If we win we will no doubt have turned a corner and be title contenders again!! !

Can’t see us winning this one unfortunately. Brace yourselves.

17 minutes ago, JM7 said:

Can’t see us winning this one unfortunately. Brace yourselves.

I can see this being one of those matches where everyone turns up, actually.

3-1 Chelsea win !!!

The manager has already said rotation will be important in this game, so expect unusual lineup and potentially ending up losing the game due to this. We played the last game on Saturday 20th December so I don't know why he has to rotate in this important game.

Edited December 26, 2025Dec 26 by Notts Chelsea

On 22/12/2025 at 14:11, BS66 said:

Prime Palmer probably needs to show up for the next 4-5 months to get a seat on the plane next summer. Tuchel has more potential 10’s than he needs and Rogers is staking the best claim to the starting spot.

I don't know why Rogers is even a consideration as a 10, he plays on the left for Villa. It's Foden, Palmer or Bellingham for me, and in all honesty, I think Bellingham's Real Madrid ego is toxic, so he is 3rd choice. Foden has been in the best form, but he's always been sh*t for England.

It's as simple as this for me, without Palmer, England don't win the world cup. There is no guarantee they would win with him, but without him, no chance. You can't replace that big game ability. So if he is fit, he's ahead of everybody for me. If he's not fit, then it's Foden and England don't win the world cup.

2 hours ago, Scott Harris said:

I don't know why Rogers is even a consideration as a 10, he plays on the left for Villa. It's Foden, Palmer or Bellingham for me, and in all honesty, I think Bellingham's Real Madrid ego is toxic, so he is 3rd choice. Foden has been in the best form, but he's always been sh*t for England.

It's as simple as this for me, without Palmer, England don't win the world cup. There is no guarantee they would win with him, but without him, no chance. You can't replace that big game ability. So if he is fit, he's ahead of everybody for me. If he's not fit, then it's Foden and England don't win the world cup.

Has been underwhelming for England to be honest. He has 4 open goals & 2 assists in 25 PL games in 2025. That is the same amount of goals Rogers has in his last 2 PL games, but I am not suggesting he is a better player.

There is a conversation to be had around Palmer but we Chelsea fans aren’t ready for it.

Edited December 27, 2025Dec 27 by markpitts

Match Day!

Come On Chelsea!!

3 hours ago, markpitts said:

Has been underwhelming for England to be honest. He has 4 open goals & 2 assists in 25 PL games in 2025. That is the same amount of goals Rogers has in his last 2 PL games, but I am not suggesting he is a better player.

There is a conversation to be had around Palmer but we Chelsea fans aren’t ready for it.

He has a goal in an euros final and an assist in a euros semi. Thats more than Saka’s entire England career to date.

There’s no conversation to be had about Palmer, there’s a conversation to be had about how Maresca can’t utilise a player to their strengths.

Game Day! Don't ruin my Christmas you blues!!

6 hours ago, markpitts said:

Has been underwhelming for England to be honest. He has 4 open goals & 2 assists in 25 PL games in 2025. That is the same amount of goals Rogers has in his last 2 PL games, but I am not suggesting he is a better player.

There is a conversation to be had around Palmer but we Chelsea fans aren’t ready for it.

There was nothing seriously wrong with Palmers form in 2025. It dipped, mainly because of Maresca, but if players around him could finish their chances presented to them, especially Jackson, he would have had double the assists. Palmer regained his form in the CWC. The two goals Palmer has scored in the league this season is Palmer showing he has that confidence in front of goal back, he's just been injured so hasn't been able to do it regularly. If Palmer hadn't been injured, I am confident he would have been back to his best this season.

I don't know how anybody can say he has been underwhelming for England either, not after what he did in the Euro's. He's also only started 5 games.

Edited December 27, 2025Dec 27 by Scott Harris

No doubting Palmers world class talent. only 6 months 3 weeks until WC starts for 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 so unless his talent starts showing up and affecting games soon could be just Reece going to the 🇺🇸 in June to represent Chelsea.

10 hours ago, Scott Harris said:

I don't know why Rogers is even a consideration as a 10, he plays on the left for Villa. It's Foden, Palmer or Bellingham for me, and in all honesty, I think Bellingham's Real Madrid ego is toxic, so he is 3rd choice. Foden has been in the best form, but he's always been sh*t for England.

It's as simple as this for me, without Palmer, England don't win the world cup. There is no guarantee they would win with him, but without him, no chance. You can't replace that big game ability. So if he is fit, he's ahead of everybody for me. If he's not fit, then it's Foden and England don't win the world cup.

Tuchel will choose in form players and Rogers got his England chance because the others weren’t playing well or were injured. He seems to have grabbed it and he might be the best one of the lot who can play out of position. There are left wing options with Gordon and Rashford so if Rogers can play 10 and is playing well he’ll be in the discussion. If Tuchel takes players based on just ability and/or reputation and doesn’t take the best team England has no chance.

Still a way to go but if Villa win today top 6 is the best we can Hope for as the top 3 pull away from the chasing pack.I don’t see Liverpool continue to play badly and Utd are quietly putting points on the board despite the sh*te they deliver and even Sunderland are not far behind. We have to win, nothing else matters.

54 minutes ago, BS66 said:

Tuchel will choose in form players and Rogers got his England chance because the others weren’t playing well or were injured. He seems to have grabbed it and he might be the best one of the lot who can play out of position. There are left wing options with Gordon and Rashford so if Rogers can play 10 and is playing well he’ll be in the discussion. If Tuchel takes players based on just ability and/or reputation and doesn’t take the best team England has no chance.

I personally don't think Gordon is at the very top level and I've never rated Rashford. Rogers on the left, Palmer (if fit) as the 10, and Saka on the right with Kane up front. Personally, I think that is England's best chance.

He can't help himself. A different CB pairing in every game. At least James is playing at RB though.

Badders in the shop window !

I expect an own goal and an injury !

He still can’t help his urge to shoehorn Badiashile or Tosin at any waking moment.

Holy sh*t, Reece playing in position.

Didn’t realise Delap would be back this soon either.

Eugh...Badiashile and Trev as the CB pairing, I don't know if I can watch.

Gittens has done well to make the bench.

Badiashille is above Josh in the pecking order. Tells you all you need to know about Maresca.

Important match for us not many matches where you can directly get closer to the team above you.

Surprised about the CB pairing, the rest looks ok.

COYB

Edited December 27, 2025Dec 27 by strider6004

Good with starting line up other than the CBs. Trev and Badders give little confidence - both nervous footballers without a leading CB next to them. Why was Fofana dropped? I know he wasn’t great against Newcastle, but no one was. Maresca just can’t keep a consistent back line.