44 minutes ago, Valerie said:

I'm still highly suspicious of the owners and DSs. No way they will relinquish their power and self-important strut and suddenly choose the good of football over lining their pockets and dreaming of making CFC LDN into an entertainment centre (sorry, center). Letting Alonso be a manager instead of a head coach making his own decisions would be the biggest turnaround since Scrooge became a benign compassionate human being.

Not a believer.

Yes, I'm grumpy, what gave it away?

I think your caution is well placed Val.

The PR announcement has been carefully written, but still a couple of alarm bells in there for me ...

"His appointment reflects the Club’s belief in his broad set of experiences, coaching quality and game model, leadership attributes, character and integrity, which were key to the decision to ask him to help lead the next phase of Chelsea’s journey.

He is regarded not only as an outstanding football coach, but also as a proven leader and partner across a number of areas essential to the demands of driving the team."

Edited May 17May 17 by Sexyfootball

I still have no faith in BlueCo but finally a real soccer manager arrives, and he's definitely one of the best...IMHO the best for us.

I'm sure that with him our Zombies who have been on the field lately will also come back to life next year.

I'm really excited to have Xabi Alonso as our manager!! 😁 Good luck! Blue is the colour 💙💙💙

"It's an honour" 😀

Edited May 17May 17 by Jezz

so a manager and not a head coach - make of it what you will.

I’ve asked my Madrid family and it sounds like Alonso likes to play 5 at the back with the FBs inverting to the midfield. She didn’t understand much his system, especially in midfield, she didn’t think that it suited their players in midfield. But there are things that sound good about his discipline. No late arrival to training or you’re out for the next game; players with yellow cards get subbed off, which will be great given our recent record on cards; and doesn’t like indiscipline in general. Vinicius was the one that initiated the player power play, but I don’t think that we have players with enough standing to confront Alonso as Real Madrid has. They think that he’ll do well at Chelsea.

Was the announcement done early to cushion the blow when they announce prices for season ticket renewals

At least a manager with Aura and record on the field and touchline, compares to the last guy we had ☹️ It's progress, now make it real by giving him some real power, instead of trusting the 5 snake oil salesmen SD

Finally someone that we can all get behind and support. Deserves time and hoping BlueCo hold up their and back him + make him a key component in transfers and decision making.

32 minutes ago, RMH said:

I’ve asked my Madrid family and it sounds like Alonso likes to play 5 at the back with the FBs inverting to the midfield. She didn’t understand much his system, especially in midfield, she didn’t think that it suited their players in midfield. But there are things that sound good about his discipline. No late arrival to training or you’re out for the next game; players with yellow cards get subbed off, which will be great given our recent record on cards; and doesn’t like indiscipline in general. Vinicius was the one that initiated the player power play, but I don’t think that we have players with enough standing to confront Alonso as Real Madrid has. They think that he’ll do well at Chelsea.

Looking at Transfermarkt, Real played a 4231/442 more than a 5 at the back.

23 minutes ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Finally someone that we can all get behind and support. Deserves time and hoping BlueCo hold up their and back him + make him a key component in transfers and decision making.

Looking at Transfermarkt, Real played a 4231/442 more than a 5 at the back.

Yes, it looks like he tried 3 atb with Tcoumeni as a cb/sweeper but then moved to 4231, 4222, and 4312. Looking at different games analyses, he seems quite versatile. https://totalfootballanalysis.com/category/teams/real-madrid-club-de-futbol

Very happy with this appointment.

Time to get our Chelsea back!

Coaching staff coming in with him just light years better than what we had Poch through Rosenior.

I tell you one thing, these so called "football experts" on YouTube and Social Media are doing my head in.

How Chelsea will lineup under Alonso, and almost all of them have Enzo in the pivot with Caicedo. 😂

Pleasantly surprised by this.

I almost never watch the Bundesliga, but I remember occasionally tuning in to watch his invincible Leverkusen side play. Lots of late winners or equalizers. It was never dull.

As many have said though, I am suspicious of the board. I don't believe things will change as long as the entire SDs setup is intact.

I guess we'll see what will happen, but definitely a step in the right direction.

It will be interesting to see how the players react in our final two PL games, as all of them are essentially now playing for their future place in the team/squad under Alonso, and for sure he will be watching closely !

did Alonso get the best out of Xhaka at Leverkusen? Think you need to look at Wirtz, Frimpong, Tah and Grimaldo as well. He got a team of bang-average players flying. Not saying he has the same players with us, but he has a way of getting the best out of talent.

Generally a manager I expect us to be going for, should get us going next season and despite four years of getting most decisions and transfers wrong, the board appear to have got something right on paper.

Xabi Alonso guided Bayer Leverkusen to a historic unbeaten Bundesliga title in 2023/24.

Would be amazing if he did the same again, with us in the Premier League next season.

No pressure…😀😀😀

Who'll be laughing when "Xabi Alonso" pops up in the dugout in a Primark cardigan? I'll be laughing.

4 hours ago, GarnachoCheese said:

A manager with hair, this is the right way forward. Give him a blank slate to clear the deadwood and bring in whoever he wants. Let’s be a serious club again.

Yeah enough of the bald frauds, make hair great again!

Ex-Scouse scum #AlonsoOut

Probably the best possible candidate out of those available and normally I'd be quite excited about it.

But unless he's given a major say in how the club is run and the transfer policies undergo a radical change so that we could strengthen the squad in a number of key positions, no manager in the world, Alonso included, would be able to turn this group into a top side ready to challenge for big trophies.

Very happy with this appointment, and if you read into the job title, then it suggests roles are changing behind the scenes.

Lots of work to do. The players are playing well below their potential, and we need signings that bring maturity, leadership, physicality, effort, skill - basically all of it!

Clear out some deadwood - 10+ of this squad don't belong here. Its time to return the standard of what is expected to Chelsea - enough of this crap we've seen for several years.

Augers well, fluent English and Spanish, what could possibly go wrong?

49 minutes ago, PhilH930 said:

Very happy with this appointment, and if you read into the job title, then it suggests roles are changing behind the scenes.

Lots of work to do. The players are playing well below their potential, and we need signings that bring maturity, leadership, physicality, effort, skill - basically all of it!

Clear out some deadwood - 10+ of this squad don't belong here. Its time to return the standard of what is expected to Chelsea - enough of this crap we've seen for several years.

This is key; without European football we don’t need a big squad.

5 minutes ago, markpitts said:

This is key; without European football we don’t need a big squad.

Getting the dross out is not about the size of the squad, it's about quality.