I make it a miserable 4 clean sheets from 24 games in the PL to date. 

In the early season, i was torn between whether Maresca was doing a good job, or if Poch's influence was still in action. It's plain to see now that it was the latter. Now we're playing pure Maresca ball. All of the life and spirit of a young team has been drained out of them. He cannot organise a defense, and doesn't seem to care. A defence should never change, personel or system unless it is forced, by injury or suspension. When Cucerella inverted into midfield, it worked very well. but further forward means when we inevitably lose the ball, he's too far away from his own position. Maresca is an arrogant stupid manager, incapable of seeing the problems his "system" causes. And it's so obvious the players no longer buy into his plans. they are simply robots carrying out their instructions, scared to deviate from the plan. He cannot accept that the players he has, and will be given to him, are more suited to a different system. Gusto should be giving the width on the right, creating space for Palmer, not inverting, he's a shadow of the exiting young player he was. Maresca like Pep, stifles talent for system, Arteta eventually learnt that you have to let the talent express itself, all be it in a controlled way. I hate lego hair, but concede he's far superior to Maresca.

I do wonder if the biggest problem, was the fall out between Boehly and Clearlake.  From Boehly's interests in America, it's plain to see he REALLY wants a winning team. Yes he made early blunders, through lack of knowledge of the game, but things did improve. Then the fall out, with clearlakes taking over the reins. Now a winning team is no longer necessary, as to them the bottom line is all that matters.

When the club was let's face it, illegally forced into the sale, i thought Boehly was the better choice out of all the contenders, not knowing who clearlake were. It's a shame Boehly didn't buy the majority share, as i feel things would be a lot rosier if he had. Their intention is to turn us into a trader of young talent, not realising that the talent will not come here without a winning team to aspire to. They think they can turbo charge Brightons system of recruitment and player turnover, but they are woefully short of Bloom's accuteness.

Didn’t watch the game as I was out, how bad was it?

one of the worse performances i have seen from a Chelsea team  only hope we have is 

if we move to Earls Court  we do not tell the first team  and start again 

47 minutes ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

Didn’t watch the game as I was out, how bad was it?

Shockingly bad, the whole squad and management team need to have a look at themselves.

Maresca is a huge issue, but it’s no excuse for the players to not put any real effort in, absolutely disgraceful.

I guess it’s an old fashioned way of thinking but with 6/7 min to go we were not really achieving much at all. I really wanted us to just do a basic thing a get more men in the box or just put the ball in from wider area quicker rather than just allow Brighton to get into shape and crowd the wide players out 

I was left thinking we never even had a go in the end 

I do y think we ever once looked like scoring 

I was no fan of Poch but we did look like we could score even not playing particularly well the play was a bit chaotic I admit yet a threat seemed to be there 

8 minutes ago, Neil A said:

I guess it’s an old fashioned way of thinking but with 6/7 min to go we were not really achieving much at all. I really wanted us to just do a basic thing a get more men in the box or just put the ball in from wider area quicker rather than just allow Brighton to get into shape and crowd the wide players out 

I was left thinking we never even had a go in the end 

I do y think we ever once looked like scoring 

I was no fan of Poch but we did look like we could score even not playing particularly well the play was a bit chaotic I admit yet a threat seemed to be there 

We didn't even have a shot on target after the 4th minute LOL, let alone when we were actually losing the game and in need of a goal (with 37 minutes left to try and get one)

 

1 hour ago, Carloseyebrow said:

Shockingly bad, the whole squad and management team need to have a look at themselves.

Maresca is a huge issue, but it’s no excuse for the players to not put any real effort in, absolutely disgraceful.

Are we all in agreement that Maresca was riding the form Poch had built up earlier in the season and he’s in no way an upgrade?

Good start and I thought we’d build on the opening goal. Brighton initially looked nervous after their hammering by Forest last weekend. 

We let them back into it with a bad goal. Belt man was allowed far too much time to make his cross.

And Rutler had got in between our two Centre backs. Nobody picked him up and took the gift of a free header, with no challenge on him

Nkunku when through, looked short of confidence, ellecting to lob it tohr right towards Palmer.

Palmer I thought was a bit unfortunate with his header, as it dropped  onto the roof of the net.

When they scored their second, we never really looked like coming back and there was no sustained pressure on their goal in the second half.

 Very,very disappointing.

My take on it for what it’s worth.

The lack of movement is also key to why our passing is so slow and opt to sideways or backwards.

wing play awful as very few crosses due to not enough players in box or poorly delivered. 
We had the biggest away support that the Amex has ever had. I can’t believe that it didn’t motivate the players. Very toxic at the end with majority venting their anger at the players. Tosin only one brave enough to come close to the fans.

12 hours ago, POCH OUT said:

HOW ABOUT THIS sh*t FROM THE YES MAN

We started very good, controlled and created some chances. The second half more or less happened the same. If there is something good after a defeat is now we can be focused on the Premier League and Conference."

Maresca also claimed Chelsea have to suffer in order to achieve great things in the future. The Italian said of his side's exit: "For me, a good season is seeing the team improving game after game; go through bad moments, difficulty, it is the only way this club can compete for something important."

Absolute clueless….sack him

 

Yep...same drivel week after week...where's the improvement that he keeps talking about?  By his own admission, the first half was the same as the 2nd...well mate, that's down to you, because you clearly didn't tell the circus performers on the pitch to play differently and give them instructions to do so..that's your job FFS!

28 minutes ago, erskblue said:

Good start and I thought we’d build on the opening goal. Brighton initially looked nervous after their hammering by Forest last weekend. 

We let them back into it with a bad goal. Belt man was allowed far too much time to make his cross.

And Rutler had got in between our two Centre backs. Nobody picked him up and took the gift of a free header, with no challenge on him

Nkunku when through, looked short of confidence, ellecting to lob it tohr right towards Palmer.

Palmer I thought was a bit unfortunate with his header, as it dropped  onto the roof of the net.

When they scored their second, we never really looked like coming back and there was no sustained pressure on their goal in the second half.

 Very,very disappointing.

My take on it for what it’s worth.

Palmer also had two shots on target though both saved for corners or punched away.  He also had an earlier chance where he tried to poke it past the keeper yet did not keep it under control.

2 hours ago, Neil A said:

I guess it’s an old fashioned way of thinking but with 6/7 min to go we were not really achieving much at all. I really wanted us to just do a basic thing a get more men in the box or just put the ball in from wider area quicker rather than just allow Brighton to get into shape and crowd the wide players out 

I was left thinking we never even had a go in the end 

I do y think we ever once looked like scoring 

I was no fan of Poch but we did look like we could score even not playing particularly well the play was a bit chaotic I admit yet a threat seemed to be there 

Totally agree with this. It was a cup tie, a one off match and we went out so meekly. We are a side known for our cup traditions and we allowed the second half to drift away without really having a go. No physical presence up front? Throw a Centre Half up top, create chaos, what did we get? Slow turgid play from side to side, few crosses and no shots, and a coach who is content to go out of the competition early doors. Yesterday was a new low for the team, we must do better.

4 hours ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

Didn’t watch the game as I was out, how bad was it?

I knew it was all over once we went 1 up!

5 hours ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

Didn’t watch the game as I was out, how bad was it?

Dire, losing when the team is trying is one thing but yesterday was a lack of effort on a different level. 

2 hours ago, strider6004 said:

Palmer also had two shots on target though both saved for corners or punched away.  He also had an earlier chance where he tried to poke it past the keeper yet did not keep it under control.

Good points. I d simply forgotten !

Cheers. 

19 hours ago, Sexyfootball said:

So that's the domestic cups done for another year then.

A great ride in both last year, a Final and a Semi-Final, two trips to Wembley.

This year two limp 4th round exits ... 

I think Maresca has somehow lost the dressing room, probably in conjunction with the actions of the sporting directors over the transfer window. This squad, while it has it's weaknesses, is so much better than this sh*t show of going through the motions in 2nd gear ... 

I think you might be right we don't look like a happy group. Poor results may be a factor but it feels like Maresca isn't lifting the players. Meantime he says Clearlake aren't expecting a top 4 finish until next season and if that is true it could be undermining performances on the pitch.  

6 hours ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

Are we all in agreement that Maresca was riding the form Poch had built up earlier in the season and he’s in no way an upgrade?

I think you're right, we've completely lost that cutting edge we had earlier in the season where we could blast teams.

To give Poch credit, he did set us up in attack very well, but bit by bit it's being trained out of the players, they're becoming stagnant and passing it around outside the box yet again. 

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/34651/13306020/var-controversial-fa-cup-decisions-prove-costly-so-is-football-better-with-or-without-technology

The supporters and teams on the wrong end of these decisions have every right to complain

The Newcastle goal,  ALL referees wear a watch that signals if the ball goes over the line so it must have crossed the line

The Orient goal was correct the player slipped on the ball and the Orient player fell over him, there was no foul

The man utd goal was way offside

And before all the people rush to say the Brighton goal should have stood based on the Newcastle goal against Tottenham, totally different, the ball went directly off Lamptys hand to their goalscorer, whereas the ball fell on the floor and was then passed to the newcastle goalscorer 15 yards away

23 hours ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

Didn’t watch the game as I was out, how bad was it?

Looking back I think it can be summed up by the fact I am no fan of rugby but 100% enjoyed watching England beat France earlier in the evening more than the turgid display we put on.

We have become so dull and boring to watch and when even Cole Palmer isn't managing to raise the levels, you realise just how bad we currently are.

#MarescaOut

 

https://chelsea.news/2025/02/maresca-decision-attackers-help/

the yes man brought this on himself, should have had the balls to stand up to the owners and insist that they either bought another striker or keep Felix, karma came and both our strikers got injured

Massive f**k up by the yes man and the players, look at the teams left, if you can avoid City, all the teams left will fancy getting to the final

watch Brighton draw Plymouth or Preston

 

I'm out, Maresca needs gone. Absolutely f**king useless.

I thought sarri ball was bad but this sideways backwards football takes it to a new level . I Was going the Villa game but my nephew can have my ticket now