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Another reason why we need to get rid of Maresca, didn't give him a single chance to show his worth.

Crazy, hope all of Caicedo family is in England and stays safe.

City can have him with both arms, yes we could get an even worse one with these cowboys but Maresca is nothing but a middle on the road coach and will never be a top coach, wouldn't lose any sleep if he goes to City even likelier that City will be done as a dominant force with him.

They wont be...

💣There is a lot of tension behind the scenes at Chelsea. Jorge Mendes, Enzo Maresca’s agent has a good relationship with the sporting director at Man City. (@SkySports)

Violence in Ecuador is out of hand. I think the president wants to do something similar as Bukele from El Salvador but I'm not sure if it can be done.

His team mate Mario Pineida has died. Local media reported that Pineida was shot on Wednesday by two people on motorbikes who opened fire on him, his mother and another woman outside a shop in the north of the city. Ecuador defender Mario Pineida has died at the age of 33 after being shot in Guayaquil.

Roman Abramovich defies PM and clings on to £2.5bn for Ukraine Keir Starmer had told the Russian oligarch the ‘clock is ticking’ over proceeds from his sale of Chelsea Football Club that were promised to Ukraine war victims https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/starmer-threatens-to-seize-25bn-from-abramovich-after-Chelsea-sale-nn97gcfzl Roman Abramovich will defy Sir Keir Starmer’s order to hand over £2.5 billion of his assets to help Ukraine. The Russian businessman, who is subject to UK sanctions, believes he has a watertight legal case to ensure the proceeds from the sale of Chelsea Football Club will be donated on his terms. The prime minister threatened ­on Wednesday to seize the money but sources close to Abramovich insisted it was the government that needed to abide by an agreement that was made when the club was sold in May 2022. President Zelensky is due to meet European leaders in Brussels on Thursday in an effort to secure frozen Russian assets worth €210 billion for the defence of Ukraine, despite US pressure against the move. Washington is warning privately that it will demand “the money back” if the European Union and Britain try to take it. “The Europeans are going to have to give it back,” said a source close to internal US discussions on reclaiming the Russian funds. President Putin described European leaders as “little pigs” in a vitriolic speech in which he also said Russia would use any means necessary to capture the territory in Ukraine it claims as its own. Politico reported that the head of Russia’s sovereign wealth fund is ­expected to meet the US special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner in Miami for talks at the weekend. • Roman Abramovich accuses government of ‘paralysing’ billions for war victims Starmer said the Treasury had issued a licence that permits the transfer of the proceeds from the sale of Chelsea into a new humanitarian foundation for Ukraine. Abramovich believes the money should be used to help victims on both sides of the war. Starmer said: “My message to Abramovich is this: the clock is ticking. Honour the commitment that you made and pay up now, and if you don’t, we’re prepared to go to court so every penny reaches those whose lives have been torn apart by Putin’s illegal warfare.” Chelsea was sold after the invasion of Ukraine by Russia. A consortium led by Todd Boehly, an American businessman, and Clearlake Capital bought the club for £2.5 billion. It is understood that Abramovich has received a letter from the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation, giving him a deadline of March 17 to donate the funds, although it does not mention possible court action. • Fears Ukraine war victims will get less than half of £2.35bn Chelsea sale Sources close to the Russian insist nothing has changed because under the licence issued in 2022 and the legal ­undertaking he gave at the time, the £2.5 billion had to go to a charitable foundation run by the former Unicef executive Mike Penrose and to help all victims of the war. The government has insisted the money has to be used on charitable projects in Ukraine. Some £2.35 billion is frozen in the bank account of Abramovich’s company Fordstam. However, latest company ­accounts show £1.429 billion of that is owed to Camberley International ­Investments, a Jersey-registered company owned by Abramovich. The accounts state “the net proceeds of sale, after allowing for other balance sheet items” would be given to a charitable foundation. The Camberley money is part of £5.3 billion of Abramovich’s cash that has been frozen by the Jersey courts since 2022 and is the subject of a complicated legal case there. Abramovich’s representatives say the £1.429 billion cannot be released to the charitable foundation until that legal action is dropped by the Jersey government. Stephen Doughty, the Foreign Office minister overseeing the case, said: “We are very confident … about what was agreed and what needs to be done and it is for him now to fulfil that. If he doesn’t, we will set up a foundation and we will take the necessary steps.” Doughty said that due to interest the sum in Fordstam’s account had risen from £2.35 billion to £2.5 billion. He added: “Jersey is a crown dependency and subject to sanctions regimes in the same way as the United Kingdom and we’re very confident about the position that we’ve taken.”

He turns 18yo (born August 30, 2008) the day before the summer 2026 transfer window closes on August 31, 2026, so he could have come here (and been loaned out, obviously) Djylian N’Guessan (Saint-Étienne) – Scout Report https://targetscouting.com/2025/07/25/djylian-nguessan-saintetienne-scout-report/ (from July 2025) Djylian N’Guessan is a 16-year-old French/Algerian striker who currently plays for St Etienne and was part of the French U17 side that recently lost to Portugal in the final of the UEFA U17 European Championship in Albania. He scored four goals for his country and had a total of eight shots on target during the tournament. At 5’11”, N’Guessan may still have some physical development to come, but he already shows good strength in 1v1 duels, both on the ground and in the air. Although he lost more aerial duels, this was largely due to facing stronger opponents, such as Germany and Portugal. N’Guessan has a good spring when attacking headers, and he doesn’t shy away from physical contact. He will sometimes drop deep, pulling defenders out of position, which creates space for teammates. He links play well with intelligent first-time passes into feet. The player is quick and explosive. He is happy to drop in, link up, then sprint into the penalty area, often arriving around the 12-yard line to wait for cutbacks. These short bursts of pace are a common feature of his game. He is very athletic and instinctive. N’Guessan also shows good upper-body strength to hold off defenders or opponents tracking his runs. However, one concern is his stamina. In high-intensity matches, he can become tired and sluggish as the game progresses. With consistent strength and conditioning as he reaches 17 and beyond, I expect his stamina will improve over the next five years. In possession, N’Guessan operated mostly centrally (as a false 9), but he would also drift wide to the left and cut in to shoot with his favored right foot. He has a great first touch and is comfortable playing first-time passes to teammates making advanced runs. He displays excellent close control and composure when dribbling in tight spaces and is confident in the channels, often taking on full-backs or central defenders. His shooting tends to be very accurate, and he usually looks to place his shots. He is comfortable both facing play and with his back to goal. His ability to bring the ball down with his chest and then find a teammate with a short pass is excellent. His short passing is precise and intentional. The way he positions his body and maintains balance in possession is impressive. N’Guessan demonstrates good technique in congested areas to find teammates and consistently shows the ability to play on the shoulder or drop into deeper pockets. In the box, he is sharp and composed but sometimes tries to do too much when a simple shot would suffice. Out of possession (as seen against Germany), France alternated between a 4-5-1 mid-block and a 4-4-2, with N’Guessan the most advanced player in both formations. As a lone striker or false 9, he presses aggressively, forcing mistakes and helping reclaim possession high up the pitch. He shows good intelligence and positional awareness. However, as matches progress, he tends to tire and becomes less willing to press or close down passing lanes. As a striker in a front two, he sometimes seems unsure whether he or his partner should press or hold position, which leads to frustration. He tends to lose focus when fatigued. N’Guessan has a very bright future ahead of him. He is already showing excellent potential and is a tremendous young athlete. Certain aspects of his game—particularly stamina over 90 minutes and concentration levels—need improvement. Another season with St Etienne in Ligue 2 would be ideal for his development, although a return to Ligue 1 wouldn’t be surprising. A move to a Bundesliga club (e.g., Mainz or Werder Bremen) could offer an even better platform for his growth.

Because the October CPI was canceled, Thursday’s report did not have all the usual data points of a typical CPI release. The BLS said it was unable to retroactively collect the October data, but did use some “nonsurvey data sources” to make the index calculations. my add: Also, tens of millions of Americans, starting January 1st, 2026 and onward, are going to be crushed with new health insurance premium costs, in many cases over 1000 USD per month or more just in increases.

Palace have 3 games in next 6 days (tonight, then Saturday, then Tuesday). That is madness, especially for such a low-depth squad. The will also be without 3 key players: RB Daniel Muñoz and DMF Cheick Doucouré are out injured, plus RW/AMF Ismaïla Sarr is off to Africa with Senegal's national team for a month. CB Chadi Riad is also out until January.

Chelsea have reportedly made an offer of €8 million for Djylian N’Guessan, the highly rated 17-year-old striker from AS Saint-Étienne (Ligue 2). However, Saint-Étienne have already rejected the opening bid. (Bernard Lions | @lequipe)

November consumer prices rose at a 2.7% annual rate, lower than expected, delayed data shows The consumer price index rose at a 2.7% annualized rate last month, a delayed report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed. Economists polled by Dow Jones expected CPI to have risen 3.1%. Core CPI, which strips out volatile food and energy prices, was also cooler than anticipated, increasing 2.6% over 12 months. https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/18/cpi-inflation-report-november-2025.html Still waiting on that Tariff Inflation we was promised.....

I have no real love for Maresca at all, believe me. I won’t shed a tear if he ends up going. I’m just worried that we’d replace him with someone who’s even more unproven and even more of a puppet. Any Maresca replacement has to be an established, top quality manager who instantly commands respect from the players. None of this super young and “learning on the job” stuff.

How is it if we fail A,B & C it’s only the directors fault? Only the directors fault we can’t beat Qarabag or Atalanta? Only the directors fault if we finish below Villa, Newcastle and United? I want the directors gone before anything else, but Maresca is a bang average manager. No way would City appoint him if Txiki was still there. This will be the downfall of their dynasty.

Can absolutely see him jumping ship to City depending on how the rest of this season goes. If we finish strongly and in the top 4 again then he’ll probably stay and continue to build us into a proper top team. If we fuck it all up and don’t achieve UCL football I think he walks. I’m just terrified of what this board will do to replace him if he does go. Probably appoint Rosenoir which would be incredibly stupid.

That would be a disaster. But I wouldn't be surprised if the idiots running the club, would be more than happy to let him go, especially after he started moaning about them.

This list is so long that I’ve actually forgotten the total number of names that are added to…View the full article

US about to go to war ?

That is annoying. Did not know that until now. I hope Palace beat Arsenal but I do not see it. They look really stretched right now. Arsenal's depth is crazy even with injuries. Palace have Sarr away at AFCON. Munoz requires surgery and that is their most dangerous side of attack. Mateta looks exhausted and their schedule is as crazy as any other team and does not help that Glasner does not rotate much. Would defo be better for us if Palace win but think Arsenal will win. Arsenal have a whole week's rest at the moment while Palace have had a game, week in, week out for like the whole season.

Everything you need to know about why Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo must serve a one-match suspension in the Carabao Cup... https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/Chelsea-moises-caicedo-carabao-cup-36419787 Chelsea's Cup success: Enzo Maresca's side advanced to the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup on Tuesday night following a 3-1 victory against Cardiff City. Goals from Alejandro Garnacho and Pedro Neto secured the win and a spot in the competition's final four. Suspension details: Moises Caicedo will be unavailable for the first leg of the semi-final in January after picking up a yellow card during the match. This caution was his second in the competition, triggering an automatic one-match suspension. The quarter-final incident: The booking occurred in the 45th minute when referee Tony Harrington penalised Caicedo for dissent. The midfielder was sanctioned for sarcastically applauding the official's decision to award a free-kick to Cardiff. Previous offence: Caicedo’s first yellow card of the Carabao Cup campaign was received during the previous round against Wolverhampton Wanderers. On that occasion, he was booked for arguing with the referee deep into second-half stoppage time. Timing of the ban: Because the second booking occurred before the semi-final stage, the suspension must be served in the next round. Yellow cards are typically wiped before the semi-finals, but this does not nullify bans triggered by cards accumulated in the quarter-finals. Upcoming fixtures: The semi-final first leg is scheduled for the week of January 12, with the return leg following in early February. Chelsea are set to face either Arsenal or Crystal Palace as they compete for a place in the Wembley final. Impact on the side: Caicedo has become a vital component of Maresca’s midfield and his absence represents a significant blow for the first leg. The manager will now have to find a tactical alternative to replace the Ecuadorian's defensive presence.

This Is What Presidential Panic Looks Like Donald Trump delivered a fear-drenched rant live from the White House. https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/12/what-presidential-panic-looks-like/685307/ The president of the United States just barged into America’s living rooms like an angry, confused grandfather to tell us all that we are ungrateful whelps. When a president asks for network time, it’s usually to announce something important. But tonight, Donald Trump did not give anything like a normal speech or address. He was clearly working from a prepared text, but it sounded like one he’d written—or dictated angrily—himself, because it was full of bizarre howlers that even Trump’s second-rate speech-writing shop would probably have avoided, such as his assertion that inflation when he took office was the worst it had been in 48 years. (Why did he pick 1977 as a benchmark? Who knows. But he’s wrong.) He read the speech quickly, his voice rising in frustration as he hurled one lie after another into the camera. We could take apart Trump’s fake facts, as checkers and pundits will do in the next few days. But perhaps more important than false statements—which for Trump are par for the course—was his demeanor. Americans saw a president drenched in panic as he tried to bully an entire nation into admitting he’s doing a great job. For 20 minutes, he vented his hurt feelings without a molecule of empathy or awareness. Economic concerns? Shut up, you fools, the economy is doing fine. (And if it isn’t, it’s not his fault—it’s Joe Biden’s.) Foreign-policy jitters? Zip it, you wimps, America is strong and respected. In effect, Trump took to the airwaves, pointed his finger, and said: Quiet, piggy. I consider myself a connoisseur of Trump’s speeches. I’ve watched them and live-tweeted them for years because I think Americans need to see what kind of man sits in the Oval Office. But even by Trump’s standards, this was an unnerving display of fear. I can only imagine America’s enemies in Moscow and Beijing and Tehran smiling with pleasure as they watched a president losing his bearings, berating his own people, and demanding that they absolve him of any blame when things get worse. His rant contained no news, other than an example of his contempt for the U.S. military, whose loyalty he thinks he can purchase with a onetime $1,776 bonus check. This is projection: Trump has shown his willingness to be bought off with gold bars and trinkets, and he may think that the men and women of the armed forces are people of equally low character. This was not a holiday address from the leader of a great democracy to its citizens. This was a desperate tin-pot leader yelling into a microphone while cornered in his palace redoubt. The president has been unraveling for weeks, and his speech tonight, like Trump himself, was unworthy of America and its people.

Trump addresses the nation from the White House | PBS News special coverage 18 or so minutes of non stop blatant lies (basically everything he said) and rambling it is truly insane and terrifying even for Trump this was breathtaking I have never seen anything like it it is completely delusional Fact check: Trump repeats numerous false claims in prime-time address https://edition.cnn.com/2025/12/17/politics/fact-check-trump-prime-time-address President Donald Trump made a series of false claims during his prime-time address from the White House on Wednesday night, most of which have been debunked before. Here is a fact check. This article will be updated with additional items. Inflation and the economy Investment in the US this year: Trump repeated his false claim that there has been “$18 trillion” in investment in the US during his second presidency, saying Wednesday, “I’ve secured a record-breaking $18 trillion of investment into the United States.” This figure is fiction. At the time he spoke on Wednesday, the White House’s own website said the figure was “$9.6 trillion,” and even that is a major exaggeration; a detailed CNN review in October found the White House was counting trillions of dollars in vague investment pledges, pledges that were about “bilateral trade” or “economic exchange” rather than investment in the US, or vague statements that didn’t even rise to the level of pledges. You can read more here. Prescription drug prices: Trump repeated his false claim that an executive order he issued on prescription drug prices will cut those prices by “as much as 400, 500, and even 600%.” These figures are mathematically impossible; if the president magically got the companies to reduce the prices of all of their drugs to $0, that would be a 100% cut. You can read a longer fact check here. Inflation under Trump: Near the end of the speech, Trump falsely claimed, “Inflation is stopped.” Inflation hasn’t stopped; the year-over-year inflation rate in September, 3.0%, was the same as the rate when Trump returned to office in January – in fact, if you go to multiple decimal places, the September rate was a tiny bit higher – and September was the fifth consecutive month the year-over-year rate had increased. Immigration and foreign policy Trump and wars: Trump repeated his false claim that he has ended eight wars this year, saying Wednesday, “I’ve restored American strength, settled eight wars in 10 months.” While Trump has played a role in resolving some conflicts (at least temporarily), the “eight” figure is a clear exaggeration. Trump has previously explained that his list of supposed wars settled includes a war between Egypt and Ethiopia, but that wasn’t actually a war; it is a long-running diplomatic dispute about a major Ethiopian dam project on a tributary of the Nile River. Trump’s list includes another supposed war that didn’t actually occur during his presidency, between Serbia and Kosovo. (He has sometimes claimed to have prevented the eruption of a new war between those two entities, providing few details about what he meant, but that is different than settling an actual war.) And his list includes a supposed success in ending a war involving the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda, but that war has continued despite a peace agreement brokered by the Trump administration this year – which was never signed by the leading rebel coalition doing the fighting. Trump’s list also includes an armed conflict between Thailand and Cambodia, where fighting erupted again this month and continued into this week despite a peace agreement brokered by the Trump administration earlier in the year. One can debate the importance of Trump’s role in having ended the other conflicts on his list, or fairly question whether some have truly ended; for example, killing continued in Gaza in November after the October ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. Regardless, Trump’s “eight” figure is obviously too big. Migration and Biden: Trump repeated his false claim that “25 million” migrants entered the country under Biden. The “25 million” figure is false; even Trump’s previous “21 million” figure was a wild exaggeration. Through December 2024, the last full month under the Biden administration, the federal government had recorded under 11 million nationwide “encounters” with migrants during that administration, including millions who were rapidly expelled from the country. Even adding in the so-called gotaways who evaded detection, estimated by House Republicans as being roughly 2.2 million, there’s no way the total was even close to what Trump has said. Trump also repeated his unsubstantiated claim that, during the Biden administration, foreign countries emptied their prisons and mental institutions to somehow send the people in them to the US as migrants, claiming that “many” members of the supposed “army of 25 million people” were “from prisons and jails, mental institutions and insane asylums.” Trump has never provided corroboration for such claims about foreign countries in general or the specific places he has named in the past: Venezuela and “the Congo.” Experts on Venezuela, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the neighboring Republic of Congo said during the Biden administration that they had seen no basis for Trump’s stories, the governments of both of the Congo countries told CNN the stories are false, and an expert on the global prison population told CNN she saw “absolutely no evidence” of any country emptying its prisons to somehow release prisoners into the US. Other topics Trump’s bill and Social Security: Trump repeated his false claim that the big domestic policy bill he signed earlier this year includes “no tax on Social Security.” The legislation did create an additional, temporary $6,000-per-year tax deduction for individuals age 65 and older (with a smaller deduction for individuals earning $75,000 per year or more), but the White House itself has implicitly acknowledged that millions of Social Security recipients age 65 and older will continue to pay taxes on their benefits – and that new deduction, which expires in 2028, doesn’t even apply to the Social Security recipients who are younger than 65.