King Kante

Or alternatively, Maresca could've set us up properly for the two Ipswich games and we would be second. Or if he didn't bend us over in the away games against City, Arsenal, Newcastle (only changed tactics when we were down to 10 men and then became the better team) and Utd. He had plenty to work with this season, but as his negative football took hold the worse we got.

That may be the case, however with Maresca at the helm we will probably just play sideways and backwards passing for 90 mins and at the end of the game he will blame the time of night the KO was at and that CL qualification was not his objective this season.

Needs to go regardless. He has shown no signs he will change direction. He may get CL this season thanks to a weak league and a 5th place spot, but next season I see us midtable at Christmas the way he is going. Even if we beat Utd I am sure he will shit the bed against Forest.

It is the trajectory and the football being served up. Before Enzo fully implemented his tepid system we were fairly exciting and doing well. Yes, we got a couple of injuries but the football since Nov has been awful and makes Sarri's football look like Brazil 1970. On top of this, he clearly thinks he is a lot more clever than he is with his tactics and squad selection. For instance, I count all these games as points dropped because he was so negative and just played not to lose: Utd away - seriously how does anyone send their team out to sit deep against this Utd side? City away - they were there to be had. We had the goal and he tripled down to Marescaball. Arsenal away - probably the most pathetic of the lot Villa away - clearly playing for a draw. Brentford away Newcastle away On top of that, the team he put out for Ipswich away was also very strange and looks worse the more you look at it. There are also other games were we've won but it has been absolutely awful to watch. The problem is we may achieve the goals but the trajectory is both concerning and uninspiring. Guy is looking very similar to Ten Hag at Utd where the papering over the cracks allows him to stay on with further implications down the line. As for the Utd game, we only will only win that if they decided not to turn up like Liverpool did.

No one in there right mind would've taken him on loan. Cannot expect them to actually buy him.

Seems Enzo went out again to play for the draw. Second half only happened because of 10 men. That guy needs to go, I am sure he is a good possession coach but you need a lot more than that to become a head coach.

Essentially, this is don't lose. However, our record is awful there. IMO, I am still not convinced we can win a game like this without Lavia for 60-75 mins.

Because Real and Bayern are his rumoured destinations - some rumours even have him telling Alonso be only wants Bayern. Even under Roman we didn't pull those type of transfers with possibly the exception of 2006 with Sheva and Ballack. Either way, Wirtz either wants to stay in Germany or has Real as an option.

Wyss saying EC would be best. However, it also appears the stadium is still up in the air.

This actually makes some sense. However, if Lavia stays fit I want to see more of Caicedo as the inverted RB rather than in CM. The situation I am looking at most with CM currently is Enzo. He is finally fulfilling his potential but Real look as if they're sniffing about and we all know what happens when they do that.

I think people underestimate how important it is to have a functioning midfield for a teams overall balance and how good Lavia is. For me, Caicedo just isn't a DM as he is a ball winner/chaser which leaves us wide open for counters down the middle as he is easily drawn out of position. Now I know I have been beating this drum for a while, but as a team you're never going to control a game with Caicedo as your DM. This equally isn't me saying he is shit, it is just he is a player that needs a free role of tactical discipline as he chases the ball too much and only has a reasonable passing range. Anyway, in short, we've been missing this since Lavia, and to an extent Fofana got injured.

I do think to myself this guy was one we should've kept along with Silva to help the new guys gel and allow us more possession in CM when we lost momentum. Anyway, good luck to him. He always played to his abilities for us and never downed tools.

Just want to mention that Lavia was an absolute beast. A prime example of what a DM should be - without it being obvious in stats or the naked eye on TV. That guy is literally my favourite player when on the pitch. Shows everyone how important it is to read the game off the ball. Imo, he is the closest player we've had since JT with regards to reading the overacrhing flow of a game and having tactical discipline. A question for everyone. Anyone notice the change in control of the game when he left the field and do they think the goal conceded would've happened with him on the pitch?

The squad needs a top quality GK, plus an experienced an CB to compete - so long as Lavia can stay fit. Seriously, anyone see today and how we controlled midfield with Lavia on and didn't want themselves silly with Caicedo's penalty win - but forgetting VDV's header to get them back in the game?

Tbf, within the known media, at CB, we are looking to sell Trev (anyone that goes £30m+ - possible), Disaster (Villa), Fonana (loan) and Badi. If all of those actually go it means an overhaul at CB is coming. Equally, Law was saying we were the team that was most likely to pick up VDV if he left the Dippers. All we have got to hope is that BlueCo have realised CB requires fitness (ruling out Fofana) and experience ( the rest- bar Colwill.) My hope is that we can flush Badi to Strasborg ( he is OK when not pressured so a good season at Strasborg raises his value), Fonana to Marsailles (he is a crock), Disaster to Villa and go again. For me, Colwill shows signs of a top CB - even if he is currently raw. if we can get that Huijsen plus another experienced CB (30+) we would be much better next season - so long as we do not have "big Rob" in goal. Trev is really the only loss as I do think as a HG he is worth more than £30m and is underrated as a squad player. However, if he needs to go to make it work for a Huijsen and a top quality 30+ CB, I can accept...

Don't particularly want another kid but at least this one actually looks the part. Tbf Estevao does as well. Him and Santos in the squad would make the DM/CM area a lot more solid and dynamic and we wouldn't be reliant on Lavia (who is also very good) having to be fit to not get run through.

Sheffield Utd are probably too strong for the rest of the play-offf teams but credit to SFL for taking Cov from 18th-5th. He has a reasonable chance of getting to the final as Sunderland's form has fallen off a cliff.

Luckily I had my Dipper mate from Bournemouth with me this night. Like a typical Dipper he has zero self awareness and a victim complexity - e.g. Hillsborough was "awful" - but negelctfullly forgets that game was a ticketed event and a load of pissed up Dippers - without tickets - turned up and overwhelemed the Popo and at Heysel 14 of his fellow supporters actually got convinced in a court of law of manslaughter. Anyway, prior to the game he was ribbing me about Barkley - and to be fair I agreed with most of what he said. Anyway, when Barkley scored it was the closest I have ever seen someone self-combust so this has always been a particularly good moment for me....especially as he has only seen the Dippers play live curtesy of me and my fellow Chels mate at either SB and Wembley; this said irl he he is absolute diamond.... As for tomorrow, I am going owing to family commitments/death in the family (so going against my commitment to not wanting to watch anymore of Enzo M's pusilanonamus football this season.) Either way, I cannot see a win for us unless Lavia can play 70+ mins and James can cover the rest of the game in a DM role. For me, CL is gone - we aren't going to start winning at St James' to put a loss/draw on a even keel. However, my hope for tomorrow is to just put up a respectable performance and show Enzo M what being Chels actually means.

Enzo M is already lubing the ring.

Personally I have a friend who takes my ticket when I can't attend. No money switches hands, but how easy will it be for me to pass my ticket to him on the new platform?

That makes him a geriatric in BlueCo's mind. Like Bill Clinton, they only like 'em young.

I am not sure. Enzo's coming in strikes me as a very typical NFL/American Recruiting Strategy. Essentially they saw Enzo as being from Pep's 'Coaching Tree'. This essentially means because he worked closely under Pep he knows that system to the T and should be able to implement it at a new team but maybe with a small slight variation depending on where the specialised - Defence, Offence or Special Teams. However, whilst this is a great theory, typically these coaches aren't actually that great at being a head coach, as they're too specialist in a certain side of the game and typically last 1-2 seasons before everyone realises they cannot replicate the same system as they cannot manage and overarching strategy taking in all sides of the game. That is where Enzo is. He understands Pep's system but is completely fixated with the possession aspect of it, he doesn't understand this needs variation when required or when to spot it. This is obvious whenever momentum changes in a game or he needs to do something different- Pep for all is faults does make in game changes. Equally, BlueCo have fallen into the trap that because Enzo has worked so closely with Pep he should know what to do.

Wanted Emi when we signed Kepa. People thought I was mad.

1) With the current squad, that only happens when Lavia plays. Without him we are always wide open for counter attacks through midfield as Enzo has no pace or interest in tracking his man and Caicedo is a ball chaser. 2) Does he? He appears to want to play Pep ball in 2nd gear all the time, despite the situation or opposition. Pep's teams are a lot more dynamic in the final third and shift gears when required. Actually he play is more akin to Sarri which was even seen as too boring for Italian football. I am not sure that is what BlueCo actually had in mind.

This is exactly the type of transfer we should not do.