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Xabi Alonso - New Chelsea Manager

Featured Replies

4 hours ago, dkw said:

Hes just a massive bullsh*tter who throws out vague nonsense that he can easily back up/row back from in the future, and it annoys me that so many people keep falling for it.

A source close to the club has revealed that not only has Alonso been appointed manager instead of coach, he has now been appointed player manager for next season,

They see a lot of wasted non productive time in the club.

Palmer is likely to be given the role of writing new software for our data analysts instead of going home at 12 o'clock every day says a reliable insider.

Edited by The Rising Sun
Information

On 21/05/2026 at 21:35, Scott Harris said:

I do rate Iraola though and wasn't against having him. He may even be better than Alonso.

The thing with Iraola is that he must prove his brand of football works for a big club.

Big clubs play twice a week for more than 70% of the season and have their best players go on international duty every two months. The way Semenyo described Iraola's methods of training and tactics, his managerial style can run a squad into the ground by December.

6 hours ago, petre ispirescu said:

The thing with Iraola is that he must prove his brand of football works for a big club.

Big clubs play twice a week for more than 70% of the season and have their best players go on international duty every two months. The way Semenyo described Iraola's methods of training and tactics, his managerial style can run a squad into the ground by December.

Also, how often does he face a team that’s sitting back?

On 20/05/2026 at 16:50, bisright1 said:

I mean let's face it next year is up for grabs
Slot's liverpool, Maresca's City, Carrick's United and defending champions Arsenal with an inevitable hangover....we should be dark horses.

Provided we don't do anything stupid like qualify for the Europa league.

Agree.

We should be well drilled, fit and rested for the start of the season. The only main players going to the WC are Reece, Caicedo, Cucu and Enzo with the latter two possibly being sold.

I’d hope we would knock back a place in the Conference League but I’d be happy if we got into the Europa League as it’s probably the easiest way to qualify for the Champions League.

I’ve got a good feeling about next season but Alonso’s own signings will be absolutely key. I expect 4 that are solely his. If he gets all 4 right and they hit the ground running (very unlikely) then we might be really surprised with how well we do.

We need to add goals .. to be in the UCL we need to score 1.5 - 2 goals per game which is roughly 70 goals in the season - which means 2 forwards to score 20 goals, 4 wingers to score goals 25 goals - 3-4 midfielders to score 15 goals and rest of the team chipping in.

Our biggest issue are the wingers who are really sh*te and a back up striker that is dire . If we get Jackson in along with J.Pedro strikers will score 20-25 goals then it’s about upgrading sh*te wingers.. in Neto Garnacho gittens

6 hours ago, Jangz said:

We need to add goals .. to be in the UCL we need to score 1.5 - 2 goals per game which is roughly 70 goals in the season - which means 2 forwards to score 20 goals, 4 wingers to score goals 25 goals - 3-4 midfielders to score 15 goals and rest of the team chipping in.

Our biggest issue are the wingers who are really sh*te and a back up striker that is dire . If we get Jackson in along with J.Pedro strikers will score 20-25 goals then it’s about upgrading sh*te wingers.. in Neto Garnacho gittens

Jackson isn't scoring 10 goals for us if he returns as a squad player. He could barely manage it as a regular starter.

39 minutes ago, mojo said:

Sure. So. why not? He'd be as good a Garnacho replacement as any.

IF it is even remotely true. I can only think that He must have really upset the dressing room at Real Madrid . . . Enzo and Kylian would be fun in the same team eh?

Edited by TheCeleryKing

Today has probably shown a good bit of the basics we don’t and won’t do that I hope Alonso instills in the players

Work rate…discipline….desire.

If they fail to show these basics there should be consequences, it’s been far too easy for all of them to blame the ref, their boots, the grass or whatever. They have accepted no personal responsibility from what I can tell to move us on.

I’ll be relatively kind and say 6 need moving on without hesitation, Gusto, Fofana, Delap, Garnacho, Sanchez, Badiashile. There’s always an argument for others Cucurella for example but maybe Alonso might be able to get to him.

I’m hopeful he will lay down ground rules and show there is a consequence to poor decision making.

Good luck to this season and I look forward to to August as I always do with hope and optimism.

KTBFFH

Edited by Carloseyebrow
Spelling

2 minutes ago, yaz said:

I think Alonso will be fed up and gone by December, after which MacFarlane will finally get the permanent appointment.

What? Surely not! Surely it is his dream to manage players like Fofana, Garnacho and Delap!

8 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

What? Surely not! Surely it is his dream to manage players like Fofana, Garnacho and Delap!

Even better, he'll be managing the likes of Barco, Emegha, Penders and Quenda. I'm not judging them already, I just know they're not the kind of players who can salvage this mess regardless of how good they are at their age.

Individually, I rate cucurella and Enzo, but these are 2 of our 'locker room leaders' and the mentality/culture around the team f**king stinks. It feels like even through there 2 of our better players we might be better off trying to get rid and replace them with ready made starters that can make an instant impact. The less said about pricks like Fofana the better, the bloke is as toxic as it gets on and off the field.

39 minutes ago, timetowaste said:

Individually, I rate cucurella and Enzo, but these are 2 of our 'locker room leaders' and the mentality/culture around the team f**king stinks. It feels like even through there 2 of our better players we might be better off trying to get rid and replace them with ready made starters that can make an instant impact. The less said about pricks like Fofana the better, the bloke is as toxic as it gets on and off the field.

I know that I am a broken record but we have to have players and a manager that instils a standard of discipline, fitness and professional pride in touch and care of the ball.

11 red cards this season, breaking our own record, and being more than double any of our rivals. Very few, if any of these are malicious or intentionally dangerous tackles. A fair number are for dissent and indispline. That's what your investment in kids brings you. Petulance. But the rest are for mistimed tackles or pulls and pushes due to being caught on their heels and not being able to keep up with play. The difference is fractional, but those fractions are huge. If you are brain dead like Fofana you can see why he can't help but put hands on or make late challenges. It's a lack of awareness between the ears and the general lack of fitness and anticipation is palpable. So many of them are like this.

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