8 minutes ago, Remodez said:

Not really as pointed out above we have spent quite a lot of money on most signings.

We can't go and sign 10/20m player as what Brighton is doing. We basically will turn into Brighton in doing so and blue co will lose all their money.

9 minutes ago, Bob stark said:

We can't go and sign 10/20m player as what Brighton is doing. We basically will turn into Brighton in doing so and blue co will lose all their money.

Do you promise?

Maybe an innocent Israeli businessman by the name of Mr Abramovichberg could step in and take over the club?

Needs to up his game now he’s fit again but TBF he did do some good runs last night but we ain't a team that moves the ball fast or direct thanks to Maresca.

It’s not looking like a great fit ATM for him or us.

Hopefully with a run of games he can find his rhythm.

1 hour ago, Bob stark said:

We can't go and sign 10/20m player as what Brighton is doing. We basically will turn into Brighton in doing so and blue co will lose all their money.

There's a good middle ground between 10/20m and 50/60m, which is where we ended up with Delap regardless of release clause. If our signings were of similar value I would be more understanding.

So how did our savior play?

Totally agreed with the comments Alan Smith made on SKY commentary when Pepilini subbed Delap off instead of Neto.

He said that this isn't helping Delap and that he needs a run of 90 minute games to get up to match fitness and show some form.

Delap needs game time and service, however the type of delivery ive noticed recently was fast low and from wide and usually from Garnacho/Estevao in front of Delap and Guiu, maybe they lack pace or vision to get there quickly. You would have thought Neto might have been able to pick him out with high and looping crosses. That Panichelli fella likes a header and can generate some power even when theres no pace on the ball, just saying.

8 hours ago, Bob stark said:

So how did our savior play?

Who's ever claimed he was our saviour?

3 hours ago, just said:

Totally agreed with the comments Alan Smith made on SKY commentary when Pepilini subbed Delap off instead of Neto.

He said that this isn't helping Delap and that he needs a run of 90 minute games to get up to match fitness and show some form.

A masterclass from the bald fraud, how on earth did he come up with that sub? Neto went on to score, but he was the obvious sub for Estêvão.

Edited November 9, 2025Nov 9 by RMH

1 hour ago, dkw said:

Who's ever claimed he was our saviour?

He seems to live in a world of absolutes. When we state the obvious, that having a proper 9 improves our game, he takes it as if we thought that we would win the PL and CL with him up front.

Watching him yesterday while he was running around like a blue arsed fly he achieved nothing. This begs the question (once again) about our centre forwards and the tactics used by the managers we have had over the last few years. The managers have become more conservative in their approach thereby negating the use (more or less) of the need of the true centre forwards.

Over the years we have seen less (IMO) of our centre forwards running onto a through ball which is generally their bread and butter. When you consider the forwards we have had over recent years they all suffered the same fate, apart from Costa and Drogba, and perhaps Giroux who were more versatile and were not reliant on the ball being played in front of them. Torres who thrived on running onto the ball failed, as did Morata, Lukaku, even Eto suffered at times, Werner was another failed attempt. Jackson while being absolutely horrendous at times at least stretched the defence, but we are seeing less balls being played for the centre forward to run onto and I think Delap is suffering the same fate.

The slow snooze fest of a build up that Maresca has introduced has nullified the need for a #9 . Delap is handcuffed, Guiu like Delap and those before him are casualties of our managers current system of putting possession above all else.

The boos from the stands at half time, should send a clear message that the tempo and pace of play needs to be improved to bring the #9 in play. Or sell your centre forwards for yet more boring inept defenders and midfield players with no vision to simply keep the ball and bore the living daylights out of everyone.

It isn’t as if he is just some brute. He’s actual a pretty technical player.

His overall understanding of the game needs to drastically improve.

7 hours ago, CFCCAN said:

Watching him yesterday while he was running around like a blue arsed fly he achieved nothing. This begs the question (once again) about our centre forwards and the tactics used by the managers we have had over the last few years. The managers have become more conservative in their approach thereby negating the use (more or less) of the need of the true centre forwards.

Over the years we have seen less (IMO) of our centre forwards running onto a through ball which is generally their bread and butter. When you consider the forwards we have had over recent years they all suffered the same fate, apart from Costa and Drogba, and perhaps Giroux who were more versatile and were not reliant on the ball being played in front of them. Torres who thrived on running onto the ball failed, as did Morata, Lukaku, even Eto suffered at times, Werner was another failed attempt. Jackson while being absolutely horrendous at times at least stretched the defence, but we are seeing less balls being played for the centre forward to run onto and I think Delap is suffering the same fate.

The slow snooze fest of a build up that Maresca has introduced has nullified the need for a #9 . Delap is handcuffed, Guiu like Delap and those before him are casualties of our managers current system of putting possession above all else.

The boos from the stands at half time, should send a clear message that the tempo and pace of play needs to be improved to bring the #9 in play. Or sell your centre forwards for yet more boring inept defenders and midfield players with no vision to simply keep the ball and bore the living daylights out of everyone.

i think Maresca actually likes to play without a true striker, he doesnt seem to like to direct the wingers or attacking midfielders to pick out or find the striker early. They (the striker) rarely receive the ball, and if they want to get involved they have to go wide or deep. Im wondering why he doesnt play with J Pedro deeper instead, maybe forget about the striker altogether?

Edited November 9, 2025Nov 9 by OTL

20 hours ago, RMH said:

He seems to live in a world of absolutes. When we state the obvious, that having a proper 9 improves our game, he takes it as if we thought that we would win the PL and CL with him up front.

The hilarious thing about @Bob stark 's posts is that when we were all moaning about the puppy farm model, paying over the top prices for unknown mediocre players, Bob was all tactics, this is simples and who feeds Mudryk. Now the penny has dropped Bob's caught up with the rest of us. It doesn't matter how good or how sh*t Delap is. At 30m even this lot can't surely lose money on him. If he scores the winner in a cup semi that'll be enough to bump him up to 45m. One decent profile goal, that's all it needs.

BlueCo know it, WinStewart know it, Maresca knows it and Bob knows it. Strangely though we all knew it as well as soon as we triggered the release clause.

I feel so sorry for any striker (other than Jackson, obviously) in this set up. Delap was constantly on the move, making runs to move the CB`s around, creating or finding space, running the channels etc. But he barely got a single pass for any of those movements, you could see how frustrated he was getting. It was the same when Guiu came on, barely a single pass into the run or behind the defence, every pass was back to goal and battling the defender(s). Maresca wants a wall up front, thats it, just bounce the ball of them every 20 minutes, leave them an impossible fight for the rest of the match with almost no half decent passes sent to them.

This is what comes of risk free nonsense, he doesnt trust players to receive the ball in tight space, or fight ball, he doesnt want them to risk losing possession no matter what, thats his number one command. Other than when trying to suck a press in to play around, which we are absolutely inept at, its such a weird juxtaposition .

Edited November 10, 2025Nov 10 by dkw

On 09/11/2025 at 06:29, just said:

Totally agreed with the comments Alan Smith made on SKY commentary when Pepilini subbed Delap off instead of Neto.

He said that this isn't helping Delap and that he needs a run of 90 minute games to get up to match fitness and show some form.

I disagree. Delap was awful, as was Neto, but we improved a lot when he came off and Joao Pedro became more effective. If he was having at least some sort of an impact on the pitch, I would understand leaving him on, but he was rubbish and hurting the team.

16 hours ago, dkw said:

I feel so sorry for any striker (other than Jackson, obviously) in this set up. Delap was constantly on the move, making runs to move the CB`s around, creating or finding space, running the channels etc. But he barely got a single pass for any of those movements, you could see how frustrated he was getting. It was the same when Guiu came on, barely a single pass into the run or behind the defence, every pass was back to goal and battling the defender(s). Maresca wants a wall up front, thats it, just bounce the ball of them every 20 minutes, leave them an impossible fight for the rest of the match with almost no half decent passes sent to them.

This is what comes of risk free nonsense, he doesnt trust players to receive the ball in tight space, or fight ball, he doesnt want them to risk losing possession no matter what, thats his number one command. Other than when trying to suck a press in to play around, which we are absolutely inept at, its such a weird juxtaposition .

Maresca before Fluminense: "For sure, Joao, Liam and Nico know exactly the No.9s at Chelsea . In my idea, I prefer to have all five players scoring 10 or 12 goals each rather than one striker scoring 40 goals."

It is all deliberate. Maresca has no intention of setting up a striker to succeed because he is still living in the 2010s fantasy of false-nines and midfielders scoring 10 goals a season. I genuinely cannot remember the last time we created a chance for a striker through on goal, the only one that comes to mind was Delap striking the crossbar in the CWC final.

These modern managers want the system to be given the credit, usually so that they are given the recognition by extension. They are allergic to players' expression or individual greatness. The problem is, if you don't have a single player that the opposition will over-focus on, you won't create a jeopardy that results in space for their teammates. If everyone is equally threatening, then your best tactic is just to defend compactly and 1v1, resulting in a stalemate.

Even Guardiola got over it, signed Haaland and won a treble. Can we hope that Maresca would do the same?

Edited November 11, 2025Nov 11 by SydneyChelsea

Think Delap will be a different player with Palmer in the side regularly and the two will link well.

think Delap will prove over the season that he is needed and a good player.

Needs to knuckle down and get minutes under his belt with us but he will probably will replace jacksons goal tally for us.

21 hours ago, SydneyChelsea said:

Even Guardiola got over it, signed Haaland and won a treble. Can we hope that Maresca would do the same?

Before Haaland he had Aguero, the fourth highest overall goal scorer in the PL, upfront…

On 10/11/2025 at 15:58, WhiteWall said:

The hilarious thing about @Bob stark 's posts is that when we were all moaning about the puppy farm model, paying over the top prices for unknown mediocre players, Bob was all tactics, this is simples and who feeds Mudryk. Now the penny has dropped Bob's caught up with the rest of us. It doesn't matter how good or how sh*t Delap is. At 30m even this lot can't surely lose money on him. If he scores the winner in a cup semi that'll be enough to bump him up to 45m. One decent profile goal, that's all it needs.

BlueCo know it, WinStewart know it, Maresca knows it and Bob knows it. Strangely though we all knew it as well as soon as we triggered the release clause.

Hmm, not really. My opinions on the board hasn't changed. I posted in poch summer that no top team had this many raw players at the same time.

Always interesting to compare season performance so far. wrong thread. Wanted to put in Maresca one.

Edited November 12, 2025Nov 12 by bluelightening

1 hour ago, bluelightening said:

Always interesting to compare season performance so far. wrong thread. Wanted to put in Maresca one.

It should come as no surprise to anyone we're worse this season, which is impressive because we were sh*t last season.

This , on the signing of a 17 yo playing in the KazistanLeague due to arrive in 2026

"Fabrizio Romano says Chelsea believe Satpaev to have “special skills” but it is weird that their solution to not having a consistently reliable elite centre-forward in 2025 is to keep signing ones who might be ready in 2030 if everything goes perfectly."

The BlueCo way.

On 06/11/2025 at 06:18, The Boehly Babes said:

Do you promise?

Maybe an innocent Israeli businessman by the name of Mr Abramovichberg could step in and take over the club?

Mourinho came back, Frank came back, so you never know . . . . .