I think the current ‘Power Rankings’ would resemble something like

1. Liverpool

2. Man City

3. Chelsea

4. Arsenal

From 5th to 12th could be absolutely anyone. Utd haven’t addressed their woeful Defence at all. Spurs have a squad built for Ange with a manager now who actually wants a defence, they’ll be nowhere. Brighton & Brentford have gutted their squads. Forest have lost Elanga who was key to their counter attacking. Everton maybe should be an improvement? Palace might be this seasons Forest if they can hang on to Eze & Guehi with Wharton hopefully fit for a full season?

It’ll be key for us to actually take points off the other Big 3 in games that matter this season and put a bit of superiority over the smaller teams for once. No more dropping of points to newly promoted sides.

57 minutes ago, The Boehly Babes said:

I think the current ‘Power Rankings’ would resemble something like

1. Liverpool

2. Man City

3. Chelsea

4. Arsenal

From 5th to 12th could be absolutely anyone. Utd haven’t addressed their woeful Defence at all. Spurs have a squad built for Ange with a manager now who actually wants a defence, they’ll be nowhere. Brighton & Brentford have gutted their squads. Forest have lost Elanga who was key to their counter attacking. Everton maybe should be an improvement? Palace might be this seasons Forest if they can hang on to Eze & Guehi with Wharton hopefully fit for a full season?

It’ll be key for us to actually take points off the other Big 3 in games that matter this season and put a bit of superiority over the smaller teams for once. No more dropping of points to newly promoted sides.

It really is bizarre. A manager dedicated to a system that demands quality midfielders and defenders - of which they have none - and they sign forwards.

On 26/07/2025 at 00:33, Ukraine Bolt said:

Cash in on that and repeat the bet and use the cash out option immediately for 100 times every single day until the season starts and odds drop or go higher. Easiest money you will ever make haha.

40 minutes ago, dermott said:

It really is bizarre. A manager dedicated to a system that demands quality midfielders and defenders - of which they have none - and they sign forwards.

Bruno FC

6 hours ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Bruno FC

And they should have sold him to Saudi. Not taking that money is going to hurt them. That £100m+ is a new goalkeeper, defender and midfielder / striker if they spend it wisely.

Everyone reports back next Monday.

Felt rather quick. I’d assume the bulk of them are still fit/sharp.

6 hours ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Everyone reports back next Monday.

Felt rather quick. I’d assume the bulk of them are still fit/sharp.

It's trickier than that. If they are still at peak fitness/sharpness now there is a substantial risk they will drop off midseason, which is when all the other teams will be targeting their peak performance. The biggest risk is that they are reaching their highest overload at the peak intensity of the season, which of course is a serious injury risk.

Fortunately Marescaball doesn't require players to actually run so we'll probably end up with a similar run of performances this season, hopefully with some better results.

Just realized, we don't have to worry about AFCON this year!

4 hours ago, Deino said:

Just realized, we don't have to worry about AFCON this year!

Jackson leaves, no?

Special manager.

35 minutes ago, Clown Lake said:

Jackson leaves, no?

Exactly

1 hour ago, drool winner said:

Special manager.

Yes, it takes someone very special to make football as boring as he’s managed to do this past season.

14 minutes ago, RMH said:

Yes, it takes someone very special to make football as boring as he’s managed to do this past season.

Top two for shots for, chances created and big chances created? If that's boring you just don't like football.

Mourinho was far from an entertaining coach and routinely complained about the atmosphere at the Bridge.

At this level the coaches that are serious about their craft put winning and control over all. Not interested in turning every match into a basketball game with zero midfield presence like that Spurs scum Pochettino.

The most boring football we’ve seen home and away, shockingly bad the second half of the season.

I’m hoping second season Meresca lets the hand break off. What’s the point in having pacey forwards and taking an age to get it forward?

I’m clinging to the slight improvement I felt was there during the CWC. Passing with a purpose, forward. Not afraid to go long at times to by pass the press.

I have to cos I can’t take another season like last. It was painful to watch at times. So much so at times I didn’t.

Edited July 30, 2025Jul 30 by C3blue

6 minutes ago, RMH said:

The most boring football we’ve seen home and away, shockingly bad the second half of the season.

OH NOES, the youngest squad in PL history hit a rough patch in the middle of the season and showed immense guille and character to secure top four with our second highest points total in the past six seasons even with stiffs like Jackson, Madueke, Sancho and Nkunku up top providing nothing.

Let's ignore that it was literally phase one for a brand new and young manager at this level who achieved top two on the form table in the first 15 and final 15 matches of the season and delivered silverware that united the squad together and established a core in place that would die on that pitch for the club.

Let's instead shake our ass for the ever giving BBQ man that had zero tactics, created less, gave up far more and embarrassed himself and the club in the media time and time again.

If you don't appreciate Maresca, it's something you're going to have to cope with or get left behind because he won't be going anywhere for the foreseeable future.

This is a prodigious young manager and the perfect appointment for this project.

1 hour ago, drool winner said:

Top two for shots for, chances created and big chances created? If that's boring you just don't like football.

Mourinho was far from an entertaining coach and routinely complained about the atmosphere at the Bridge.

At this level the coaches that are serious about their craft put winning and control over all. Not interested in turning every match into a basketball game with zero midfield presence like that Spurs scum Pochettino.

Omg the new fans thinking Mourinho was a boring coach again, this comment is a perfect tell of who didn’t watch us in 05.

The 25/26 squad is shaping up to be

Sanchez/Jorgensen

James/Gusto Tosin/Levi/Trev/Fofana Cucurella/Hato

Enzo/Caicedo/Santos/Simons/Lavia

Palmer/Neto Gittens/Estevao

Pedro/Delap/Jackson

---

That's a solid squad, stacked everywhere with an extra 3 players that can be slotted in for optimization sake, plenty of HG players too.

If we can bring in 1 GK in their prime and 1 CB that can lead the defence, we are title contenders.

52 minutes ago, Deino said:

The 25/26 squad is shaping up to be

Sanchez/Jorgensen

James/Gusto Tosin/Levi/Trev/Fofana Cucurella/Hato

Enzo/Caicedo/Santos/Simons/Lavia

Palmer/Neto Gittens/Estevao

Pedro/Delap/Jackson

---

That's a solid squad, stacked everywhere with an extra 3 players that can be slotted in for optimization sake, plenty of HG players too.

If we can bring in 1 GK in their prime and 1 CB that can lead the defence, we are title contenders.

Title contenders? Not a chance. Will take Top 4. Way too many changes; we are at 6 new signings; add Hato & Simmons, and it’s almost an 11.

Can’t see how he makes it work with that big a squad, can’t split the squad into 2 like he did last season. Your Caicedo, Cucurella & Palmer will play almost ever min in the CL & PL, if they are are fit. Won’t be surprised to see a couple demand a loan move away in Jan, it’s a World Cup year.

1 hour ago, markpitts said:

Title contenders? Not a chance. Will take Top 4. Way too many changes; we are at 6 new signings; add Hato & Simmons, and it’s almost an 11.

Can’t see how he makes it work with that big a squad, can’t split the squad into 2 like he did last season. Your Caicedo, Cucurella & Palmer will play almost ever min in the CL & PL, if they are are fit. Won’t be surprised to see a couple demand a loan move away in Jan, it’s a World Cup year.

I said if we add 1 prime GK, 1 CB who csn lead the line. Did I specifically said this season?

Maresca managed last season fine, it was even more chaotic last season with everything being new. Now we have an established core with only real change to it being the CF and LW position.

It being a WC year shouldn't affect the playing time considering we have CL, PL, FA, EFL and 5 subs each game. With a lot of the players being shoo-ins and half of them being under-25s the desperation isn't really there.

All of our new signings are young and most of our biggest stars are not in their prime. Cucurella, Tosin and Sanchez in purely age bracket are. In a league which is arguably the best and most competitive in the world winning a title in these circumstances would be a major upset.

Even PSG which is a very young side have those experienced cornerstones in their squad in Donnarumma, Marquinhos, Ruiz, Dembele and Hakimi not to mention the league they play in.

It is very uncommon to win a trophy like Premier League with this combination.

Not to mention Enzo Maresca who is very inexperienced.

Not saying it can't be done but certainly would be a big upset.

1. We aren’t sitting a GK, fairly obvious the Manager/Board have very high hopes on Penders development and view Sanchez as an adequate stopgap (He’s a sensational Goalkeeper, He’s a sh*t footballer)

2. Fully agree with needing 1 more CB, ideally Guehi from Palace, going into the season with only Levi, Tosin & Chalobah is risky. They’re all good enough but it’s a rough and tumble position and fatigue/injuries will be a major factor.

3. We’re Chelsea. Winning the League should be the minimum we’re aiming for, no excuses. Letting that Tottenham mindset slowly creep into the fanbase is unacceptable. We’re the best team in the biggest city from the world’s greatest country. Nothing but 1st will do.

This is the season to make a big go at it, may not be title contenders on paper for the lack of what I said earlier but Pool, Arsenal, City and us are on a restructure. The first team that sorts everything out the quickest will win the PL

Pool have a new forward line with players that have never played together.

Arse has to redesign a gameplan to fit their new striker

City has to mesh Cherki + their midfield with Haaland and this time around KdB isn't there to bail them out.

We have to retweak the attack but we had the benefit of trying things out in a competitive setting in the CWC. Our new signings are mostly for depth/options.

2 hours ago, Deino said:

This is the season to make a big go at it, may not be title contenders on paper for the lack of what I said earlier but Pool, Arsenal, City and us are on a restructure. The first team that sorts everything out the quickest will win the PL

Pool have a new forward line with players that have never played together.

Arse has to redesign a gameplan to fit their new striker

City has to mesh Cherki + their midfield with Haaland and this time around KdB isn't there to bail them out.

We have to retweak the attack but we had the benefit of trying things out in a competitive setting in the CWC. Our new signings are mostly for depth/options.

Last season was probably our best chance for awhile to make a title challenge.

It really is Man City's title to lose, short of a Pep-plosion or a points deduction from 115, it is hard to see past them.

Arsenal are best placed to take advantage of all the transition. Their squad now has actual depth and an actual striker. They needed a finisher and they ended up signing the second-best one in the world.

Liverpool will go into the season as hot favourites but unless they sign Isak, I don't see it. Wirtz will be a superstar but Ekitike and Frimpong will struggle, and it also wouldn't be surprising to see Gravenberch come down with second-season syndrome. Their biggest obstacle is depth at DM and CB, they've been lucky last season but if they lose Konate or van Djik for any length of time they are in trouble.

We are a known quantity that is heavily reliant on one of Delap or Joao Pedro to be world class. Think we're a season off that.

Edited July 31, 2025Jul 31 by SydneyChelsea

1 hour ago, SydneyChelsea said:

Last season was probably our best chance for awhile to make a title challenge.

It really is Man City's title to lose, short of a Pep-plosion or a points deduction from 115, it is hard to see past them.

Arsenal are best placed to take advantage of all the transition. Their squad now has actual depth and an actual striker. They needed a finisher and they ended up signing the second-best one in the world.

Liverpool will go into the season as hot favourites but unless they sign Isak, I don't see it. Wirtz will be a superstar but Ekitike and Frimpong will struggle, and it also wouldn't be surprising to see Gravenberch come down with second-season syndrome. Their biggest obstacle is depth at DM and CB, they've been lucky last season but if they lose Konate or van Djik for any length of time they are in trouble.

We are a known quantity that is heavily reliant on one of Delap or Joao Pedro to be world class. Think we're a season off that.

Fair assessment. I can't say last season was the one when Maresca had a lot on his plate, but I see the argument in that.

Right now, I'm hoping for Pedro or Delap or both to quickly click and get to scoring boatloads sooner