2 minutes ago, Caps_Lock_King said:

And they finished 7th last season in a one team league

You do realise he’s managing Strasbourg, don’t you? This is like a Villa fan moaning that they’re only 3rd.

And you do realise……

STRASBOURG’S RECORD-BREAKING SUMMER SPENDING SPARKS CHAMPIONS LEAGUE DREAMS

SEPTEMBER 8, 2025

4

7

Racing Strasbourg, not Paris Saint-Germain, have stolen the spotlight in Ligue 1 this summer. The Alsatian club invested more than €118 million ($138.6 million) in an unprecedented transfer window, welcoming 18 new players while more than 10 departed. It marks the boldest market activity in the club’s history – and a clear statement of intent.

Not going too well at the moment is it

https://metro.co.uk/2026/01/04/chelsea-make-move-eddie-howe-replace-enzo-maresca-26043555/

Oh, yes please and thank you. No secret that I am a long-standing Steady Eddie admirer. Used to working under constraints, good with youngsters, very calm and collected, but couldn't see him being a "yes man" for our owners. Won't happen. Unfortunately.

@ CAPS_LOCK_KING Im not going to try to "out font" you, rather i will agree. 😂 They were earlier in the season within a point of the top of the league with several clubs in a cluster with similar points. Now after several months of poor results are some 16 or so points adrift. Not sure why it's hardly a blip as it has been going on for a while and shows little sign of change.

Edited January 5Jan 5 by OTL

27 minutes ago, Caps_Lock_King said:

And you do realise……

STRASBOURG’S RECORD-BREAKING SUMMER SPENDING SPARKS CHAMPIONS LEAGUE DREAMS

SEPTEMBER 8, 2025

4

7

Racing Strasbourg, not Paris Saint-Germain, have stolen the spotlight in Ligue 1 this summer. The Alsatian club invested more than €118 million ($138.6 million) in an unprecedented transfer window, welcoming 18 new players while more than 10 departed. It marks the boldest market activity in the club’s history – and a clear statement of intent.

Not going too well at the moment is it

An average of 6.5M per player, wow how aren’t they winning the CL with such calibre!! Not to mention the 90M of player sales either.

TBH, it's only one game, but after the good job McFarlane did yesterday it would make more sense to stick with him until the summer - the difference between his and Maresca's subs was like chalk and cheese.

Delaying the new appointment would give the gurus upstairs more time to get a proven name in (like Howe) who would command the dressing room, deal with all the sh*t that comes with being the Chelsea "coach" and be more accepted by the fans.

For LR, if he is the next coach, I sincerely hope: he doesn't have stupid favorites; uses our players in their natural positions; makes astute tactical changes when required; and sorts out the red card problem we now have.

Having said all that, I think BlueCo are taking a massive risk appointing LR because if it goes wrong again - maybe some of our high value players will decide to look for a better run club whose main goal is to win trophies.

Strasbourg's league positions for the last 20 seasons.

7th last season was their 2nd best placing in these 20, and I also seem to recall they tanked badly in the last few games, which was certainly convenient in avoiding issues with both the BlueCo teams qualifying for the Champions League 😎

34 minutes ago, Sexyfootball said:

Strasbourg's league positions for the last 20 seasons.

7th last season was their 2nd best placing in these 20, and I also seem to recall they tanked badly in the last few games, which was certainly convenient in avoiding issues with both the BlueCo teams qualifying for the Champions League 😎

Having not lost for nearly 3 months they lost their last 2 by 1 goal each but they would have needed all 6 points to get into the CL. In the meantime they were playing 2 teams needing wins for Ligue 1 survival. Saying they “tanked badly” is inaccurate.

This season their goal difference is 5 which, considering two October wins were 5-0 and 3-0, isn’t very impressive. Like us they are only a few points from the bottom half of the table.

Is the manager doing anything or are they better because of the relative quality of Chelsea players there?

2 minutes ago, BS66 said:

Having not lost for nearly 3 months they lost their last 2 by 1 goal each but they would have needed all 6 points to get into the CL. In the meantime they were playing 2 teams needing wins for Ligue 1 survival. Saying they “tanked badly” is inaccurate.

This season their goal difference is 5 which, considering two October wins were 5-0 and 3-0, isn’t very impressive. Like us they are only a few points from the bottom half of the table.

Is the manager doing anything or are they better because of the relative quality of Chelsea players there?

OK let's say we miss out on CL qualification by losing our last two games this season to West Ham and Wolves .... I think we'd say "tanked badly" no ?

Can't comment on Rosenior influence vs player quality, as I really don't pay that much attention to Strasbourg I'm afraid ! Do you have a view ?

Interestingly both Man Utd and Celtic have just canned their managers for failing with a three man defensive structure that they refused to adapt from.

Erm, welcome Liam.

40 minutes ago, WhiteWall said:

Interestingly both Man Utd and Celtic have just canned their managers for failing with a three man defensive structure that they refused to adapt from.

Erm, welcome Liam.

Looks like Nunos next then

Calum in the dugout again at the Cottage on Weds

Out of respect for Strasbourg 🤣 LR in for FA Cup visit to the Valley (is that still Charltons gaff?)

Looks like BlueCo have changed their minds on who replaces Rosenior.

Gary O'Neil now said to be the front runner.

5 hours ago, Sexyfootball said:

OK let's say we miss out on CL qualification by losing our last two games this season to West Ham and Wolves .... I think we'd say "tanked badly" no ?

Can't comment on Rosenior influence vs player quality, as I really don't pay that much attention to Strasbourg I'm afraid ! Do you have a view ?

I wouldn’t say tanked badly because we don’t put together a good string of wins. This season we are winning 4 out of 10 games, this isn’t a good win percentage and if we failed to get 6 points from consecutive games it is probably more par for the course rather than any level of tanking. We are also probably not even at 4 out of 10 against the teams we should be beating so how many of us would be surprised if we failed to beat those 2 teams.

Rosenior seems to be getting credit for improving Strasbourg. I’m suggesting that the improvement happened all, or in part, due to having some better players in their squad. I don’t think anybody would disagree that Santos helped them significantly last season. If the players Chelsea has been loaning or selling to Strasbourg are not improving them questions need to be asked about why they are on our books.

6 hours ago, GarnachoCheese said:

Underperforming how exactly?

24 points after 17 matches 2 wins 8-9 matches .. that is underperforming.

He seems to be back 3 coach.. that would be crazy to go back to after spending zillions on wingers and inside forwards .. conte was the only coach to win the epl with a back 3 in the last 30 years if not more.. hated this under tuchel .. some reports suggest he will switch to a back 4 .. in general u would have said I hope the SDs know what they are doing because this smells Amorim all over again.. but u know better than to trust these cretin .. darker times coming ..

Edited January 6Jan 6 by Jangz

16 hours ago, bluelightening said:

I just think when you look at what Sarri got out of napoli players who had career best seasons under him, its the system that he had that allowed the likes of Hazard et all to do well. Also, worth considering how Hazards career feel to pieces the moment he left us for Real Madrid. That's not coincidence.

Im really not going to split hairs over Sarri or Hazard, I loved watching Eden and I didnt have an issue with Sarri tbh. We won stuff under him.

fingers crossed Palmer is our new Hazard.

It was not the system, it was Hazard last season and he was motivated.

Just seen his press conference and although I’m still not sold, he spoke quite well to the French media.

6 hours ago, Jangz said:

24 points after 17 matches 2 wins 8-9 matches .. that is underperforming.

He’s managing Strasbourg…

Gave a press conference this morning in France to say he's leaving for Chelsea. I wonder if during his first Chelsea one any of the spineless cowards on our board will join him to face the music. My guess would be no.

LR seems like the comfortable selection as the owners already know him.

I don't hear a football success path to think he will be successful here.

McFarlane did well for a game with little pressure so too early to see if he could go further.

Nevertheless if he improves on Maresca that will be something though doubt we will get any silverware or top 4.

From wiki on Hull

Rosenior guided Hull to a 15th-placed finish at the end of the 2022–23 season. Despite Rosenior overseeing a very positive 2023–24 campaign, one where he was nominated for the EFL Championship Manager of the Season award and had brought the Tigers within three points of a play-off place, he was sacked on 7 May 2024. Owner Ilıcalı swiftly explained that Rosenior had been dismissed on good terms and that the departure was due to a difference in "football philosophy", with the Englishman unwilling to play the aggressive attacking style that Ilıcalı was demanding.

16 hours ago, just said:

https://metro.co.uk/2026/01/04/chelsea-make-move-eddie-howe-replace-enzo-maresca-26043555/

Oh, yes please and thank you. No secret that I am a long-standing Steady Eddie admirer. Used to working under constraints, good with youngsters, very calm and collected, but couldn't see him being a "yes man" for our owners. Won't happen. Unfortunately.

Far from a yes man, he's a control freak.

2 hours ago, Bob stark said:

It was not the system, it was Hazard last season and he was motivated.

Are you suggesting Hazard wasnt motivated the other season's he was with us and why he didnt perform as well as in his final season? ;-)

Although not my choice (and not even anywhere near this list of who I would like) am resigned to the fact that Rosenior is going to be our new coach so will be open minded and see how things pan out.

Don't think it will be hard to get an improvement in our football and results as long as he selects the right players and leaves out the dross. Even McFarlane was able to do that after working with the squad for only a couple of days.

KTBFFH...........!

6 minutes ago, strider6004 said:

LR seems like the comfortable selection as the owners already know him.

I don't hear a football success path to think he will be successful here.

McFarlane did well for a game with little pressure so too early to see if he could go further.

Nevertheless if he improves on Maresca that will be something though doubt we will get any silverware or top 4.

From wiki on Hull

Rosenior guided Hull to a 15th-placed finish at the end of the 2022–23 season. Despite Rosenior overseeing a very positive 2023–24 campaign, one where he was nominated for the EFL Championship Manager of the Season award and had brought the Tigers within three points of a play-off place, he was sacked on 7 May 2024. Owner Ilıcalı swiftly explained that Rosenior had been dismissed on good terms and that the departure was due to a difference in "football philosophy", with the Englishman unwilling to play the aggressive attacking style that Ilıcalı was demanding.

More of the same then ?? FFS