Pizy

What he said there is common sense, though. You win the title and should build upon the team to elevate yourself even further. You don't rest upon your laurels and feel content. Anyone and their mother could see that as the season went on we became weaker and weaker. When you don't bring in new, top class players the current lot didn't feel threatened or any pressure. They turned up fat and out of shape and comfortable knowing that their places weren't under threat. Most probably felt like our board did; that "oh, we won the title at a canter last season, we'll do the same this year." As City found out after their last title win, you can't buy a handful of average squaddies and no top quality first XI addictions and replicate the success when everyone around you improves. Of course Mourinho deserves plenty of blame for the fighting, the outburts, and the sometimes stupid tactics, but I can't help but feel that he would 100% still be Chelsea manager today if we had had a brilliant summer like we did in 2014.

As predicted, the (justifiable) digs at our board have already started. Also, as if we didn't know, he CLEARLY had targets he wanted that the board utterly failed to secure and thought that the same squad was good enough to repeat.

I know they have a great shot at the title and play some decent stuff, but I just can't bring myself to appreciate Spuds at all. They're such a boring (in terms of their players) average side. They have about 2-3 good players surrounded by okay players. They'd be the lamest PL champions ever in my opinion. Benefitting so much from ourselves and United being down. I think with us appointing a great manager and Mou going to United they'll go right back to where they belong in the 5-7th range.

My order of the 4 mentioned would be: 1) Simeone 2) Conte 3) Allegri 4) Sampaoli Simeone in my opinion would be the only sure thing. He's still a risk as any manager would be, but I feel like we have the kind of squad that would serve as a great base with which to build around. He brings in a few of his type of players and we'll compete for the title next season.

Odds Roman will be on the phone with Claudio to return?

I don't think so. I just think they have brainless CB's and Yaya has been checked out since the start of the season. He's useless when he isn't up for it.

Wow. He's so good. Wonder where he ends up in the summer.

Mourinho is the perfect manager for Woodward and they should be a match made in heaven. Woodward has shown over the past few years that he's obsessed with big name, superstar signings that help the United "brand." I'm sure José will have no trouble coming up with a nice fat list of top players he wants. Will be interesting (and annoying/sad for us) to see City/United battle it out for the likes of Pogba and Stones.

Hughes is moving on up in the estimation of many. Maybe the board will give him a shot. He can bring Crouchy with him.

That's probably why Pellegeino is being talked about. He'd be a yes man and a puppet that does what he's told without complaint.

Didn't he extend his contract before the season started? At that time he probably genuinely felt like he would be able to build a dynasty here and the board would back him properly.

It's being reported by some reputable outlets that José was in contact with United within 24 hours of us sacking him. That to me sounds like he's absolutely desperate for the job.

Don't think anyone will dominate points wise like Bayern, PSG, or RM/Barca do where there's enormous separation between them and the other clubs, but I can definitely see domination in terms of titles between those two if we don't appoint the right manager. We're the only club that can (theoretically) keep up with them financially in this league so I'd say we have the best chance of any PL side to challenge them. Again, assuming we appoint a top man.

You couldn't make it up. Just have to laugh because it's so unbelievably mad.

Maybe not at first. I think he'll talk about how he didn't feel like he was backed like he should've been in the market this past summer. I think he'll say that it was a joke that we sacked him again and I think he'll take a jab or three at our players for underperforming. I have a feeling that his unveiling press conference will be painful viewing/reading for Chelsea fans. I also remember him saying he'd talk about the Carneiro situation "when the time is right," so I wouldn't be shocked if he explained what happened at some point. "Out of respect" doesn't mean much to him in this case I feel. He'll be angry as hell and out for revenge against Chelsea. Think we'll see the best José Mourinho since his first stint with us. He'll have his "dream job," as disgusting as that is to type.

Looks like it's close. This is going to suck. Be prepared for a whole bunch of dirt about Chelsea to be made public.

Hey, man, I'm with you. Hopefully the next manager agrees and brings a few through. The question is if our board and owner share the supporters desire to implement youth. They've shown over the past few windows that the answer may be "no."

I guess the argument for some of our youth players is that they go on loan to much smaller clubs than Chelsea and don't exactly shine. Bamford couldn't get a game for Palace and when he did he struggled. If he can't do it there how would he here? RLC is certainly good enough and deserves more opportunities. Must annoy the shit out of him to see players like Dele Allie light it up at Spuds.

For better or worse, what Poch has been able to build there would never have been possible here over the past few years. You're right, it is impressive but you have to look at how it's possible. A club like Spuds have no title ambitions and even finishing ourtside of the top 4 is acceptable there. Without those requirements a manager is able to bring through youth at will and take huge risks that we haven't been able to. He's able to work for a couple of years to implement a system and take his lumps if there's turbulence. Would our supporters or our owner put up with a few years of high midtable finishes under a new manager?

While Pochettino deserves credit, the primary reason they are where they are is because ourselves and United have been so shit this season. I wouldn't mind a manager like him here under normal circumstances but I kind of think we do need a star "name" to compete with the Manchester clubs and Arsenal next season and beyond. Top players may have their choice between all of the top clubs in England. Why choose Chelsea if they're being pitched and recruited by Guardiola and Mourinho? With a big name like Simeone we'd have a shot at some of the same players. Not sure we would under a "lesser" name.

One of, if not the saddest part of this situation is that it'll make it seem like he's been desperate for years to take the United job as rumors have suggested since SAF left. That he only came back to Chelsea because he had no real alternatives. My one and only last hope is that the higher-ups at United decide he's not worth the inevitable trouble and go for someone else like Pochettino. He's my all time favorite manager and favorite football personality but if he goes there and waxes poetic about it being his dream job and how he wants to retire there, etc. my love for him will cease. Like I and others here have mentioned, a Pep led City and Mourinho led United will be able to attract and sign the absolute best players in world football. We risk losing some of our best players and may struggle to attract top talent. It honestly feels like we won't even be able to compete with them for a while. Now we've even fallen behind the likes of Arsenal and fucking Spurs! We won the bloody league last season! Feels surreal thinking about where we are now.

He can "want to" all he likes. They'd still have to spend £50m to get him back. If we steal their manager, however, I highly doubt he'd want to leave. It's extremely difficult to find a top class striker these days, much less pay the necessary fee to buy them. No chance will the club allow him to go. Not without bleeding a club dry. If we sold players that weren't even getting games for us for insane amounts I can only imagine what it would take for us to sell the focal point of our team. Not happening.

He's the kind of player we need to play with Diego Costa, not in place of him. Simeone should be our new manager and Griezmann his priority target along with Stones.

Like, why the fuck would we sign someone who isn't even close to fitness? Our board is mindbogglingly stupid. Unreal. Doesn't bode well for the summer.