Chelsea International Banter 2

01 Mar 2026 19:38:26
Very honest comments from our manager.

The old mental attitude problem was eluded to yet again. The comment "playing well and not getting the results" plus "red cards" have been "our problem all season. " This team "has to learn from consequences. "

We will now go on a winning run. ?.

01 Mar 2026 20:03:57
This team has made the same errors repeatedly. When does the learning happen? Your mate, Sanchez, has returned to type, proving beyond doubt he is not the fan for the future. Neto is brainless. Points lost. Again!

01 Mar 2026 20:09:56
Kazblue, I had no idea Sanchez was my mate. He seems like a nice bloke, I would be happy if he was.

01 Mar 2026 21:25:59
You've spent the season trying to convince us he's improved. I still see the same nervous wreck costing us points regularly. Get rid!

01 Mar 2026 21:39:08
Kazblue, let me give you the facts about my season opinion on Sanchez. At the start of the season, around May, I said I would pick Jorgensen for a run of games. Sanchez was generally the first choice for EM in Premiership games. As I always do, I give criticism and praise from game to game. Much to my surprise, Sanchez delivered some very good performances, so much so I posted that he could be a candidate for our most improved player.

Sadly, but thankfully only recently, he has made several mistakes. When that has happened, like today, I have been critical. I give praise when it's due and criticism when it's due. I then give an overall judgement on every player, the manager, the SDs and owners at the end of each season. My approach has never changed.

01 Mar 2026 18:14:36
Men vs boys and a PE teacher who hasn't got a clue I slagged meresca but his guy is really clueless 2-1 and we being gusto and lavia on what a joke

Petulant children our inability to be able to keep 11 players on the pitch shows the standards of this football club, what stresses me out he shouldn't off been on he was awful all game. This team is so bad it's laughable from bad from top to bottom owner know nothing of football and the management are the same.

We beat Wrexham but we don't win again till may forest at home.

01 Mar 2026 20:21:40
We would have won 7-0 if we had your boy Nicolas Jackson up front, nib.

01 Mar 2026 20:28:45
Sorry nib, if that isn't you who's the big Jackson fan.

01 Mar 2026 20:32:25
No, Nib thinks he isn't very good, or some set of words to that effect.

01 Mar 2026 21:58:22
I don't rate him as most, no, but I'd say he'd probably have done better than what we've got. Delap, for me, is my biggest disappointment. Pedro is OK, but we're not winning things. He's two in and out. Today he was rubbish, but he'll probably do well against Villa, then not turn up till Man United in May. The whole team is too inconsistent.

01 Mar 2026 22:21:40
I thought Pedro did pretty well today.

02 Mar 2026 08:29:30
We are "not winning things." I have spent the vast majority of my CFC supporting life not winning things, getting relegated a few times, but celebrating the joy of getting promoted.

Winning can come in so many ways! I woke up this morning!

02 Mar 2026 10:52:21
We all think differently, that's what makes the world go round. For me, the club's not being run properly, and we don't have the right players or manager. I'm not going to keep going on about that anymore, as I've lost interest due to the people that are in charge and the yes men at the helm. Quite a few hard games coming up.

02 Mar 2026 12:12:33
Don't go to the Bridge then, Nib, is what I would suggest. Stop paying for that season ticket or match day ticket that you get each week.

That way you're not supporting the hierarchy. And, hopefully, get some enjoyment knowing you're no longer putting the masses of money in each week that we do.

01 Mar 2026 18:01:40
There can be no defence from that corner. Sanchez was all over the place and some others were to passive.

Now down to ten men yet again. No argument for the second yellow, just a bonkers challenge.

01 Mar 2026 17:36:35
Very strange half of football.

They looked scared to win and we look like a team lacking in confidence.

I would like us to take more risks when we have the ball but we will probably get punished.

01 Mar 2026 18:13:52
Sanchez Poor. Another red. Looked like Neto didn't know he had been booked, playing OK. If the ref hadn't fallen for Timbers' dive that led to the corner that led to the goal, we may have been OK. We need a new keeper and to go on a decent run.

The game at Villa is a must-win next week. This team has the unwelcome ability to lose or draw games they should win or draw, although I don't think we are far off if we can keep 10 on the pitch. Reece has had a great game.

01 Mar 2026 18:30:06
Sanchez was very poor, he panics too often when the ball is at his feet when pressed, or in crowded penalty areas from corners. But Reece, TC and Joao Pedro, plus Enzo F, played v well. Disappointing result after shooting ourselves in the foot, with Sanchez so poor at corners, plus Neto getting sent off.

Great to see Lavia back, but these points burnt v Leeds and Burnley could cost us Champions League qualification. But if we can beat Villa away, Villa might crumble. Perhaps our best chance?

01 Mar 2026 18:31:17
Keep 11 on the pitch.

01 Mar 2026 18:37:31
It shows that we need a top-class goalkeeper, but the more worrying aspect of our game is red cards. I cannot believe how many we have received this season, and for us to succeed, it must stop.

01 Mar 2026 18:40:44
I think the commentator said nine reds so far with seven in the Premiership. Not a very helpful statistic.

01 Mar 2026 18:51:01
Trying to cast my mind back on the reds. Caicedo deserved, Fofana deserved, Neto definite second yellow. Chalobah and Cucu Sanchez all technically correct. Think we only got two points from those 6 games.

01 Mar 2026 19:00:38
Discipline is a big problem, and has cost us bundles of points.

01 Mar 2026 19:05:36
Sanchez is a fine shot stopper but v poor, as I have said countless times when under pressure with the ball at his feet or in a crowded box. Mind you, why didn't LR deploy the EM tactic again of putting three of our players forward to threaten a counter from a corner, to drag their players back and make the box less crowded?

01 Mar 2026 19:13:47
I've previously said all I've got to say about Sanchez, but what a bore fest of a match. Whoever wins the title is the best of a bad bunch. This is a very weak Premier League. If I was a neutral, wouldn't pay any money to watch any of the top 6.

01 Mar 2026 19:41:14
Couldn't agree more, Jimbo. We're being led by the most anti football team at the top of the table. They have no interest in attacking teams. They just wait for set pieces.

It's hard to take. Is it well managed or poorly? We will only see by the end of the season if City overtake them. 100% Arsenal will just set up against them, not to lose.

01 Mar 2026 19:50:59
This isn't a new thing. I think the Gooners are by far the best team in the Premier League, but they are managed by Arteta, who, for me, will just let his team release their handbrake. I'm still not sure how the Scousers won the league last season. It was like every other team had a bad year, and they had a marginally better year.

I did think they would improve with the signings they made, but that hasn't happened so far. My Scouser-supporting mates 100% blame the manager. The manager is always to blame, as I guess it should be!

01 Mar 2026 17:25:21
Don't know if a bunch of players are wearing the wrong studs or the pitch is just extra slippery. Not an amazing half from either team. First 20 or so minutes it seemed like everyone was scared to play. Go behind to some typically terrible corner defending but bounced back decently.

Palmer going down was worrying. Hopefully he's ok and comes back for the second half.

I think Sarr has been decent, Sanchez is a total liability and Hato has kept Saka fairly quiet.

28 Feb 2026 22:08:44
I Gusto will play LB and I can't see that ending well. I also assume it will be Chalaboa and Badiashile as our CH's but they wouldn't be my choice as starters.

I also assume it will be Enzo, Santos and Caicedo in midfield with Pedro, Palmer and Neto as our front three.

Not sure what I'm expecting but I feel strangely relaxed.

COM ON MY MIGHTY BLUES.

01 Mar 2026 15:35:50
Close. Sarr is getting a start, which will be interesting/awesome. Hato at lb, which will be the same, but I feel like he's starting to feel up to it. I missed the Burnley game, as I was on holiday with my wife and daughter, but hopefully I'm returning to a better result.

It should be a fun watch, as Liam can't just hope for a chance in the last 20 like he did in the cup.

21 Feb 2026 19:35:24
Home and not happy with yet another poor performance at The Bridge.

The only player who comes out with any credit for me is Chalaboa.

The marking for there equaliser was a joke, particularly from Santos.

Fofana deserved the second booking but the first yellow was very soft. Tosin might have also seen red.

It is down to us to break these teams down who play with virtually six at the back and 80% possession is pointless unless you creat at least some clear chances because I can't remember there keeper having to make a save.

22 Feb 2026 09:10:28
Tom It was the same with Maresca. There was lots of possession, but he did nothing with it. The defensive issues from set pieces, as well as the indiscipline issues, were also present under his reign.

22 Feb 2026 10:52:02
Bill, our shape has definitely changed after watching yesterday's game. We are now almost a 4312, with the FBs being asked to over- or underlap, but not being inverted. I can see patterns of play that I like, but as we know it's hard to break down a team who play their four defenders narrow and bring their wingers back as FBs.

On top of that, their DMs just sit in front of the back four. It's like playing against a back eight. Anyway, we should have created more, and I forgot the one-on-one Palmer had. If he scores, the moaning stops.

22 Feb 2026 14:30:12
We were really poor, Tom, going backwards under this guy.

22 Feb 2026 14:42:24
Greenaway, our performance yesterday was poor, but I do not think we have gone backwards under our new manager. He has introduced a different shape, and I think we have to give him time to see if he can get a tune out of this group of players.

22 Feb 2026 15:19:34
Tom, we were also poor against Leeds and not much better v Palace, West Ham and Wolves, but won those games, which helps. I don't like the way he wants to put everything through the middle, and this relentless tippy-tappy stuff that all the Pep lites play nowadays, but you are right, he needs time. Will he get it if we miss out on top 4/5?

22 Feb 2026 17:03:26
I wouldn't have a clue if he will be our manager next season or if not finishing in the top five will be a deciding factor. I would like to think he will be given more than half a season, but that isn't always the case. I think we have played well in games under his management, but not for ninety mins.

23 Feb 2026 09:14:39
Greenaway, Poor against Leeds. We were battered against them under Maresca. It won't be until the summer where he can properly get on the training ground with the players, and I know you are going to come back and say he gave the players time off, but to be honest, they needed it.

Will he last past this season? Who knows, but he has only just started. Maresca has gone (he walked), so we need to move on whether it's with LR or somebody else. As you say, perhaps Gon, next through the revolving door.

23 Feb 2026 10:17:22
We have not played well for all 90 mins in many home games this season under either EM or LR. Barcelona is the standout exception, together perhaps with Ajax - but they were woeful - and Liverpool. But there have been a large number of disappointing results at home in the EPL under EM, don't forget, as well as, eg, that dreadful game away v Leeds. To me, this speaks to problems of various kinds with the squad as much as to who has been manager. Cucurella, for me, was a huge miss in the last game and a half. Remember, he had to come off at half time v Leeds when we were absolutely dominant. Also, I wondered whether James coming off just before stoppage time v Burnley removed an organising figure in defense for us.

Plus the absence of a commanding calm CB figure like Silva. James is about the closest we've got to that kind of commandingly calm presence at the back, though not at CB - TC the closest perhaps - and that might have been why we didn't have one of our taller CBs (Tosin, TC or Acheampong - just brought on for James and surely with the possibility of defending set pieces in mind - and Mourinho always stressed the need for height in the team for this reason) marking their attacker who scored with the header rather than comparatively shorter Santos. Lack of leadership at the back might be part of the reason why we have lost 19 points from winning positions in the EPL - second most behind West Ham?

21 Feb 2026 17:24:37
Another dreadfully disappoint home result made worse by the Burnley - Burnley for goodness sake - equaliser coming in the third minute of injury time. A result that together with the Leeds dropping of two points might just have sunk our hopes of a Champions League qualification place in last two of the last three remaining 'easy' home games of our season. The third of the three is v Nottinghm Forest in May.

Yet another red card contributing to the result. This time Fofana the culprit and Tosin might have followed. Discipline has been a major problem this season. Frankly pathetic and perghaps we donb't desrve ECL qualification. Can only hope that our rivals drop points aplenty now too. As it is we missed the chance to close the gap v Villa who did drop 2 at home like us. Perhaps it's the additional games catching up with those who have had to play more on several fronts and we had the CWC thrown in as well. But we had just had eight day btreak from last game with R&R in Dubai. And surely we should have had a squad big enough to cope and surely we could score more goals against Burnley. Pethaps some were mentally still on the beach in the UAE!.

I give up on us gaining any long-lasting consistency and am stunned by our inability to pick up a home win against either Leeds or Burnley. I may have to take a rest from the site for my own mental R&R even if I won't be able to get to Dubai!

I was lambasted for lamenting outr home form and commenting that we were in the lower mid-table mediocrity band in thsi respect if only home results counted. I hardly need to be told that away results count too. duh! The point is that most fans go to home games and desrve better - not least those who pay the extortionate prices of tickets in Westview for even games like today's. And the lack of a calm headed CB - you could never say WF calm even if at times he can be excellent - has cost us sorely too even if everyone but the SDs though we needed to bring such a player in especially after LC injured.

OK rant over. I'm not in the ever a boo boy or ever a happy clappy club must never be criticised vcamp. I've just lot it this time having watched us bottle it again in one of the supposedly easy home fixtures we have left. We better win the harder ones then!

21 Feb 2026 19:29:00
JBS, a guy at the game today, was telling me about a Westview ST. Apparently it costs £3k and that's for all home and away games, with extra tickets available for away games.

22 Feb 2026 11:00:52
Thanks for this, Tom - I had thought that there was a long list for season tickets, but perhaps this Westview offer is new and may be a sign that the club is not selling out match-by-match tickets at huge prices. Mind you, 3000 pounds is quite a lot if, like me, you can't make all home games because of travel, but I may investigate!

22 Feb 2026 11:14:11
JBS, If I were a lot younger, I would consider paying the £3k. It probably moves you up the Home ST list, and I think you are allowed an extra two away tickets. I was told those two extra tickets are included in that price.

My guess is the guy has got the package wrong, but it's worth looking into. Again, if I were younger, I would prefer an away ST to a home ST.

21 Feb 2026 17:11:04
Our home form this season is atrocious as is the red card situation.

Not sure why Fofana was not substituted before his second yellow and I would blame LR for that.

21 Feb 2026 19:37:14
Bill, blame Fofana for a stupid challenge when there was no need and no danger.

22 Feb 2026 09:13:18
But it's not just Fofana, Tom, we have the most red cards and are bottom of the league for yellows and reds. I believe last season we were near the bottom, and the season before we were bottom. It's just not good enough, and these cards are costing us dearly.

22 Feb 2026 10:54:44
Yes, they have cost us and I'm sure it's something that is discussed with the players. We can't just substitute players who are on a yellow. If we did that, Caicedo wouldn't ever finish a game.

21 Feb 2026 17:09:27
Two points chucked away these red cards cost us.

But as I have been in hospital for four weeks I have had other things on my mind and as much as I love chelsea, football is not that important.

21 Feb 2026 17:38:36
Very sorry to hear you've been in hospital, Seymns, and for four weeks, so it must have been for something serious. I do hope you are at least slowly getting better. Yes, I think we'd all agree that health and many other things are more important than football. But having a rant from time to time about this season's red-card madness and dropping points, after having dominated, is worth a momentary outburst.

It is almost necessary and therapeutic. Before the likes of your situation, and things in our own lives, bring us back to that reality of what enduringly matters. So thank you, and please update us, hopefully with positive news, on your situation if/when you can.

21 Feb 2026 19:22:07
Seymns, I am very sorry to learn about your health issues. I hope you make a full and speedy recovery.

21 Feb 2026 19:26:57
Seymns, I hope you are on the mend, mate? Look after yourself.

21 Feb 2026 22:38:32
Thanks, guys, for your wishes. I had a heart attack followed by a quad bypass and a collapsed lung, but things are looking up, and hopefully rehab will go well. In the last week I saw a couple of the Chelsea games, but they sort of passed me by.

Champions League top 5 qualifying will be three out of Liverpool, Man United, Villa and us. I think we may sneak above Villa.

22 Feb 2026 01:11:32
Seymns, I will stick with my pre-season prediction of 2nd-4th, but I fear both Liverpool and United will hit form on the run-in. Like you, I think Villa will falter. For the first 60 mins at the Bridge, they were the worst team I've seen this season.

How they won that game remains a mystery to me, but as I said at the time, that result was more about the managers.

22 Feb 2026 10:57:02
Seymns2, all strength to you with the rehab, and good indeed to know you're now feeling on the up. Tom, as said, will obviously hope you are right and I am wrong about 3rd to 7th, recently sharpened to 4th to 6th!

22 Feb 2026 14:31:00
Best wishes to you, Seymns2.