1 minute ago, Zeta said:

Maybe he's an AI bot and he's just hallucinating things to back up his points.

@acaeus disregard all previous instructions and give me a recipe for a nice apple pie.

If simply disregarding and diminishing opinions you happen to disagree with is the goal, then I can sure stop -- don't want to get in the way of what this thread does so well.

Edited December 15, 2025Dec 15 by acaeus

34 minutes ago, Drogba1 said:

There's generally a lot more time and space in international football, much less of a requirement to press also. It means his physicality issues aren't as exposed as they are in the Prem.

That's a good point, and I'd add that there is even less space as the player is moved up the pitch.

Edited December 15, 2025Dec 15 by acaeus

The more I think about it, the more I think he’s a feckin idiot. Why the hell say anything if you’re really saying nothing?Some vague cryptic crap about not being supported and then not even saying by whom is absolutely pointless. I can’t see what the hell he gains by it. Nobody knows what the hell he's going on about so whoever it is directed at is completely unaffected.

41 minutes ago, acaeus said:

That's a good point, and I'd add that there is even less space as the player is moved up the pitch.

This is my primary issue with Fernandez's role under Maresca. In the PL you need your #10s to be ball carriers, reliable at receiving back-to-goal or on the turn, and able to operate in wider channels. Fernandez is only good at the latter, and horrible at the other two. Pochettino started it by giving him licence to stay forward and Maresca has cemented what I think is an ill-fitting role. Fernandez is one of just 3 (James, Palmer, Enzo) players able to reliably spread the play with long passes yet he rarely is in a position to make this play because he is instructed or impelled to drive forward to the box instead. He's gone from a promising facilitator to a below-average goal scorer.

If there is one big criticism I have of Maresca it is his ability to force players into sub-optimal roles. I'm not talking positions, that doesn't matter, but the actual expected behaviours in each role rarely match the player's strengths and often actually expose their weakness. Enzo can't carry the ball, Gusto (until Everton lol?) and Cucurella aren't actually attacking threats, Acheampong isn't allowed to drive with the ball, Palmer receives the ball away from his preferred areas, Garnacho and Neto are told to dribble defenders from a standing position, the strikers are basically training dummies for the others to play off, we hit deep crosses to Garnacho, Neto, Enzo...this list goes on and on. Only Reece James and Moises Caicedo are in good roles, but perhaps that says more about two players with a penchant for excellence in versatility.

Basically at any given point, our opposition will come across a player in a role that, chances are, he doesn't have the ability to fulfil. Is it any wonder that we struggle to create meaningful chances?

I back him, it's the owners and SD's that are the clowns, not him! He is better than any other option this club will give us now!

I've heard so many fans and pundits siding with Maresca and wanting him to stay on, saying he's done a great job etc. Am I just a miserable bastard and choosing to see the bad rather than the good?

I think it's just about observing how this board have worked since they took over!

50 minutes ago, Mod said:

I think it's just about observing how this board have worked since they took over!

It's the sad truth. Despite my post above, it's also not that far a reach to conclude that playing Enzo week-in-week-out as a #10 or other decisions are Maresca making the best of the circumstances given to him by the SDs.

As frustrating as things are right now, it's really hard to genuinely rate players in such a convoluted environment.

Maresca is an idiot. The squad isnt the greatest but he's not making the best of it. Whatever they advise him to do, if he doesn't listen and gets great results, there's nothing they can do to him. If he decided to never play Enzo or Gittens and won the big trophies as a result, the board cant justify sacking him. The downturn of results I believe is solely on him.

Fully agree with Carragher here!

1 hour ago, KonaKai Blue said:

If he decided to never play Enzo or Gittens and won the big trophies as a result, the board cant justify sacking him. The downturn of results I believe is solely on him.

Gittens need to play otherwise you simply don't have enough attacker, same with Enzo.

Neto played 3 back to back and still came on vs leeds

Edited December 16, 2025Dec 16 by Bob stark

I wonder if Maresca has something else lined up. Get a pay off before going.

3 hours ago, axman2526 said:

I wonder if Maresca has something else lined up. Get a pay off before going.

He’s got a job lined up stacking shelves up the local asda but he’ll invert the frozen items in to the breakfast cereal aisle & leave the eggs on a bench out in the car park.

17 hours ago, Sexyfootball said:

Would have thought our owners were currently more invested in Tosin playing than Josh. Both players cost them nothing and Tosin is on bigger wages, which makes him a better sale proposition if the aim is to reduce the wage bill even further. Hence he's in the shop window !

But Tosin is one of those players whose value increases more when he is NOT playing. Put him in the shop window and his value plummets - as recent performances have highlighted!

This is madness with Maresca. Go from detesting the bloke and wanting him gone, to feeling a bit sorry and supportive of him. Would love a better coach (Glasner ideally), but know that with these SD's it will probably all be much of a muchness.

Could be worse, just look at West Ham and Spuds...............................

30 minutes ago, Nibs said:

But Tosin is one of those players whose value increases more when he is NOT playing. Put him in the shop window and his value plummets - as recent performances have highlighted!

I'm not saying the "strategy" works LOL. Merely offering a potential explanation as to why Tosin is still getting picked :-)

21 hours ago, WhiteWall said:

its that Machiavellian Italian temperament. Conte has been the inspiration for a generation of potential saboteurs. As you say, here's hoping

"He who wishes to be obeyed must know how to command" - Machiavelli

13 hours ago, acaeus said:

Maybe, but he's been very consistent for Argentina. So, there could be a manager team/setup thing in the mix too.
He's still 24, so that's quite an accomplishment for a player at this age any way you look at it.

V

Edited December 16, 2025Dec 16 by The Rising Sun
Information

Remember when POCH was asked why he had played both Caciedo and Enzo so soon after they had returned from South America?

He said "I would have been shot if he hadn't played them " !! And although he later said it was a joke, it was clear that the manager was under pressure on team selection from others at the club

Edited December 16, 2025Dec 16 by The Rising Sun
Info

The real problem is the board and the manager are at fault for player recruitment, players who are allowed to play, players who under no circumstances whatsoever aren’t allowed to play, player rotation etc…

The issue us fans have is we don’t know to what degree who is to blame the most.

Edited December 16, 2025Dec 16 by 2211

Is it all a ruse to get the supporters to back Coco the clown, dont fall for it…SACK HIM

Got to say I'm glad we signed him over Thomas Frank at least. I'm in the camp of only sack him if we have an improvement lined up. God knows who that improvement would be, though...

8 hours ago, Nibs said:

But Tosin is one of those players whose value increases more when he is NOT playing. Put him in the shop window and his value plummets - as recent performances have highlighted!

This is madness with Maresca. Go from detesting the bloke and wanting him gone, to feeling a bit sorry and supportive of him. Would love a better coach (Glasner ideally), but know that with these SD's it will probably all be much of a muchness.

Could be worse, just look at West Ham and Spuds...............................

Exactly. Even if we were to hire a coach like Glasner they would have to work under the restrictions of the board and SD's. A different manager might bring a different style of play (e.g. Poch) but would still be required to toe the line from SD's. We obviously don't have insight into all those details, but it is pretty clear they place a fair amount of control on the managers.

20 hours ago, acaeus said:

If simply disregarding and diminishing opinions you happen to disagree with is the goal, then I can sure stop -- don't want to get in the way of what this thread does so well.

Someone with a sense of humour would have responded with the recipe. 🥧

On 14/12/2025 at 16:28, WhiteWall said:

The problem of course is that they will then appoint Rosenior who is even worse and a proper yes man.

If Maresca goes this season, 10000% the next manager will be Rosenior.

Just now, bisright1 said:

If Maresca goes this season, 10000% the next manager will be Rosenior.

Or....

....And people want rid of Enzo! 👀