Cosmin

@Reddish-Blue- couldn’t agree more. I still have regrets when thinking of that Lukaku interview. It completely ruined our whole season, not just his career at Chelsea. As per Mudryk, I am quite convinced that he will never make it at Chelsea. He needed to get into a well-oiled team, just like Arsenal, for him to hit the ground running in a new country and league. We are wasting his talent and he will never be able to make it, considering also the pressure of the price tag.

I do not want Frank to be the permanent manager either. That ship has sailed in 2020. However, there are a few things that I disagree with you on. Lampard lost the FA Cup final, but remember his achievements during that season: top 4 with a transfer ban, an FA Cup final (lost, but still a final after a difficult run-in, with games against Liverpool, Leicester and Man United), and a lot of great academy players promoted in the first squad and even first 11. Of course, the next season things started to go bad, but in my opinion Frank's management during 2019-2020 is underrated by many football fans. I don't want to get into this topic, but bringing up his race as an argument is not a good idea. He only had one more job since leaving Chelsea, and that was at a disaster of a club, where even Ancelotti has failed. Liverpool are far ahead? Liverpool are in a mess currently. Klopp's players are worn out, just look at Mane. On a side note, all that "drilled attacking patterns" got them one UCL trophy, and one Premier League title and five other trophies (EFL Cup, FA Cup, Community Shield, CWC, European Supercup) since Klopp took over. During the same time, Chelsea have almost the same achievements, except for the Community Shield. So I wouldn't really take Liverpool as a performance standard, compared to us. Of course there are problems at Chelsea, problems that Lampard cannot fix. But things were looking just as bad at Arsenal, when "Holding, Luiz, Bellerin etc." were starters there. The difference is that Arteta had the time and patience from the club to deal with those problems, while Lampard was sacked in January 2020. I am just wondering what would've happened if he had a little bit of extra trust from the club. Just like I wonder what would've happened to Arteta's career, if he got fired during his second season at Arsenal.

I have always wondered where he and we would be, if Roman didn't sack him back in 2020 and allowed him to get rid of the players that he had a conflict with, instead. Could that have been our "Arsenal with Arteta" moment?

Benitez was not liked because of the things that he used to say when he was the manager of Liverpool. If Mourinho was to take over at Liverpool, he would've had the same treatment. Mind you, Mou never said anything bad about their fans, like Benitez said about Chelsea fans. Rafa came good in 2012-2013, after all, but remember that he was arguably a worse manager for Everton than Frank was. He is kind of finished as a manager.

The players and the staff should do everything that they can to win the UCL. But we are not players nor members or the staff. We can only analyze and see for ourselves that the odds are not in our favour. Specially not against Real Madrid, who always manages to find a way in Europe, and then against City or Bayern. Of course, odds were not in our favour in 2008, 2012 and 2021. Yet we still managed to reach the final and to even win the competition twice. It is possible, but it's not realistic enough to base your whole strategy on it. Also, in 2008 Grant was our manager, then Di Matteo in 2012. Don't tell me they were tactical geniuses. It wasn't about that. We were only able to go (almost) all the way through thanks to the spirit of the team. And if you ask me, Lampard is 10x more qualified than Benitez to bring up the spirits in this Chelsea team. So even from that regard, I still think he is a decent option. Plus, even if we signed a permanent manager right after Potter was sacked, let's say Enrique or Nagelsmann, there is no way they could've had such a great impact in only a few days time. Frank knows plenty of our players, he knows the club, the league. He doesn't need time to adapt. For me, a new manager who can have a clean slate and a full pre-season with the squad is the best option. The only important thing is that we go for the right option. Whoever that is.

Of course, we have a world class team on paper. But we cannot put the ball in the back of the net. We just cannot score, that’s a fact and it won’t change without a striker. We won’t have a striker in the UCL. Not even Aubameyang. We do have a tiny chance, but it is not a realistic scenario. At least not realistic enough to justify any kind of rush in appointing a permanent manager.

So has Di Matteo + Benitez did that 10 years ago. Besides, appointing an interim during this stage of the season is not something meant to help us improve results. It’s meant to improve the mood around the team and the fans too. Lampard is clearly a better option than Rafael Benitez, from that perspective. Benitez would’ve made the whole club look like a joke even more than we do now. And that “we have the chance at winning the UCL” narative is naive at best.

1. Why? and 2. Can you imagine the outrage, considering the context?

Curiously, I am not worried about Lamps and I am happy that he will get the chance to finally get a proper send-off from the fans. What makes me anxious is the lack of certitude regarding the next permanent manager. There is a feeling that we could he in for a surprise. And not a nice one. I would be calmer if I had the certainty that it’s between Enrique and Nagelsmann. I am not a fan of neither of them, but they would be decent options after all.

“His worst” happened during lockdown. But I am 100% sure that no match going supporter will protest as long as Frank is there. He will be supported no matter what, until the end of the season.

This is very plausible, though. There are reports saying that Bruno didn't want to be here, in the spotlight. Also, I think Enrique would like the job now, but the board is not 100% convinced, while Nagelsmann still needs time to decide. So the solution that they came up with is finding someone ready to fill in, while conversations are being had. On the other hand, it wouldn't surprise me to find out that they are just taking the piss.

No way this is real. I mean, Mourinho I can understand. But Nuno?

Except for Koulibaly and Aubameyang, I don't think any of our signings was made at the request of those managers.

Sterling must start.

23 more days until you win. We will prevent them from becoming champions in their own yard.

The players clearly didn't want Potter anymore, while Bruno as a Chelsea manager against Real Madrid is a joke, to be fair. The more I think about it, the more sense it makes for Lampard too. Because his image is at an all-time low. This could be a good opportunity for him to enter the summer market in a more positive light. As per the club, if Enrique and Nagelsmann refused to take over now and they were the main targets for us, this seems to be the right call. What really matters is the fact that it is mandatory for the board to get the summer appointment spot on. Good for him and for us. But what would "a good job" even mean? Getting some results? That wouldn't matter anyways. Winning the UCL? Impossible. From my point of view, I hope we smash Arsenal and their title challenge.

Better options in wide areas? As in Mudryk, Madueke, Sterling are not good enough?

I don't understand why he's not in the first 11 anymore. Maybe because we're trying to get ready for the games against Real Madrid. But still, seems odd.

From what I understand, the interim solution only comes into play if "our guy" is not willing to come in immediately. It is not that bad of a strategy to secure the new manager and finish off the season having an interim in charge. It takes off a lot of weight from the new manager's shoulders. This strategy has worked quite well for us back in 2016, when Conte arrived after Hiddink took care of the end of that 2015-2016 season.

If Lampard accepts coming in as a caretaker, then he is all but giving up on his managerial career. He might see it as an opportunity, but there is no way someone so young agrees to this if he believes that he's got a future as a manager.

You could change the players, though. There are options. You have Mount, Sterling, Pulisic, Madueke, Mudryk, Aubameyang. Even Chukwemeka. I am tired of Havertz and Felix.

Fuck off back to Madrid, Felix! God, I miss Mount!

Sterling? Mudryk? Madueke? Pulisic? Put someone in, Bruno! Graham is not there to make that call anymore.

You can just feel that they will score at least once now.