Blue Armour

I see your point about the home kit, but I think it would be up to the club itself to tell Nike if they approve of the design or not. I don't think Nike in anyway can dictate a single design. I'm pretty sure they present a bunch of standard templates to their partner clubs, and whoever is in charge of that club's marketing department must approve.

Not to mention, our new manager utilized him effectively last season. All the more reason to think that this piece will have a good chance to integrate seamlessly into the team. Just hope people curb their expectations during pre-season. I'm not expecting him to output crazy numbers. Rather, he would provide a platform for the rest of the midfield to succeed in controlling the game.

I think he'll help get the best out of Enzo & Caicedo too. If he can be the solid, dependable, even if unspecatcular, CM, like Henderson was for Liverpool.

Disappointing, but I'll still maintain that central midfield is where we needed the big fix, and I think we've got that. Going to make a big difference in each game's result next season. With more draws turning into wins.

Or,.....we could have a balanced view and call them out on shit that could have been avoided, and give them credit when it's due?

Not to mention that goof-up against Arsenal at the Bridge. But...I'll reserve judgement for now. Let's see if Maresca can extract more from him. Still worried about the CB cover in front of him.

I'll double down on what I said next season. We WILL see the best of Enzo & Caicedo when they have an experienced no-nonsense CM playing along side them. I think KDH can be that missing piece.

Astute signing, in my books. Makes me optimistic for next season, already.

Same. I'm really pleased with this signing, my friend. I think you and I were one of the few on here who were complaining about the lack of an experienced head in the midfield last season. Happy to see that the club is going back to making more sensible signings.

KDH is exactly the type of signing we need atm. Whether he can deliver is another question., but that remains to be seen. A week or so ago I was ranting about how it was looking unlikely that the new regime would sign another CM, let alone an experienced one. I'm happy to be proven wrong. This signing has the potential to make a world of difference next season. If he can bring balance to the team in midfield, we will start to see a more consistently well-performing Chelsea next season.

It makes a lot of sense for me. The lack of an experienced CM in the middle of the park was why our games felt so unbalanced last season. Easy wins turning into draws or defeats. Adding a CM with the right profile to play in that 433 will bring out the best in Enzo & Caicedo next season., IMO.

Exactly why I would like this signing.

I was hoping for an experienced CM to join the ranks. Even if it's just Kiernan, so be it.

I would also add the need for a CM with more experience to the list, especially if Gallagher leaves. Unless we are counting on the Caicedo-Enzo combo to jump up a few levels this season, when playing together. Can't simply count on Lavia filling in either, given his injury record. But a CM and a player with experience seem to be two things our club no longer wants.

I didn't say it was impossible. I just said it's more difficult. Which is true. You won't be able to get everyone to come by just paying big bucks. Not everyone is like Mudryk. And sooner or later, Chelsea won't be able to pay those big bucks, the longer it stays out of top European competition. This is the first time in a long time the club has been out of the top European places for back to back seasons.

Yeah. It will be tough to get top talent line up to sign for a club that can offer nothing more than conference league football. For two seasons in a row. Clownlake have seen to that.

If we do sign Duran, I hope Maresca and the club management are aware of his personality., if John McGinn's comments are anything to go by. Said he had quality, but also had a nightmare personality to go with it., which made him tough to work with. We already have a young, immature side, looking at the antics of Jackson & Madueke last season (esp. the fight with Palmer over the penalty). Getting the entire lot to work as a consistent unit, is likely going to be an uphill task for any manager.

Jackson should move into the Anelka role. Playing as winger/pseudo-second striker, like Anelka did in Ancelotti's 433 formation. All we need is a Drogba in the CF position.

Semantics. He came through Cobham is what I meant., and he's been with the club since 2008. And that's BEFORE he even went to Arsenal after rejoining Chelsea. So in my view, definitely MORE of a Chelsea youth product instead of Arsenal. And capitalizing on Chelsea youth is what this new administration is good at. While stockpiling youth from other clubs at fees disproportionate to their performances.

Of course Hutchinson would be transfer listed. Nothing like a quick buck to be made by Clownlake by selling a Cobham youth product.

I really hope all this works out. Not necessarily because I think so, and not because I think Clownlake have it in their capacity to learn. I am just tired of seeing Chelsea going through the motions these past 3 years, moving 2 steps backward with every forward step.

Hope this works out well for him and the club.

I think Sarri comes to mind. And AVB before that. Not saying that Maresca is going to follow any of those examples. Also, I'm going to keep saying Maresca. We have a player called Enzo too, and it's going to confuse people at some point using the first name for both.

Good luck to him, as with any new Chelsea manager. But if we aren't realistically challenging for top four for a 3rd season in a row, screw Clownlake and the two directors they've appointed up top.

This is the real, simple, reason., even if people don't admit it. Last season's shopping window for a new manager should have been indication enough. Remember how managerial candidates kept turning us down before Poch eventually got hired? And why Tuchel was sacked? They just want a subservient yes-man. Ultimately even Poch had enough, and fought back, which is why he's gone. The quality of the manager is a secondary requirement here.