I would go for xavi

Least he's acknowledged he's made mistakes with how he managed the game after the red cards.

1 hour ago, The Boehly Babes said:

Maresca isn’t good enough. I’d suggest a majority of us knew this from his time at Leicester before he was even appointed

The CWC final performance has been the exception not the norm. Yes it was fantastic but we haven’t built on that and made that our mould, instead we’ve reverted to type and play scared football.

By the end of last season everyone was bored of our football. The ECL was expected, it’d have been more of an embarrassment if we hadn’t won it.

The longer we stick with EM the more likely a Palmer or a Estevao asks to leave and that is the only entertainment we currently have.

Our biggest issue with sacking Enzo will be his replacement. Why would a Iraolo, a Glasner or even a Herzeler leave their current position to take over us?

We have a disjointed squad that’s strengths lie in attacking areas and a solid midfield with a defence that needs an overhaul. We drop Maresca, we immediately need a new LB for example.

De Zerbi? Should’ve probably been him anyway last season but quite clearly not a yes man. Bielsa? Again he’d get a tune and discipline out the squad but not long term. Rosenior? Can BlueCo really keep pissing RSC off that much?!

I would love Biesla. A madman, who would get the players fired up and emboldened to play. And run f**kers run.

1 hour ago, The Boehly Babes said:

Maresca isn’t good enough. I’d suggest a majority of us knew this from his time at Leicester before he was even appointed

The CWC final performance has been the exception not the norm. Yes it was fantastic but we haven’t built on that and made that our mould, instead we’ve reverted to type and play scared football.

By the end of last season everyone was bored of our football. The ECL was expected, it’d have been more of an embarrassment if we hadn’t won it.

The longer we stick with EM the more likely a Palmer or a Estevao asks to leave and that is the only entertainment we currently have.

Our biggest issue with sacking Enzo will be his replacement. Why would a Iraolo, a Glasner or even a Herzeler leave their current position to take over us?

We have a disjointed squad that’s strengths lie in attacking areas and a solid midfield with a defence that needs an overhaul. We drop Maresca, we immediately need a new LB for example.

De Zerbi? Should’ve probably been him anyway last season but quite clearly not a yes man. Bielsa? Again he’d get a tune and discipline out the squad but not long term. Rosenior? Can BlueCo really keep pissing RSC off that much?!

Are you sure? With Palmer out, do we have any match winners?

5 hours ago, markpitts said:

Are you sure? With Palmer out, do we have any match winners?

no.

Expecting Estevao, at 18, to do what Palmer does is batsh*t crazy IMO. At the very least, he will be hugely inconsistent this season.

Why are we struggling this season?

CWC

Pep was so worried about cwc that he basically treat it like holiday. Maresca of course being a young manager, eager to prove said to his player that cwc can be more important than cl.

Long cwc mean long season and short pre season = disaster. Injury, especially this many muscle injury this early of the season is a big concern, and player fitness is a big issue.

Rotation/Sub

This is my biggest problem with Maresca last season. His lack of sub and rotation concern me. He need to utilize Nkunku and Felix more. We are not talking about kids here and he need to bring more sub.

Last season in fa cup, league cup, conference league, Maresca played 11 new players. He basically gave up any cup run. You can't do that in CL. So far? Meh.

Transfer

We have the same exact need the last two summer?

Plan B st

The last two seasons we only had Jackson as 9. The whole offense collapse last season the moment he went down. We desperately need one more st and we finally signed Delap but we sold Jackson and we are back to square one.

Elite winger

😂😂😂

Gk

😂😂😂

Edited September 30, 2025Sep 30 by Bob stark

Many fans here want Glasner or Iraola. Whatever you see what they are doing in their current club will be irrelevant once they come here. 

Maresca want his winger to be strong at 1v1. Sterling gone, Madueke gone. Maresca doesn't think that Jp is a st but the board think he is a st. 

Unfortunately I think we’re in for a couple of tough games and it won’t be positive results.

30 minutes ago, JM7 said:

Unfortunately I think we’re in for a couple of tough games and it won’t be positive results.

I think that we can win today but no way we beat Liverpool on Saturday.

3 minutes ago, RMH said:

I think that we can win today but no way we beat Liverpool on Saturday.

So frustrating, as a few weeks back, I honestly thought we would beat Liverpool, as they really haven't looked all that.

But with injuries (especially no Palmer) and the sh*t run of form we are in and the negative Maresca tactics, I think it could be a case of keeping the score down to something somewhat respectable. I expect nothing out of the game.

On 29/09/2025 at 17:46, Snedger said:

Top four and a cup run? So this is how it felt to be an Arsenal fan for 20 years.

The current ownership have spent twice as much as Abramovich to have half as much ambition as Ken Bates and Matthew Harding.

On 29/09/2025 at 15:48, markpitts said:

Injuries don’t just test depth, they expose whether a manager can adapt or collapse under pressure which he seems to be doing

This. It is very easy when you can play the same 14 guys week in week out. You can play whatever tactic, system and it just work and you look like a genius.

I always feel nostalgic when Jose comes back to the bridge. A proper manager that loves the club, but instead we're stuck with this fraud.

On 29/09/2025 at 13:05, Sconnie Blue said:

Least he's acknowledged he's made mistakes with how he managed the game after the red cards.

Maybe not wearing his dad's fishing jumper to the press conference could have been one of them.

The last 2 games and our performances with 10 had me thinking about 2 games in the past when we went down to 10 men

Barcelona away. I think our other Centre Half Cahill was out injured and didn't start ? Then a goal down and before halftime a man down after John Terry's red card. Then 2 goals down . We fight back to draw 2-2 and go through to the CL final.

Liverpool away . Reece James sent off just before half time and Liverpool equalise from resulting penalty. We keep Liverpool at bay and watch them visibly frustrated whilst we keep threatening with counter attacks. Ends 1-1.

It's unfair to compare those teams with our current one , but the current one is the one that is part of a so called plan, and it's not a cheap money saving plan either, with massive spending and massive associated debt .

5 hours ago, SydneyChelsea said:

The current ownership have spent twice as much as Abramovich to have half as much ambition as Ken Bates and Matthew Harding.

Summed up beautifully in just one sentence.

👍

15 minutes ago, The Rising Sun said:

The last 2 games and our performances with 10 had me thinking about 2 games in the past when we went down to 10 men

Barcelona away. I think our other Centre Half Cahill was out injured and didn't start ? Then a goal down and before halftime a man down after John Terry's red card. Then 2 goals down . We fight back to draw 2-2 and go through to the CL final.

Liverpool away . Reece James sent off just before half time and Liverpool equalise from resulting penalty. We keep Liverpool at bay and watch them visibly frustrated whilst we keep threatening with counter attacks. Ends 1-1.

It's unfair to compare those teams with our current one , but the current one is the one that is part of a so called plan, and it's not a cheap money saving plan either, with massive spending and massive associated debt .

I was having a look at games in the last few years when we had a red card. Apart from one Conference League game against Heidenheim where we lost Casadei to a second yellow in stoppage time, you have to go back to Brighton at home in Poch's season where we managed to get a positive result from a game following a red card. We held on for a 3-2 win in that one after losing Conor 45 mins in.

Also if you look at our last defeats under Enzo, apart from the one at Bayern, I think you have to go back to Arsenal away in the league since we lost a game where we weren't affected by a red card. The other defeats in that time were both Jackson red cards (Newcastle and Flamengo). While our football hasn't been good to watch a lot of the time, we've generally not lost that many games when we've managed to keep 11 on the pitch. But equally Maresca has been hopeless when trying to manage games where we have gone down to 10.

5 hours ago, Nibs said:

So frustrating, as a few weeks back, I honestly thought we would beat Liverpool, as they really haven't looked all that.

But with injuries (especially no Palmer) and the sh*t run of form we are in and the negative Maresca tactics, I think it could be a case of keeping the score down to something somewhat respectable. I expect nothing out of the game.

I'd say lets get past tonight's game first. Critical to win this one and restore some confidence. Hopefully not pick up new injuries etc. The team and atmosphere Sunday should be a lot more upbeat if we go into the game on the back of a win tonight.

On 29/09/2025 at 13:05, Sconnie Blue said:

Least he's acknowledged he's made mistakes with how he managed the game after the red cards.

Just tactics, formation, team selection and motivation to go then.

Lose tonite. We will lose at anfield and he could be in big trouble

Edited September 30, 2025Sep 30 by Andy2461

8 minutes ago, Andy2461 said:

Lose tonite. We will lose at anfield and he could be in big trouble

I bet you any money you like that we won't lose at Anfield after tonight's game , whatever the result

Just now, The Rising Sun said:

I bet you any money you like that we won't lose at Anfield after tonight's game , whatever the result

It’s at Chelsea right lol

57 minutes ago, The Rising Sun said:

I bet you any money you like that we won't lose at Anfield after tonight's game , whatever the result

If you're going to be like that, May 9th is after tonight's game, so I might take you up on that.

Watching the slow death vs Benfica

Maresca says he wants to control games, but his slow football cedes control. We cannot do anything in this have without Benfica's 'permission'; any chance created is due to an unforced error by them.

Our CBs are literally walking during build-up and are clearly instructed not to run into space. This means we have to speed up the attack in the most congested area of the pitch, so we lose the ball, and then the static CBs playing a high line means they are immediately put under pressure.

This football hurts our defence and attack.

This is far worst than what we saw under Sarri. He makes Sarri ball look quick!!!