2 hours ago, Nibs said:

I need a bit of Christmas Cheer - I have the mother in law & father in law arriving today and they are staying with us for over a week FFS!

2 hours ago, Nibs said:

I need a bit of Christmas Cheer - I have the mother in law & father in law arriving today and they are staying with us for over a week FFS!

Are you planning on watching any Chelsea matches in that period? We may have to put you on suicide watch.

5 hours ago, RMH said:

Who is accountable for the lack of a FOS sponsor deal? I don't think that these owners have made the lines of responsibility or accountability clearer than it was under Roman. If anything, they've brought more chaos and inexperience to the footballing side and a laxer accountability for failings from top to bottom.

But I agree with you that it is very likely that Maresca won't be around next season.

The Executive that had responsibility was a chap called Casper Stylsvig. He was moved toward the end September

https://insidersport.com/2025/09/19/chelsea-chief-revenue-casper-stylsvig/

Edited December 19, 2025Dec 19 by terraloon

It's so weird comparing this forum to the Chelsea subreddit. It's vast majority want Maresca gone here, but majority seem to want him to stay, there.

1 hour ago, Zeta said:

It's so weird comparing this forum to the Chelsea subreddit. It's vast majority want Maresca gone here, but majority seem to want him to stay, there.

I'm sure that's rigged by Fraudo's Italian mama.

1 hour ago, Zeta said:

It's so weird comparing this forum to the Chelsea subreddit. It's vast majority want Maresca gone here, but majority seem to want him to stay, there.

It’s odd because as I said at the game during the week the views were generally positive . That said some of the lads that we travel with hate Maresca with a passion. Personally I am getting to the point where I don’t think there are any excuses left to enable him to get the benefit of doubt any longer he continues to pick players who simply aren’t up to it for instance Tosin when there are players who display greater potential.

20 hours ago, Frankie8Lampard said:

Read between the lines. The timing is very convenient. Maresca’s future is in doubt for the first time and suddenly he is the top target for City to replace Pep. Someone is definitely leaking.

Even if Maresca isn’t sacked he will definitely walk off for the city job.

It is. He says it's been the worst 48 hours of his time as Chelsea coach, but doesn't say why, then gets linked to Man City job soon after. All of this after getting a new agent. It's like he is trying to force it but also not upset Chelsea fans. Like he is setting himself up to say "it's not my fault" if he leaves. Well, his games could derail our season entirely, so I hope fans don't fall for it.

Edited December 19, 2025Dec 19 by Scott Harris

You know, I kinda respect the power play here.

We were all promised a rise in standards on transfers after securing Champions League qualification, and surely Maresca was promised as well. Maresca expressed his need for a top CB, ST and better wingers. Instead, we yet again spent loads on mid table quality players + teenagers.

So either the directors do their damn job or Maresca will leverage his interest from City.

8 hours ago, Zeta said:

It's so weird comparing this forum to the Chelsea subreddit. It's vast majority want Maresca gone here, but majority seem to want him to stay, there.

I really don't understand what I'm supposed to be positive about with Maresca tbh. Boring football, can't beat teams near the bottom of the table and doesn't know how to effectively rotate a squad. We've had a few bright moments but overall it hasn't been an enjoyable 18 months.

20 hours ago, dermott said:

Glasner wouldn't wear the Chelsea management hierarchy. He isn't a Yes man. Threatened to quit when Guehi was going to be sold without a suitable replacement incoming. Maresca wanted a replacement for the injured Colwill. He was ignored.

I think Glasner has never managed big club before so he will be tempted to manage Chelsea.

The question once again, does it matter. We all know that whoever we hire will have 0 control of the makeup of the squad.

Edited December 20, 2025Dec 20 by Bob stark

17 hours ago, Zeta said:

It's so weird comparing this forum to the Chelsea subreddit. It's vast majority want Maresca gone here, but majority seem to want him to stay, there.

I think this forum is more critical of players and managers compared to general Chelsea supporters perhaps we/they are more discerning, or analytical or maybe just worn down by the Blue Co. style or lack of it.

17 hours ago, Zeta said:

It's so weird comparing this forum to the Chelsea subreddit. It's vast majority want Maresca gone here, but majority seem to want him to stay, there.

I’ve always found ‘cos Reddit is so easily accessible you can get quite a lot more ‘fair weather’ supporters shall we say.

Factor that into a lot of ‘newer’ fans who also don’t have the same standards and it probably explains why.

I can’t for the life of me imagine anyone watches us against Leeds/Brighton/Utd and thinks, this manager knows how to set a side up over 38 games to have a successful season. We’re so slow and repetitively boring.

Enzo Maresca doubles down on the "worst 48 hours" comment: 🗣️”"What I said, it was not an emotional reaction. It was not an emotional reaction. I said what I said. Full stop”

Enzo Maresca: "At the moment, I don’t think we have a natural replacement for Enzo. We have adapted Andrey Santos, but Andrey is more of a number six, Moi’s position, than Enzo. Moi is also playing a lot as, unfortunately, we have had Romeo (Lavia) out and Dario (Essugo) out at the same time."

This is just strange; why did we sign Essugo if he considers Santos a “6”, and isn’t Lavia also a “6”. The Enzo situation is hilarious because he can’t play him as an “8” in big games, and won’t dare play him next to Caicedo against Newcastle.

19 hours ago, Zeta said:

It's so weird comparing this forum to the Chelsea subreddit. It's vast majority want Maresca gone here, but majority seem to want him to stay, there.

Probably linked strongly to demographics (age) and geographic location.

I'd reckon the average age on here is probably a lot older than Reddit and that tends to be people with a bit more life experience to differentiate properly between excellence and mediocrity !

Anyone 18-25 will almost certainly have no memory of Jose Mourinho part 1 for example to compare Maresca against ...

Similarly any new global fans in the USA, Africa, Far East, South America etc etc are unlikely to be as immersed in the club as a 50 year old UK person who has been supporting the club since the age of 7 or so, and so would have no experience of the standards we've all grown up with since the late 90s.

2 minutes ago, markpitts said:

Enzo Maresca: "At the moment, I don’t think we have a natural replacement for Enzo. We have adapted Andrey Santos, but Andrey is more of a number six, Moi’s position, than Enzo. Moi is also playing a lot as, unfortunately, we have had Romeo (Lavia) out and Dario (Essugo) out at the same time."

This is just strange; why did we sign Essugo if he considers Santos a “6”, and isn’t Lavia also a “6”. The Enzo situation is hilarious because he can’t play him as an “8” in big games, and won’t dare play him next to Caicedo against Newcastle.

Just absurd comments ... no doubt scripted by the PR department, flailing about to "protect" Enzo Fernandez as the club's poster boy again ...

His best balance in the team is two 6's in the pivot and a #10. We have better options than Enzo for all of those. Honestly I don't know what Enzo is ... a poor man's Veron perhaps ? The "luxury" player that proved surplus to requirements at all the big clubs he played for ?

As an advanced midfielder he has 3 goals and 2 assists from open play. Very poor output for the free role he is afforded, and for the number of minutes he plays.

As a pivot player he's never there .. usually AWOL getting in the way of one of the wingers !

We need rid of both Enzo's ASAP.

Edited December 20, 2025Dec 20 by Sexyfootball

On 18/12/2025 at 14:52, timetowaste said:

Difference is Pep has adapted his tactics recently. How City play now is considerably different to what it was 4/5 years ago, Maresca is still stuck in the mindset of having 1 tactic and if that doesn't work then bad luck.

This Pep is now playing long balls up the Haaland and parking the bus in some matches notable against Arsenal.

31 minutes ago, Sexyfootball said:

Just absurd comments ... no doubt scripted by the PR department, flailing about to "protect" Enzo Fernandez as the club's poster boy again ...

His best balance in the team is two 6's in the pivot and a #10. We have better options than Enzo for all of those. Honestly I don't know what Enzo is ... a poor man's Veron perhaps ? The "luxury" player that proved surplus to requirements at all the big clubs he played for ?

As an advanced midfielder he has 3 goals and 2 assists from open play. Very poor output for the free role he is afforded, and for the number of minutes he plays.

As a pivot player he's never there .. usually AWOL getting in the way of one of the wingers !

We need rid of both Enzo's ASAP.

Sydney mentioned Enzo is essentially the same player Maresca was.

It's not so much the role I have issue with, its how limited Enzo is as a footballer. He can't run, can't dribble, can't spray passes, can't unlock defences, can't shoot from range, etc. Asking a player who can't do anything to be in what is arguably one of the most influential roles in our attack.

6 minutes ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Sydney mentioned Enzo is essentially the same player Maresca was.

It's not so much the role I have issue with, its how limited Enzo is as a footballer. He can't run, can't dribble, can't spray passes, can't unlock defences, can't shoot from range, etc. Asking a player who can't do anything to be in what is arguably one of the most influential roles in our attack.

It's a good observation. No surprise that someone who was a bit of a plodder himself likes players in his own image and has problems handling flair players (Palmer, Estevao). He'd probably play 10 Enzo Fernandez's if he could ...

To think that there are people falling over themselves to defend Maresca is sickening. He's nowhere near good enough for the top level and if we somehow manage to offload him to Man City we should drive him there in a limo. Woeful dogsh*t manager.

Seasons a write off before Xmas again. Get rid of Maresca, get JT in the dug out till end of season and get an actual manager.

I no longer give a toss about trophies, this squad is well off the pace of serious silverware, I fully expect Neto and Palmer to be sold in the summer...

Appoint a manager who will entertain me.

Changing agents, media circus and a performance like this are all signs that he wants out.

We won't win a game until he gets his 3.5 year payout.

Fair play we came back well in that second half

35 minutes ago, timetowaste said:

Fair play we came back well in that second half

All the players.

He was going to sub James off before the FK per my commentators on NBC.

We always start off slow and that is 100% on Maresca.

He obviously tells them to try and get “control” of the game and then try and win it in the 2nd half.

Our running stats show that - we do the least running in the Premier League - worse than Wolves and West Ham!

That is by design and it’s all Maresca’s fault.

He sets us up to contain for the 1st half and react in the 2nd half.

Doing the least running in the division is a coaching choice - there is no defending that.

Teams know if they can play with any intensity in the 1st half then they can beat us.

We got away with a rubbish 1st half and a 2-0 deficit today but we didn’t against Leeds.

And don’t get me started on playing Gusto as an inverted right back leaving Anthony Gordon with the freedom of the park in that 1st half!

He is a 2nd rate manager, we won’t dine at the top table with this guy in charge!

If we have any ambition we’d sack him, if we keep him then taking Chelsea back to being one of the elite teams in Europe isn’t important to the board.

Terrible human being leave the club