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If we aren’t honest, Sanchez is the least of our problems right now. He has been pretty good this season.

‘’ If there is an opportunity in the market” What the hell is Marc Guehi if not an opportunity in the market??

Seems to be saying all the right things in the presser today, talking about the history and heritage of the club and fans etc Lets wait and see

Guehi is levels above Trev and Fofana and he would go a long way to solving our issues

You have TWO for every position, you dont outsource the medical to a company that also repairs other players from rivals.

🫡🤐 Joe Shields continues to spin his wheel Dan Hogan and Harry Hudson also come from him, after McFarlane!!!

The initial changeout of guys like Neil Bath & Jim Fraser 2 years ago was weird enough. Genuinely we had a great track record throughout all age groups & developing first team players of a certain quality. Bit worried that again, BlueCo’s decision to keep chopping & changing could also end up backfiring on this front as well. Hopefully not, they will need good academy players to sell for compliance with PSR. Was impressed with that. Seemed to give off a lot of positive energy too. Hopefully he gets that into the players because they look absolutely gormless out on the pitch Says he wants to make his own decisions & be his own man - let’s see though, will he be allowed to do so? Not expecting much, speaking well isn’t enough.

Madrid, Barca, Bayern, Liverpool, Man City & Arsenal all after him but he’s nothing more than a solid PL CB sure 🙄 Trev, Tosin, Fofana & Colwill are all a lot worse than him…. in various different levels. But all worse. I mean you have seem them play for us right? And have seen Guehi play? Seriously? Would be a massive coup to get Guehi, not going to solve every issue we have (lacking an elite GK also) but definitely a massive, massive improvement on what we call a defence.

🔵🗯Kendry Paez on his way to Ipswich Town on loan Essugo could go to Strasbourg on loan. 💥Dario Essugo took some part in Liam Rosenior's first training session today. Academy players like Shim Mheuka, Jesse Derry and Reggie Walsh were involved. (@NizaarKinsella)

Exactly. How many top centre backs are you going to get for £30-40m yet alone a home grown, ex academy player who is already living in & around London? Its beggars belief that they have quite clearly no intentions of going for it. Yet some 16 year old CB from Ecudaor, Cyprus or Afghanistan or wherever who may be good in 3-4 years will be their first priority. Could have done it in the fucking summer too when the previous manager was screaming put for a CB in the press after Wesley’s injury….. they have no interest in competing with the big boys. Like zilch. Has Lavia really played enough football here in the 3 seasons to be considered part of any potential spine? Like in those minutes has he really looked like someone who can contribute, can be relied upon to that level? The club were more than willing to offload him to United in the summer in a deal for Garnacho as well. He hasn’t done enough & probably won’t due to his injuries - not his fault but when you sign an injured player & he gets injured again constantly, your always up against it. Do think he will (rightfully, probably) be on the chopping block in the summer too. As mentioned, you need depth. Look at any successful side we had here in the past. Fofana (again has he really done enough to be considered part of a spine) & Colwill are out long term… we have got Tosin & Trev in most weeks. Tosin couldn’t spell defend yet alone try & do it. That potential spine you put, never mind Lavia, 3 of those 6 are severely injury prone?

We had a decent spine but how many of them are actually fit? Reece - Fofana - Colwill - Cucu Caicedo - Lavia Lavia and Fofana's injury records are a joke, how do you spend 120 million and they can't play 3 games in a row.

Its all about prioritising a spine - thought we already knew this. This involves one or two experienced players, and you start from the back. Fucking hell that was our policy when we were successful, cant they see that ?

Clearly not much

The manager/coach role is really pointless when you think about it at this club, that role is meant to be the line between the board and playing people, problem here is it is one continuous spine where the board pick the players they want to buy, the board pick the players to play and the manager is there to shove on a tracksuit and speak to the media and take training

I cannot think of a more sensible and crucial signing now for us than going for Marc Guehi

Figures were not right yet spunked £100m on Gittens & Garnacho…. Aye right…. The briefs are hilarious. They think they can pull the wall over our eyes. Its the same with that dipshit journalists who got the Q&A with the leadership group, gullible enough to write an article putting the same sort of nonsense in it then release a corresponding one a few days later saying their skeptical….. yeaaaaah 😂

Callum McFarlane is now part of the first team set up.....this really is now job for the boys isn't it We aren't just cutting corners on transfers but we are putting any Tom, Dick or Harry on the coaching staff. It's bad enough lacking leaders on the field but we have now got fuck all in the dug out, just inexperienced cherry picked puppets This has got car crash written all over it

I think if we had a decent owner not the bunch of clowns now and it was dealt with correctly we would be in a good position but in my opinion…. Roman shouldn’t have been forced to sell us and I think the new owners are using us as a training club for their French one.

EXCL: Inside Chelsea: The truth about the project I sat down with Chelsea’s Sporting leadership team https://siphillipstalkschelsea.substack.com/p/inside-Chelsea-the-truth-about-the Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with Chelsea’s Sporting Leadership Team to discuss the club’s project, raise concerns, and gain a clearer understanding of the long-term strategy. I hope this article provides insight into Chelsea’s inner workings and explains why I remain positive about where the club can go, if execution is right. The Concerns Raised The key concerns I highlighted were: A youth-focused recruitment strategy leading to inconsistent performances Inexperience across the club Gaps within the squad Whether the project can realistically deliver major trophies Whether Chelsea’s ambition is to win titles or simply secure top-four finishes Why This Strategy Exists First, it was important to understand where this strategy comes from and why Chelsea believe it is necessary. The club recognises that there are around five European teams that are effectively impossible to compete with directly on a financial level, due to differences in overall revenue, stadium income, and state ownership - PSG, Bayern, Barca, Real Madrid and Man City. Attempting to compete in the same way long-term would leave Chelsea vulnerable. In truth, that way of working was already showing signs of strain under Roman Abramovich. While successful in cups, Chelsea’s league form fluctuated significantly. The club last won the Premier League in 2016/17, and across the remaining seasons under Roman, Chelsea averaged a fourth-place finish, around 25 points off the title pace. In truth, Chelsea have not yet found the right balance between the two, resulting in inconsistent performances and a significant number of dropped points from winning positions. While the youthfulness of the squad has played a role in this, it is far from the only factor. Enzo Maresca’s limited ability to influence games from the bench also contributed to these issues. Chelsea understand that knockout competitions like the FA Cup, League Cup, or even the Champions League can be won with favourable draws and timely form. Look at the Club World Cup in the summer for example! The true litmus test, however, is the league. You cannot fluke a 38-game season. You must be consistently elite. The Rebuild and Expectations This reality drove the decision to commit to a full rebuild: lowering the average squad age, restructuring wages, and building a sustainable future, while still remaining competitive in the present. Importantly, the minimum expectation at Chelsea has not changed. Champions League qualification every season remains the baseline. Much of the rebuilding work has now been completed, and the current squad should be capable of finishing in the top five this season and beyond. That does not mean Chelsea will stop investing. Rather, a significant amount of groundwork has already been laid. PSR, UEFA Constraints, and Market Freedom It is also worth noting that Chelsea have not been operating freely in the transfer market. PSR restrictions during 2024, alongside UEFA sanctions last season, limited flexibility. Those UEFA issues have now been navigated, and upcoming changes to PSR rules should offer greater room to manoeuvre. This should not be interpreted as a radical shift in strategy, but it will provide more freedom moving forward. Closing the Gap and Sustaining Success Chelsea’s next challenge is closing the gap to the teams above and then competing consistently for the Premier League and Champions League. Crucially, the club wants to sustain that level once reached, rather than spike and fall away again. A comparison can be made with Arsenal’s recent rise, though Chelsea’s aim is to finish the job rather than fall short. Everything Chelsea do is framed for the long-term benefit. The club does not want to mortgage its future for short-term optics. That does not mean Chelsea will never sign older players or those without resale value, but such deals must make sense holistically. There is no under-23s-only rule. To date, under this sporting leadership, the right opportunity has not yet presented itself. Take Antoine Semenyo as an example. A £65m fee plus wages exceeding £200k per week would significantly disrupt the wage structure without materially changing Chelsea’s performance this season. However, if in the future a player represents the missing piece in a title push, the club would not hesitate to act. Accountability and Internal Pressure One key takeaway from the meeting was the level of self-reflection and accountability within the club. Despite media portrayals, the sporting team is under immense pressure to deliver, but is also protected and empowered to make decisions aligned with the club’s long-term interests. Without this structure, clubs end up making reckless win-now decisions that cause long-term damage. Examples include signing injury-prone strikers for £125m when also signing high-potential options with Isak and Ekitike, or committing massive fees and wages to forwards who are not elite and difficult to sell. Players such as Havertz or Gyökeres on £250k per week or more restrict resale markets to only a handful of clubs worldwide. Another thing I want to point out is they know they haven’t been perfect, they know they have made mistakes and they have processes in place to ensure the same mistakes aren’t made. The Managerial Situation There is little value in dwelling on Maresca now that he has departed. However, it is clear that the relationship had broken down, and change was necessary. Outside of other issues, as I stated on The Blues Feed, Chelsea should be the destination, not a stepping stone. If a manager or player is openly flirting with other clubs, they should be moved on. Full commitment is non-negotiable. Squad Management and Medical Influence Contrary to some reports, Chelsea categorically deny influencing team selection beyond player welfare and injury prevention. The club’s medical and performance teams, among the best in football, provide recommendations based on injury risk and conditioning. Final decisions remain with the manager. If a player is cleared for only 45 minutes, the manager decides whether that time comes from the start or the bench. Greater transparency around this process may have avoided fan backlash in situations such as Cole Palmer’s substitution. Had supporters known he could not complete 90 minutes, the reaction may have been different. Recruitment and Manager Involvement Claims that Maresca was not consulted on transfers are simply false. He approved all summer signings and was actively involved throughout the process. While he did want a centre-back, he was unwilling to sanction departures to create space, and no suitable option emerged following the pursuit of Dean Huijsen. Liverpool found themselves in a similar position. Chelsea’s recruitment model is a partnership. There are no manager-only or club-only signings. Both approaches fail long-term. The New Head Coach: Liam Rosenior Liam is not an unknown quantity to Chelsea. The club has known him for years, and he has worked within the structure for 18 months. He has longstanding relationships within the sporting team. He is described as hardworking, humble, intelligent, and articulate, someone the players and fans are likely to connect with. His track record shows consistent overperformance and strong player development. Tactically, he has already impressed against elite coaches such as Luis Enrique and Oliver Glasner. With the youngest squads in Europe, it will be fascinating to see what he can achieve with improved player quality and tougher opposition. The obvious question is whether he is ready for the pressure of the Chelsea job. Only time will tell, but from a personality and leadership standpoint, the signs are encouraging. Transfers: What to Expect Chelsea are expected to pursue another elite attacking option this summer, which explains the earlier enquiry for Semenyo before deciding not to proceed. The club is also aware that it lacks physicality relative to rivals and will look to address this, without sacrificing technical quality, in upcoming windows. Centre-back and striker remain areas of monitoring, with pathways also being considered for players already owned by the club, including Josh Acheampong, Mamadou Sarr, Aaron Anselmino, Emanuel Emegha, and Dastan Satpayev. Final Thoughts As mentioned at the start, I entered this process with concerns. Many of those have been addressed, and I feel more confident about Chelsea’s long-term direction. One thing is very clear to me is throughout the club, there is a passion for us to succeed and a real togetherness which we saw in the 1-1 draw with City. Every single player, coach and director all pulled together in the time of uncertainty to ensure on the field results weren’t effected. One thing someone said to me really stuck with me as i have felt like this as a Chelsea time for a very long time. We are at WAR with every other club in the Premier League and Europe to achieve the goals we want to.` This all said, the proof will come through execution and the results we get. Strategy alone guarantees nothing. Hopefully, this article has provided clarity and reassurance. Let us know your thoughts on the piece, and your feelings about Chelsea’s direction, in the comments below. Danny Windsor A note by myself, Simon Phillips. I was at this meeting with Danny and Luke, and one thing I will add is also contrary to belief, members of this sporting team hold a very good footballing knowledge and are VERY passionate about the club - there is no doubts around how hard they work and how obsessed they are with this club. I have obviously not been as positive on the ownership on X over the last week or so as Danny is being here. But I did get a lot of encouragement from meeting them, as well as from reading back on the points that Danny has articulated superbly here. What I am doing is staying open to everything. I’ve never doubted their ambition, even if my emotions as a fan first can boil over sometimes. But although it seems like gloom and doom right now and I do think that fans have been right to take action and makes their voices heard, there are many things to be encouraged about. Time will tell on it all, as Danny says. For me, this summer and what happens, as I’ve written in an article this week, is CRUCIAL. Simon Phillips

Was a 6.5 year deal really necessary? Not exactly like we had to had to pry him away from another organization he was basically on the payroll already

Sat together discussing how to make Strasbourg feel better after ripping the heart out of the club and massage them into feeling better. Instead of being sat around a table discussing what is needed at this club which is far more important than Strasbourg. Whilst we are around the table discussing other clubs problems, Man City are in talks with Palace to sign a player we should be approaching in Marc Guehi How sad.

Shields will be there on Sunday back on his old stomping ground licking the arses of the City people behind the scenes Him Winstanley and Stewart are cancerous along with the other two fucking clowns upstairs

It's absolutely insane that we haven't been linked with Guehi, whose contract expires in six months. One the best CBs in the league, our CBs are shit and he is from Chelsea. So what are they waiting for? Or is he too old for our clown directors?

the board can fuck off

You’re always so over the top hostile in EVERY one of your posts. It’s really tiring. Calm the fuck down. I just disagree. He’s a good player. He’s not some world class, massive level raising player for me. And one of the main reasons all of these huge clubs you’ve named are really interested in him is that he’s available for free in the summer or “cheap” by today’s standards this month. Not because he’s some VVD level monster.

why not? he would deffo, IMHO, be in this group of the best LBs and LWBs on the planet atm: Nuno Mendes Álvaro Carreras Alejandro Balde Marc Cucurella Riccardo Calafiori Alphonso Davies Federico Dimarco Myles Lewis-Skelly Nico O'Reilly Nathaniel Brown Antonee Robinson Rayan Aït-Nouri Destiny Udogie Lewis Hall Andrea Cambiaso Theo Hernández Ian Maatsen Davide Bartesaghi Miguel Gutiérrez Neto would make that list have a total of 20 players

🚨 Amidst multiple academy structural changes, Chelsea are set to appoint Dan Hogan as the new U18s Head Coach. Hassan Sulaiman will no longer lead the 18s, and will soon work with the loan group. Hass has been coaching at Chelsea since 2008.

IF they get Guéhi and IF Colwill never fully recovers for us they will have NINE players who all have played CB in the past or present and all of whom would be better than anyone we have atm (for sure IF Colwill is perma wrecked). Potentially Acheampong may end up better than many of the Arse 9 listed below. We damn well had all best hope he does and Colwill fully recovers. they would have Guéhi then 8 more William Saliba (top 5 CB on the planet) Gabriel Magalhães (top 5 CB on the planet) Piero Hincapié Cristhian Mosquera Riccardo Calafiori Jurriën Timber Ben White Declan Rice

Impressive work by BlueCo

We have Tosin don't worry about it.