All Activity

Chelsea say Joao Pedro has a knock and Levi Colwill is missing due to load management. Malo Gusto is missing with a knock. (@kierangill_DM) Lavia is injured again—send him away immediately!!

Fuck. Delap starts. Plowhorse derby.

Delap starts.....ah ha aha ha

Well, I was pretty confident that we’d win this despite our shit form. But with Delap starting I don’t know where the goals are coming from.

About time Palmer proved form is temporary

BREAKING: Chelsea XI vs. Spurs: Sanchez, Acheampong, Fofana, Hato, Cucurella, Caicedo, Andrey Santos, Palmer, Fernandez, Neto, Delap

Disagree. We want to avoid playing Conference League and there's no better way to do it than not to win here.

Should have introduced to the crowd to get them even more up for it

Bit of an incentive -Xabi has hinted some players will be offloaded - so they're playing to impress tonight

We all know how big of a failure this lot have been this season but if they can't produce against this lot tonight and get up for it then there is no hope what so ever. It's time the gutless bastards put on a show and what better way and stage than tonight

Certainly Bowen is someone I'd very happily take if his contract was over and he was coming in on a free transfer: - Clinical finisher - Club captain and talisman, model pro - Plays in multiple positions effectively But for what West Ham will want (proper money) you'd imagine there will surely be better options.

I have a lot of respect for Bowen but he would be a no for me. When we say we want experienced, high quality players we mean in the 25 year old range not 30 like Bowen. He’s a player who depends entirely on his physical tools and doesn’t strike me as the type who will age well. And his game is also not really suited to a possession based short passing style. He’s a counter attacking player and essentially a slightly better Garnacho. Plus, with Estevão and Quenda on our right side I don’t know where he’d fit. Especially if we’re playing 1 match a week.

Cucu is 28 this summer. Full backs especially drop level significantly at certain age. I don't mind selling him now. His price will be three times lower in 2 years.

🗯🔵Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United are interested in Jarrod Bowen. (@The Guardian)

Chelsea could demand compensation if Enzo Maresca replaces Pep Guardiola Club may launch legal claim if Italian, who left Stamford Bridge in acrimonious circumstances in January, takes over at Manchester City https://www.thetimes.com/sport/football/article/Chelsea-demand-compensation-enzo-maresca-pep-guardiola-z0rkgw02x Manchester City could be the subject of a legal claim from Chelsea if, as expected, they appoint Enzo Maresca as a replacement for Pep Guardiola. While City remain publicly silent on Guardiola’s future, with the manager unlikely to respond to the latest media reports in the press conferences he is scheduled to give this week, Sunday will be his last game after a decade in charge. It is anticipated a formal announcement of his departure will come before a parade to celebrate the success City have enjoyed this season on Monday. Chelsea will be watching the situation closely, and could well demand compensation if City respond to Guardiola’s exit by securing the services of a manager who left Stamford Bridge in acrimonious circumstances in January. Earlier this season the 46-year-old Italian held a meeting with City via intermediaries and initially used it in an attempt to activate new contract discussions with Chelsea when he was still their head coach. Chelsea and City have always declined to comment publicly on what happened, but at a conference in Los Angeles last month, Chelsea co-owner Behdad Eghbali was asked about Maresca’s departure. Eghbali, left, pictured with the chairman Todd Boehly, said the departure of Maresca at Chelsea was “not a change we wanted to make” Clive Rose/Getty Images “The change wasn’t the club’s decision,” he said. “For reasons I can’t speak about legally. I think the reasons will become kind of clear in due course. But no, it’s not a change we wanted to make. It’s a change that’s had a bit of a negative impact on the season, when you’re changing systems and personnel. And it’s one we’ve got to fight our way out of.” If City choose to dismiss any such claim, Chelsea would have to submit a formal complaint to the Premier League, triggering an investigation. Maresca left Chelsea on January 2 after he failed to honour his post-match media duties in the wake of a disappointing draw with Bournemouth. By then his team were on a run of just one win in seven Premier League games, with his position considered to be untenable after aiming what was seen as a direct attack on the club ownership following a defeat of Everton on December 13. Maresca complained that he had experienced “the worst 48 hours” of his career, hinting at clashes with the Stamford Bridge hierarchy. Maresca, right, worked under Guardiola as his assistant at City Jason Cairnduff/reuters Chelsea then turned to Liam Rosenior, and now reflect on that managerial change as an episode that seriously undermined their season. The club had been in second place before a run of poor results that preceded Maresca’s departure. Clearly, Maresca is still held in high regard by City. Before enjoying a successful spell at Leicester City, Maresca was City’s Under-23 coach and then first-team assistant to Guardiola during the 2022-23 season. After guiding Leicester to the Championship he led Chelsea to Conference League glory and victory at the new-look Club World Cup. Read more Pep Guardiola’s decade at Man City: genius who changed English football Pep Guardiola: The stats behind his decade at Man City City have announced that the parade on Monday will be followed by “The After Party”; what they describe as a “special separate event” at the Co-op Live, the new entertainment venue that sits adjacent to the Etihad Stadium. “With live music, entertainment, player interviews from both men’s and women’s teams and special guests it’s sure to be an evening to remember,” the club said in a release, with tickets available from £12 for adults.

One win in 40 Chelsea trips but Spurs fuelled by ‘everyone wanting us down’ Tottenham have dismal record that dates to 1990 and covers 27 managers, but Roberto De Zerbi has tasted victory at Stamford Bridge and wants his players to visualise win there https://www.thetimes.com/sport/football/article/spurs-Chelsea-preview-relegation-s0w0h3z65 When Roberto De Zerbi pulled his players in for the usual team meeting on Monday morning at Hotspur Way, there was no point hiding away from it. The place where Tottenham Hotspur can secure Premier League survival on Tuesday night with a win also happens to be the place where they almost never win. “Yes,” De Zerbi said. “We spoke this morning about this record.” One victory in 36 years away to Chelsea is the problem Tottenham are desperate to solve, a remarkable run that includes a single success from 40 trips to Stamford Bridge, going all the way back to 1990. De Zerbi, in two seasons in charge of Brighton & Hove Albion, won as many matches away to Chelsea as Spurs have managed during a period in which 27 different coaches — including interims — have been in the dugout. Still, De Zerbi’s revival project at Tottenham in the past six weeks has been driven by the confidence and conviction of their head coach. Spurs are two points ahead of West Ham and their superior goal difference of 13 means a draw against Chelsea will, realistically, be enough to prevent the doom-tussle going to a nail-biting final day, when Tottenham are at home to Everton and West Ham, who lost to Newcastle United on Sunday, host Leeds. But De Zerbi insists he is not thinking about settling for a draw. “No, no, stop,” he said. “We can’t start the game thinking to draw. We speak in the meeting to win the games. Both games.” Instead, his pitch to the Spurs players was about looking forward, as well as back. Chelsea, who have drifted to tenth in the Premier League table and with Xabi Alonso not due to start as permanent manager until July, could elevate their own disappointing season by making Tottenham’s significantly more uncomfortable. Chelsea’s fans would love nothing more than to nudge their London rivals closer to the drop. “Tottenham adds an extra incentive, any London derby does,” said Calum McFarlane, Chelsea’s interim head coach, who referenced the infamous “Battle of the Bridge” between Chelsea and Spurs in 2016, when the latter needed to win to keep their title hopes alive. Instead, they drew 2-2 in one of the dirtiest games in Premier League history. “There were some top players on the pitch [in 2016]. It was a really intense game, reallygood for the neutral,” McFarlane said. “I’m sure it will be very similar on Tuesday. Tottenham are top of the table for yellow cards (91) this season and Chelsea first for reds (7), but De Zerbi said he wanted his players to be “always calm, calm with blood”. He also wants them to visualise the unthinkable. “It’s good to imagine ourselves celebrating the win in their stadium. It’s the reason football is like this, no? It’s a motivation, a challenge,” he said. “I am Italian and in Italy, it’s the same. For the biggest teams, it’s the same. “We have to accept the pressure. We have to enjoy this pressure. We have to find new motivation from this pressure. I think it’s a good thing for us. If everyone wants Tottenham relegated, it’s a big motivation for me, and I hope for my players as well. We have to accept that football is nice because of the rivalità.” De Zerbi has said before that the sense that so many other clubs would love Tottenham to go down should give his players an edge. “Pride is amazing motivation,” he added. “The pride. If everyone wants Tottenham relegated, I think for one Tottenham player, one Tottenham fan, all the people who work inside Tottenham, it has to be the biggest motivation.” Gallagher helped Spurs to win away to Villa and restore some belief in the side times photographer marc aspland There are also the steps already taken, Tottenham’s mini-revival that has put safety in sight. One month ago Spurs had just lost De Zerbi’s opening game 1-0 away to Sunderland, which left them 18th, two points behind West Ham. They drew the next game at home to Brighton, making it 15 games without a victory, and for a while against Wolverhampton Wanderers, they were even four points adrift. Instead, they beat Wolves to end that winless run and then outplayed Aston Villa to make it two out of two. They head to Chelsea unbeaten in four. “I explained [to the players] the last win before Wolves was 28th December and then we won two games in a row. It’s not the record that is important. It’s the mood, how you go to play the game, because [after] we won two games, we [thought we] could win four games in a row, five games in a row. Why not?” De Zerbi said. “The most important is the spirit, the personality for tomorrow — to play a good game, to make points, because the most important thing now is to stay up and to play Premier League next season.” De Zerbi said Guglielmo Vicario was fit again after recovering from hernia surgery, although the excellent recent performances of Antonin Kinsky make a change of goalkeeper at this stage unlikely. “Vicario is No 1 but we have to consider the physical condition, the moment, everything,” De Zerbi said. “I have a big relationship with Antonin Kinsky and Vicario as well and there will not be any problem.” James Maddison almost won Tottenham a penalty after coming on in the 82nd minute in the draw against Leeds United last Monday for his first competitive match in a year after an anterior cruciate ligament injury. Maddison could again play a part off the bench against Chelsea, although De Zerbi said he had had a “small problem” last week and so he would speak to the midfielder this morning. Dominic Solanke is still out with a hamstring strain, but may be able to feature in the final match, against Everton on Sunday. Chelsea v Tottenham Tuesday, 8.15pm TV Sky Sports

Meaning we are broke and we need to sell best players to raise cash. I can't believe Alonso bought into this.

Barco is coming here for the midfield next to Caicedo. Everything I've seen of him makes him a great fit for the engine room midfield role and I just don't see his skills being useful at wingback

Man United is a good fit for him. United could offer UCL, that is the main factor.

👀🔵Lewis Hall is open to LEAVING Newcastle this summer. Chelsea and Manchester United are among the clubs actively seeking a new left-back. (@alex_crook)

Chelsea 1-2 Spurs

Finished 10th that year though

My conspiracy theory is Chelsea is losing to ensure they're out of UEFA competitions next season since that will help them avoid sanctions.

I wasn't actually considering Hato as a centerback atleast for now. He is young and likely to make mistakes if played as a Cb in a fast, quality tempo league like the premier League. I feel the fullbacks we have currently will do well under the right system. Centerback is where our major problem is. We don't have a central defender who organizes the backline well especially in terms of positioning like Thiago Silva used to do. The likes of Tosin, Badashiele, Disasi, Fofana, Chalobah etc are not good in that. That's the first issue we have, poor positioning before talking about good decision making.

⏳️👌BREAKING: Chelsea are shaping up for a legal battle with Manchester City over their putative appointment of Enzo Maresca. (@Telegraph)