25 Sep 2023 07:10:40
CFC have been an important part of my life for over sixty years. I will always be a supporter and season ticket holder but for some strange reason that I can't work out this is the first time ever I feel very little attachment to the club.

It's certainly not a results thing (been here before) and it's not our style of football because that is a lot better than some seasons I've seen.

I'm struggling to work it out. Maybe it's the fact that we suddenly have so many new players.

1.) 25 Sep 2023
25 Sep 2023 07:50:01
Mate it’s hard the atmosphere is terrible, which is to be expected. Stamford bridge has lost its way in the last 10 years, it isn’t the same. I only watch Chelsea now days, football all together is getting too soft. I use to watch Spanish and German football and championship, can’t be bothered at all these days. I’d rather watch darts. I think it’s football all together for me. Thing is a whole new takeover new manager and pretty much a whole new squad, it’s hard to take too when playing and managed and ran so poorly.

2.) 25 Sep 2023
25 Sep 2023 08:15:37
There isn’t much that we want to be attached to Tom. I like to think I’ve been a fairly positive poster over the years but this season all I seem to be able to muster up is negative. I’ve had to stop myself from posting most days.

I feel sorry for Poch, he’s a very good coach and it looks like we’re draining the life out of him. My only real gripes are his persistence in playing Colwill at left back to accommodate others and it should be Enzo/ Caicedo as the double pivot.

Injuries have clearly been a massive issue, probably over the past 3 years we must have had the worst injury record in the league, that definitely needs looking at.

Recruited too many players over the past year. 80% are either too young or not good enough. We’ve spent £1b on basically kids so the strategy there is ridiculous. Two thirds of that should have been on first team players. Rice, Maddison, Kane, were all available and we didn’t even have a go. Then we could have started to integrate some young talent.

The board and sporting directors are responsible for this mess. All of them should go before Poch does.

Confidence is so low throughout the team. It’s like the players know if they don’t score at least 1 or 2 in the first half it could be another loss.

All being well we should have the squad at full strength over the next 2 months. You’d like to think by Xmas/ New Year we’d have our first team most weeks and be able to kick on and get a few wins. However, what’s the damage before then? If we get to that point on anything less than 15pts we’re in serious trouble.

It sounds ridiculous but January window we’re going to need a striker so there’s another £80m.

3.) 25 Sep 2023
25 Sep 2023 08:36:45
Tom, I know how you feel, a couple of days ago I said on my WhatsApp group that I enjoyed watching Chelsea more in the 90s when we weren’t winning anything than I do now. We all have accept that the RA era is over and that even then the club was criticised on how it was run but when we had dips I always believed we would come back strong. You often say “ don’t say things can’t get any worse “: you are dead right they can get worse. The atmosphere at the Bridge is not toxic it has become soulless and bereft of any joy. Something has happened at the club and I have no answers as to how to change things for the better.

4.) 25 Sep 2023
25 Sep 2023 08:37:16
TomB, I know exactly how you feel. I have been going to Chelsea for nearly 50 years, my Dad and Grandfather supported Chelsea as do my brothers and my son’s.
Now I also find myself disconnected and yesterday didn’t want to go or even watch the game, I watched the Solheim Cup instead.

I’m really hoping that the old feeling will return and I am sure that it will at some point.

Finally I agree with a previous poster, I would move Enzo Fernandez straight back in a double pivot, I see no sign that he is a number 10 or 8.

5.) 25 Sep 2023
25 Sep 2023 08:37:28
Dan and BLUEBOY, contrary to popular opinion I have posted many negative comments about our club, players and managers over the years so I know my sudden lack of detachment from my is not based on our current performances.

It’s a very unusual feeling for me to have and I was just wondering if others were having similar experiences.

6.) 25 Sep 2023
25 Sep 2023 08:47:48
Dan the board ain’t leaving, we have got all of these players until at least the next window and “in my opinion” Poch will be our manager for a long time.

We had three managers last season and that didn’t improve anything. So I can’t see that exercise being repeated any time soon.

While I can see the need for another striker let’s not forget we already have one who should (god willing) be fit in December.

I have said many times over the last few weeks that playing Chilly as a sort of winger and not as a LB was bizarre to me and. Pre season we played a sort of 433 or 4231 and that worked well. So I’m not sure why we changed for season proper.

The owners can I guess be criticised for changing everything to quickly but change in my opinion was needed.

I have now way ok knowing how many of our new players will be successful at the bridge but it’s pretty certain one or two won’t be. Generally I like all our new signings.

7.) 25 Sep 2023
25 Sep 2023 10:17:28
Jimbo and swcfc, I thank you for your comments and this may sound strange but it helps to know that others have similar feelings.

I have over the years found myself in dark places but support for my club has always helped me, it’s been a constant regardless of the teams performance but this feeling is so different from anything I have ever experienced before and I can’t put my finger on it.

Jimbo, you are correct the atmosphere at the ground is “soulless” at the moment. I also find that strange, it’s as if the fans are resigned to disaster. Or, just given up!

8.) 25 Sep 2023
25 Sep 2023 12:24:42
Tom sorry you feel that way about the club you have been around for so long and hope something relights what you once had, am just ANGRY like Hulk angry with what’s gone off at the club I maybe also be expecting too much I started to support the club when the likes of Paul Furlong and mark stein was up front so I haven’t been to badly done too and had not had to many bad times.
Saying this I am the same and it’s been for a few seasons now I don’t know what direction the club are going in at the minute ‘well down at minute’ I know this will change at some point, but I don’t think it will be till January or unless Nkunku gets off to a flyer. The other reason I think I’ve gone off it is due to VAR I just think it’s ruined football and they’re still getting it wrong. It’s took the Monday at work fun where you would debate if it was a penalty or a sending off or was he offside. I know football is now a business and these things must be correct as there’s that much money involved but I do think is ruined it all and like I say they’re still getting in wrong. I think footballers have changed now all of them are just wrapped up in bubble wrap and just constantly getting smoke blown up there a! se when there really not that good. Am giving Poch the time as I quite like him I think he will do ok the team needs To gel more I hear theirs problems already in dressing room which isn’t going to help but nothing we can do. Just want to get some normality at the club it’s all over at the minute!

9.) 25 Sep 2023
25 Sep 2023 12:33:49
It's because the club has lost its identity and the mentality has now shifted to 10th being an acceptable finish. We've spent a billion and the acceptable finish to some on here is 10th. Utterly absurd. When lampard inherited and transfer window banned club, his expectations were higher than that. 6th was considered the worst acceptable position.

Utterly abysmal what has happened to this club. There is not an ounce of hope and I can genuinely see us getting relegated followed by administration. We've spent a billion and our squad is jusy average. Caicedo, Enzo, lavia, 260 million and I don't even think it's better than arsenals.

Just sad.

10.) 25 Sep 2023
25 Sep 2023 16:26:07
Standard, the club itself hasn’t lost its identity in my opinion. I’m not sure what it is but I do know that CFC will be constant in my lifetime.

I personally don’t care about the money spent and we have spent fortunes before and I have never felt like this.

Also, I was never a fan of Ken Bates and for personal reasons Mathew Harding so it’s not an ownership thing.

11.) 25 Sep 2023
25 Sep 2023 19:12:25
Afternoon TomB sorry you feel that way. I have to admit to not wanting to watch the villa game. Was at my sons game and after a very nervous last 10mins they held on to a 3-2 lead.
So seeing chelsea was 1-0 down after his game I couldn't bring myself to watch it or come on here. As I was expecting it to be very toxic. But again I have to admit it isn't.

I don't think anyone thinks 10th place is acceptable for a team like Chelsea but we don't deserve anything better on current results.

After preseason I would of said coming top 6 was my aim after such amount of change. The season after minimum top 4, again after that pushing for prem champions. Maybe a (Carling cup ? thrown in there)

I am really doubting my prediction at the minute due to kids football and then chelsea ruining my day LOL.

I do think we actually have played well in game except forest game, second half against West ham. Not watched villa game so can't pass judgement. But looks like we passed up a few 1 v 1's

Anyway thanks all for keeping it quite positive. Its actually made me want to watching.

12.) 25 Sep 2023
25 Sep 2023 20:57:41
Good to read all these posts and realise so many of us feeling much the same way. kInd of a therapy I guess. Reckon my unease about the club predictably goes back to the end of RA era, club sanctioned, uncertainty about the future or if we had one. And then the helter skelter (mostly downward rides! ) of the Boehly era since. Not knowing which way club going after Tuchel sacking, the Potter project, then Potter sacking, then Lamps overseeing dreadful dead end of the season. and long, long run of poor results going over into this season. Though yes we did play well in pre-seasdon, the Liverpool game and first half at West Ham.

Direction of the club seems much cleaer now, but the investment almost purely in youth with relatively little or no EPL experience is such a huge gamble. Almost as if we must wait a couple of years before we can expect any success again. Even if Poch seems a v good apppointmentgiven where we are, and just hope he can be given the time to mould a competitive team.

Do agree that Enzo and Caicedo need to play in double pivot with Gallagher and CC (when fit) supporting whoever is up front. and Chilly at left back not left wing.

I can never not support CFC, have done so since a child in the 1960s. BUt think I am currently exhausted by the number of changes - managers and players - in last two seasons plus long, long run of disappointing results. And many at the Bridge when I've got there recently also seemed resigned to disappointmemnt. Lack of composure and confidence in front of goal seems to affect all our players of late.

Doubt many of us expect a win v Brighton on Wednesday night, though will aleways hope. Also hope we can pick up a few points from next two EPL games, away at Fulham then Burnley. Cos fixtures after these games look pretty tricky.

13.) 25 Sep 2023
25 Sep 2023 22:59:44
Thanks to all the posters who have so far contributed to this thread. I truly value your thoughts.

I guess it’s like not feeling well without the diagnosis.

Anyway, thanks again lads .

14.) 26 Sep 2023
26 Sep 2023 08:47:39
It’s been helpful to me that people have expressed their feelings about the club, I was beginning to think it was just me. Like JBS, I am exhausted by the upheavals over the last couple of years. In the past I have tried to be loyal to the owners, players and managers but I have lost that connection for the present. I don’t really care who the coach is or what players come or go. The last straw was that bloody new badge! Whatever happens I will continue to support the “club”.