better manager wouldn't automatically think "oh no! I have to make a substitution now". A better manager would have charged another player, (usually to cover a RB, a centre-half or right midfielder), with instructions to close quickly and double up on Minteh whenever he was getting the ball to try and avoid a 1 on 1 situation. It's just basic. He is so tactically wanting it is embarrassing.

Minteh was a handful for Cucurella in the first half too. But Reece had done well with Mitoma and I think he was doing OK with Minteh. Certainly much better than Gusto who was a total disaster.

56 minutes ago, dkw said:

Started well, took the game to Brighton with a midfield that actually worked. Then we scored, reverted back to slow tedious passing around the defence, invited Brighton into the game. Stupid pass back but then thats how we play, red card. Maresca sh*t himself again, we end up with 1 attacking player on the pitch. Inevitable goals against, yet we carry on passing for the sake if passing with zero attacking impetus, right up until the last few minutes when we again lose the ball f**king about.

Cheers. I haven’t emotionally invested in a manager or player since Tuchel got sacked & I’m glad I did

This clown, more waffle,

You made defensive subs. Was there any temptation to bring on attacking players?

Yes, we did the first change that was Josh for the red card for Andrey [Santos], because we needed a central defender, then the reason why Malo [Gusto] came on was just because Minteh was many times one-v-one with Reece, so we tried to give Reece help in that situation to defend the two-v-one. And then the last change, Jorrel was asking for a change because he had cramp

Gusto was sent on to help James, well that worked didnt it

Behdad Eghbali and the sporting directors went down to the tunnel post-match...

No, they have been inside the changing room like always, we have an office inside the changing room where after every game we sit and talk about the game, but they didn't say nothing to the players, it was nothing, completely different compared to the rest of the team.

They didnt speak to the players? Then they must have been speaking to you

Shouldn't they be discussing a new contract with him? Isn't that what they do with inept people in mangerment positions?

Easily going to lose vs Forest and Liverpool as predicted.

A lot of people asking who he could be replaced by. Well, I’m frankly gobsmacked that the owners haven’t found a 17 year old coach in South America that we can replace Maresca with yet.

27 minutes ago, Snedger said:

A lot of people asking who he could be replaced by. Well, I’m frankly gobsmacked that the owners haven’t found a 17 year old coach in South America that we can replace Maresca with yet.

Don't give them ideas. They probably want to have the youngest ever Premier League manager to go with the young squad. What could go wrong?

3 hours ago, dkw said:

Hes just out right lying now,

Started well, took the game to Brighton with a midfield that actually worked. Then we scored, reverted back to slow tedious passing around the defence, invited Brighton into the game. Stupid pass back but then thats how we play, red card. Maresca sh*t himself again, we end up with 1 attacking player on the pitch. Inevitable goals against, yet we carry on passing for the sake if passing with zero attacking impetus, right up until the last few minutes when we again lose the ball f**king about.

That is a decent summary. We are always risking a red card or a goal against us the way we play around with the ball in defense. Today we saw both. Once we went down to 10, we totally gave up on any attacking and invited pressure. The goals felt inevitable. In the end it could have been a heavier defeat.

Portuguese abel Ferreira from palmeiras is one of the most exciting young coaches out there, and he knows estevao really well.

It could be too soon for him and his style isn’t very attacking—he’s one of those strategists who like to block the opposition and defend high (like tuchel).

Don’t care whether Maresca stays or goes—don’t think it will make much of a difference tbh.

10 hours ago, JM7 said:

Massive 3 games for Enzo this - Brighton, Benfica and Liverpool. Can easily see us losing 2/3 of these. We’re not in good form, loads of injuries and fatigue.

Brace yourself for turbulence.

I called it right so far. 1/3 right.

1 hour ago, Snedger said:

A lot of people asking who he could be replaced by. Well, I’m frankly gobsmacked that the owners haven’t found a 17 year old coach in South America that we can replace Maresca with yet.

The can bring back Jose (Mario) Mounrinho (Jnr)!

1 hour ago, acaeus said:

Portuguese abel Ferreira from palmeiras is one of the most exciting young coaches out there, and he knows estevao really well.

It could be too soon for him and his style isn’t very attacking—he’s one of those strategists who like to block the opposition and defend high (like tuchel).

Don’t care whether Maresca stays or goes—don’t think it will make much of a difference tbh.

"It could be too soon for him.." - Sounds like he checks all the boxes for our board. When can he start?

I feel there is probably some substance to the media rumours that some of the players are deeply worried about Maresca's inflexible methods and odd in game instructions. He certainly is tactically limited, and appears to have an arrogance and stubborness that would rub a lot of people up the wrong way. Get him out.

He is a dead man walking, players aren’t happy, fans aren’t happy and now some run ins with the board re signings and definitely sent some messages to them with his selections and substitutions I feel the writing is on the wall and the way we are playing a couple more defeats this week might be enough.

I don’t think long term even if everything clicked his over complicated and pretty boring style was never going to succeed. I know he won us 2 trophies and I’ll thank him but as much as I don’t like people being sacked I know I really don’t like watching us at the moment, the players don’t like playing it. Leave him there till you have found your replacement and make the change.

Seems like there’s a lack of top quality managers about too. Young managers getting top jobs on the back of 1-2 seasons. Mind you it’s the same with some of these players.

I want Maresca out but I have no faith in the owners on finding a better manager, their record is abysmal.

Pochettino, Potter, Maresca. All poor managers. What makes you think the next one will be better?

Basically we’re f*cked.

As expected, he blamed the player making the mistake and not his own sh*tty tactics that cause these things to happen. Slow down possession in a high intensity league and you're asking for trouble, it's been this way forever and it's not going to change because some Italian wants to bring Serie A tactics over here.

You always need to be looking forward in this league, passing it backwards as often as we do has always led to trouble. Understand the league you're playing in or it will eat you alive.

Edited September 28, 2025Sep 28 by Scott Harris

1 minute ago, Scott Harris said:

As expected, he blamed the player making the mistake and not his own sh*tty tactics that cause these things to happen. Slow down possession in a high intensity league and you're asking for trouble, it's been this way forever and it's not going to change because some Italian wants to bring Serie A tactics over here.

Listen Scott, his tactics were fine up until that Santos mistake. He has every right to be mad about it. As I was, too.

Brighton's first attempt on goal was after the 60th minute mark and if you looked closely (live on TV, not from the stands), there were several instances in which the camera was zooming on Brighton's manager up until the red card and he looked incredibly worried talking to his staff and was shaking his head all the time.

Minteh was the only one trying something on the right wing with no success as Cucurella had him in his pocket for the entire first half, other than that Chelsea was in complete control.

I know people hate Maresca, but you all be fair in analyzing everything. His gameplan in the last two rounds was totally ruined by two stupid red cards.

9 minutes ago, petre ispirescu said:

Listen Scott, his tactics were fine up until that Santos mistake. He has every right to be mad about it. As I was, too.

Brighton's first attempt on goal was after the 60th minute mark and if you looked closely (live on TV, not from the stands), there were several instances in which the camera was zooming on Brighton's manager up until the red card and he looked incredibly worried talking to his staff and was shaking his head all the time.

Minteh was the only one trying something on the right wing with no success as Cucurella had him in his pocket for the entire first half, other than that Chelsea was in complete control.

I know people hate Maresca, but you all be fair in analyzing everything. His gameplan in the last two rounds was totally ruined by two stupid red cards.

Its his failure to improve the style of play and punish teams when we are on top that causes these red card mistakes. Trying to protect a lead instead of killing the game.

His decision to bring on more defenders is costing us. We still look vulnerable, we still concede and have no attacking options to even recover.

The Brighton games last season should have been the end of Maresca's time here, and now it's the same this season. Quite frankly I find it baffling that there's anybody that thinks he should still be our manager.

2 minutes ago, petre ispirescu said:

Listen Scott, his tactics were fine up until that Santos mistake. He has every right to be mad about it. As I was, too.

Brighton's first attempt on goal was after the 60th minute mark and if you looked closely (live on TV, not from the stands), there were several instances in which the camera was zooming on Brighton's manager up until the red card and he looked incredibly worried talking to his staff and was shaking his head all the time.

Minteh was the only one trying something on the right wing with no success as Cucurella had him in his pocket for the entire first half, other than that Chelsea was in complete control.

I know people hate Maresca, but you all be fair in analyzing everything. His gameplan in the last two rounds was totally ruined by two stupid red cards.

People will only remember Santos giving the ball away, but if you rewatch that first half, you will see that it was a consistent problem and it's been a consistent problem in almost every game we have played since Maresca arrived. Santos will get the blame, but it could just as easily have been Cucurella, Enzo, Caicedo, James, Chalobah, Hato. All of them were sloppy in possession at times. We give the ball away in our own half or just beyond the half way line way too much.

Straight after our goal, we immediately switched things up and tried to slow the tempo down and work the ball backwards to bait Brighton's press. It didn't work, it never works. Every single game that we do this results in one of these passes going to the opposition. You can't play this way in this league, there is too much intensity. You either match that intensity or drop points.

You can play a controlled game, but you cannot try and control the game at that tempo, it won't work and never has worked in this league.

26 minutes ago, petre ispirescu said:

Listen Scott, his tactics were fine up until that Santos mistake. He has every right to be mad about it. As I was, too.

Brighton's first attempt on goal was after the 60th minute mark and if you looked closely (live on TV, not from the stands), there were several instances in which the camera was zooming on Brighton's manager up until the red card and he looked incredibly worried talking to his staff and was shaking his head all the time.

Minteh was the only one trying something on the right wing with no success as Cucurella had him in his pocket for the entire first half, other than that Chelsea was in complete control.

I know people hate Maresca, but you all be fair in analyzing everything. His gameplan in the last two rounds was totally ruined by two stupid red cards.

I agree about tactics working until sending off but being able to adapt is part of managing the team and he is, well the club manager. Obviously it's never good to have a player sent off but in the Maresca world it basically means a catastrophe and an inevitable loss.

16 hours ago, axman2526 said:

This pattern has been repeated now, and likely will be again.

Potter did not get long enough to be the first, but both Poch and now Maresca start off following the company line, happy with the squad training who they are given.

Then they get fed up of being given average, poor or very poor level players and want the holes in the teams quad fixed to make us more competitive. When that does not happen they lose their heads, talk out against the ownership on the press and then the cycle repeats.

Maresca is a dead man walking. Relationship has soured and he can come out of this and point to the two trophies, the lack of club support, and find a new job.

We will just start this cycle again. when the owners decide it is time to change.

Probably will be the Strasbourg manager, he seems ok, for now, with blue Co.

This exactly! I'm all for Maresca leaving - I think he's a mediocre, one-dimensional, inflexible manager, who is too set on achieving his one vision of football (which is very boring btw), often leading to players not being used to their full potential.

But that won't fix our problem... The way we are run is just not the way a top club, winning and competing for big trophies should be...

Maresca will leave and it will be the same all over again (hopefully with a more entertaining style of football in the meantime, then I might bother watching matches again).

Just seen the article heading “Glasner's pulsating Palace”. Didn’t see their game with Liverpool, but I’m very envious at the sound of pulsating football.