Chelsea 2025-26 - Worldwide losingest team of the 2025-26 season

FootballHQ said:
Is Tonali deemed too old for them? That's the calibre of player they should be signing. Or even Bruno Guimaraes as surely he wants to play in CL every season even if he loves Newcastle.

Experienced prem players who can provide leadership.

I also think if Palmer pushes to leave then Gibbs White wouldn't be a terrible option while they develop younger players.
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Don't know about Tonali, but I'd take Bruno G in a heartbeat. We don't really need a lot of help in midfield, unless we lose Enzo in the summer. Caicedo, Enzo, Lavia, Santos and Essugo is a very good group.

GK, CB and LW are our most glaring holes.
 
WeePat said:
Don't know about Tonali, but I'd take Bruno G in a heartbeat. We don't really need a lot of help in midfield, unless we lose Enzo in the summer. Caicedo, Enzo, Lavia, Santos and Essugo is a very good group.

GK, CB and LW are our most glaring holes.
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I think if you miss out on Europe altogether Enzo has to go plus he'll be pushing from the interview a few weeks back.

Rest of the group....I did rate Lavia at Southampton but all those injuries since means it has been difficult to judge him. Santos been o.k without being amazing and only see Essugo having five minute cameos so can't comment on him.

The trouble is though if that is your strongest area is it really that much better than what Newcastle, Villa or dare I say even Spurs have when everyone is fit? If Spurs stay up they just need an experienced DM and that signing with Bentancur, Gray and Bergvall is good going forward.
 
FootballHQ said:
I think if you miss out on Europe altogether Enzo has to go plus he'll be pushing from the interview a few weeks back.

Rest of the group....I did rate Lavia at Southampton but all those injuries since means it has been difficult to judge him. Santos been o.k without being amazing and only see Essugo having five minute cameos so can't comment on him.

The trouble is though if that is your strongest area is it really that much better than what Newcastle, Villa or dare I say even Spurs have when everyone is fit? If Spurs stay up they just need an experienced DM and that signing with Bentancur, Gray and Bergvall is good going forward.
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I would assume that we will be treating James as a midfielder going forward as that seems to be best for his health. Caicedo + James is better than pretty much any midfield in the Prem in my (very biased) opinion.
 
Surely he won't agree to anything with Chelsea without making 100% sure Liverpool won't sack Slot?

Also I'm reading that Chelsea are ready to relinquish control to him, which is being reported as part of the 'self reflection' they said they would do when Rosenior was sacked.

It feels like Chelsea will have to work hard to convince Alonso so stepping back from the meddling and allowing him space to work is probably what they have to guarantee him. I believe it when I see it though. Don't trust them at all.
 
WeePat said:
Surely he won't agree to anything with Chelsea without making 100% sure Liverpool won't sack Slot?

Also I'm reading that Chelsea are ready to relinquish control to him, which is being reported as part of the 'self reflection' they said they would do when Rosenior was sacked.

It feels like Chelsea will have to work hard to convince Alonso so stepping back from the meddling and allowing him space to work is probably what they have to guarantee him. I believe it when I see it though. Don't trust them at all.
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It’s an easy payout though. Best job in Europe from a financial perspective.
 
I’ve laughed at them enough now. Maybe Xabi Alonso will make them get their sh*te together.

Absolutely not concerned though. He’s already shown the top level might be above him. Let him experiment there. 343 and all that.
 
Chelsea have a decent squad to set up similarly to his Leverkusen side. Wouldn't be surprised if that's the thinking behind this, should they go for him.

Cucurella and James as wingbacks. Caicedo/Fernandez as the Palacios/Xhaka equivalent. Palmer ahead on the inside right and Pedro upfront. Buy a better keeper(Trafford?), bring back Rudiger for some much needed experience and someone like Gibbs-White or Rogers for the left inside forward position. That's a good team.
 
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WeePat said:
Surely he won't agree to anything with Chelsea without making 100% sure Liverpool won't sack Slot?

Also I'm reading that Chelsea are ready to relinquish control to him, which is being reported as part of the 'self reflection' they said they would do when Rosenior was sacked.

It feels like Chelsea will have to work hard to convince Alonso so stepping back from the meddling and allowing him space to work is probably what they have to guarantee him. I believe it when I see it though. Don't trust them at all.
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I can actually see a good summer this year, like in 2023 they'll want to show themselves to be "reacting" to a shitshow season and it would probably stop the protests for the medium term also.

The big test to whether they have "changed" will be if/when we get back into the UCL.
 
WeePat said:
Surely he won't agree to anything with Chelsea without making 100% sure Liverpool won't sack Slot?

Also I'm reading that Chelsea are ready to relinquish control to him, which is being reported as part of the 'self reflection' they said they would do when Rosenior was sacked.

It feels like Chelsea will have to work hard to convince Alonso so stepping back from the meddling and allowing him space to work is probably what they have to guarantee him. I believe it when I see it though. Don't trust them at all.
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Interesting.
 
I know the chances of Alonso coming here are slim to none but him going to Chelsea whilst we appoint Carrick is a big problem. A quality, proven manager at the highest level who has won major honours.. the sort of appointment big clubs with ambitions appoint.
 
rajds89 said:
I know the chances of Alonso coming here are slim to none but him going to Chelsea whilst we appoint Carrick is a big problem. A quality, proven manager at the highest level who has won major honours.. the sort of appointment big clubs with ambitions appoint.
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Missing out on great managers is what we are consistent at. His record at Madrid was pretty good before he was sacked.
 
rajds89 said:
I know the chances of Alonso coming here are slim to none but him going to Chelsea whilst we appoint Carrick is a big problem. A quality, proven manager at the highest level who has won major honours.. the sort of appointment big clubs with ambitions appoint.
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Sacked by February

But am I talking about Alonso or Carrick?
 
ayushreddevil9 said:
Missing out on great managers is what we are consistent at. His record at Madrid was pretty good before he was sacked.
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This is a bit much. Jury still very much out on his quality as a manager. Never mind the fact that he is former Liverpool so is basically a non-starter for us.
 
ayushreddevil9 said:
Missing out on great managers is what we are consistent at. His record at Madrid was pretty good before he was sacked.
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As I said, given his Liverpool connections I doubt we'd have been an option anyway for him (that said, he was part of the Liverpool team around the time Liverpool and Chelsea were kicking off with each other) but yeah, it's difficult for even the most loyal Carrick of fan to argue he's not a better manager who is availble.
 
Big Ron’s Coat said:
This is a bit much. Jury still very much out on his quality as a manager. Never mind the fact that he is former Liverpool so is basically a non-starter for us.
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More so than it is for Carrick?

Even still, I'm not sure it is.. he literally coached a Bayer Leverkusen team to within one game away from possibly one of the greatest seasons a club has ever had.
 
rajds89 said:
I know the chances of Alonso coming here are slim to none but him going to Chelsea whilst we appoint Carrick is a big problem. A quality, proven manager at the highest level who has won major honours.. the sort of appointment big clubs with ambitions appoint.
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Let's not go too far that first bit is still very much in question. He is clearly talented young coach but he isn't a proven quality manager just yet. He did just as well in Germany as Amorim did in Portugal and ETH in the Netherlands before we hired them.
 
rajds89 said:
I know the chances of Alonso coming here are slim to none but him going to Chelsea whilst we appoint Carrick is a big problem. A quality, proven manager at the highest level who has won major honours.. the sort of appointment big clubs with ambitions appoint.
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Isn’t his preferred formation with three at the back?

After the Amorim debacle I could see why the club would be weary of going back to that.
 
Big Ron’s Coat said:
This is a bit much. Jury still very much out on his quality as a manager. Never mind the fact that he is former Liverpool so is basically a non-starter for us.
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He broke the Bayern dominance with Neverkusen, was second in the table (only 4 points) when he got sacked at Madrid and you think he is not a quality manager?
 
Rooney1987 said:
Let's not go too far that first bit is still very much in question. He is clearly talented young coach but he isn't a proven quality manager just yet. He did just as well in Germany as Amorim did in Portugal and ETH in the Netherlands before we hired them.
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Doing well in Germany is not equivalent to doing well in second grade leagues like Portugal or Netherlands.
 
rajds89 said:
More so than it is for Carrick?

Even still, I'm not sure it is.. he literally coached a Bayer Leverkusen team to within one game away from possibly one of the greatest seasons a club has ever had.
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Yes the heady heights of Europa League runners-up.
 
WeePat said:
Surely he won't agree to anything with Chelsea without making 100% sure Liverpool won't sack Slot?

Also I'm reading that Chelsea are ready to relinquish control to him, which is being reported as part of the 'self reflection' they said they would do when Rosenior was sacked.

It feels like Chelsea will have to work hard to convince Alonso so stepping back from the meddling and allowing him space to work is probably what they have to guarantee him. I believe it when I see it though. Don't trust them at all.
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Relinquish control of what? They surely aren't going to promise him free rein with transfers, which is where almost all your problems seem to be.
 
Rooney1987 said:
Let's not go too far that first bit is still very much in question. He is clearly talented young coach but he isn't a proven quality manager just yet. He did just as well in Germany as Amorim did in Portugal and ETH in the Netherlands before we hired them.
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What Alonso did in Germany with a team known for always being the brides maids, never the brides is nothing like what Amorim did or what ETH did at Ajax. He broke the monopoly that was Bayern and in style.

Big Ron’s Coat said:
Yes the heady heights of Europa League runners-up.
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The unbeaten title winning campaign trumps that of anything Carrick, ETH or Amorim has done.
 
sp_cgb said:
Chelsea have a decent squad to set up similarly to his Leverkusen side. Wouldn't be surprised if that's the thinking behind this, should they go for him.

Cucurella and James as wingbacks. Caicedo/Fernandez as the Palacios/Xhaka equivalent. Palmer ahead on the inside right and Pedro upfront. Buy a better keeper(Trafford?), bring back Rudiger for some much needed experience and someone like Gibbs-White or Rogers for the left inside forward position. That's a good team.
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We've got a giant Belgian called Mike Penders coming in, who will be first choice from what my sources tell me.
 
C'est Moi Cantona said:
Relinquish control of what? They surely aren't going to promise him free rein with transfers, which is where almost all your problems seem to be.
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Won't be "free rein" but a top level football person being involved would be a massive improvement.

Someone with a bit of clout to say "we don't need another 19 year old".
 
C'est Moi Cantona said:
Relinquish control of what? They surely aren't going to promise him free rein with transfers, which is where almost all your problems seem to be.
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This is why I said I'll believe it when I see it because relinquishing control means stepping back a bit and actually backing a manager with what he says he needs instead of signing 10 more players nobody asked for and expecting the manager to just make it work.
 
duffer said:
Won't be "free rein" but a top level football person being involved would be a massive improvement.

Someone with a bit of clout to say "we don't need another 19 year old".
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You need Alonso to tell you this?

The point is if Alonso isn't able to rip the squad up and also be allowed to buy some senior players then I don't see how he is being given control, and if he's given this then the whole business model for your owners suddenly changes, which seems very unlikely given they are so deep in now.

I'm sure they'd be happy to give any manager control over the squad and how you play, just as long as you start winning, but not much beyond that.
 
Dancfc said:
I can actually see a good summer this year, like in 2023 they'll want to show themselves to be "reacting" to a shitshow season and it would probably stop the protests for the medium term also.

The big test to whether they have "changed" will be if/when we get back into the UCL.
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Hope you're right. I personally don't trust them, despite what is being briefed. I'm hoping Alonso won't come without being promised certain things and that if he does agree to come, it means he's gotten those assurances. That's just playing detective based on nothing substantial though.
 
Dancfc said:
I can actually see a good summer this year, like in 2023 they'll want to show themselves to be "reacting" to a shitshow season and it would probably stop the protests for the medium term also.

The big test to whether they have "changed" will be if/when we get back into the UCL.
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How you would be in any position to spend big this summer is beyond me.
 
WeePat said:
This is why I said I'll believe it when I see it because relinquishing control means stepping back a bit and actually backing a manager with what he says he needs instead of signing 10 more players nobody asked for and expecting the manager to just make it work.
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Okay, fair enough, it does seem very unlikely.

I reckon it'll be one of Iraola, Glasner, or Silva, all easy to get, and all likely to be up for it whatever the terms.
 
C'est Moi Cantona said:
You need Alonso to tell you this?

The point is if Alonso isn't able to rip the squad up and also be allowed to buy some senior players then I don't see how he is being given control, and if he's given this then the whole business model for your owners suddenly changes, which seems very unlikely given they are so deep in now.

I'm sure they'd be happy to give any manager control over the squad and how you play, just as long as you start winning, but not much beyond that.
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Obviously the owners need someone.
 
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