Thor

Again - you're comparing the team then to the team now. Yes - they both have dealt with injuries, but it was a joke at how frequently injured our players were when Pep was here. Even now, with Cole sitting out we have plenty of options. 
Why don't I call out the sporting directors/owners? Because they aren't going to get every call right. They've actually set us up well with Caicedo, Enzo, Palmer, Estevao, JP, etc. These are all great players. Cucu and James are great at the FB positions. 
Every team has holes. We have less issues than a whole bunch of teams yet they crack on and do better than us. Man United I can pick holes in for days, yet they are better than us this season... Should we talk about Everton and Sunderland? Do they have a Reece James level player? Cole? Estevao? Caicedo? 
These owners own other sports teams. All those teams have done is win. Its asinine trying to chat here with people who think all they want to do is flip players. Well... they aren't doing it in any other league. 
We have two of the best FB's in the world. We have two of the best midfielders in the world. We have Cole Palmer who is one of the best players in the world. We have Estevao who is the best young talent in the world along with Yamal. 
So a CB and a ST are apparently holding us back so much that we can't even beat Leeds and Bournemouth are they? How about get a decent manager who can put a team together with an actual plan? You don't outplay Barcelona and Arsenal then look shit against relegation teams because of a squad issue. You do get it playing players out of position and having a toothless plan going forward. 
Ignore it all you want - but when your best players like Reece James and Cole Palmer are saying they don't think the tactics are great (or its leaked - where there is smoke there is fire) - then you should probably take that as a sign. 
Its like I'm saying something y'all don't agree with when you actually do - because everyone in the match threads says how boring we are. That is a tactics issue. That is the manager. That is not a squad/team buying issue. 

Again - you're comparing the team then to the team now. Yes - they both have dealt with injuries, but it was a joke at how frequently injured our players were when Pep was here. Even now, with Cole sitting out we have plenty of options. 
Why don't I call out the sporting directors/owners? Because they aren't going to get every call right. They've actually set us up well with Caicedo, Enzo, Palmer, Estevao, JP, etc. These are all great players. Cucu and James are great at the FB positions. 
Every team has holes. We have less issues than a whole bunch of teams yet they crack on and do better than us. Man United I can pick holes in for days, yet they are better than us this season... Should we talk about Everton and Sunderland? Do they have a Reece James level player? Cole? Estevao? Caicedo? 
These owners own other sports teams. All those teams have done is win. Its asinine trying to chat here with people who think all they want to do is flip players. Well... they aren't doing it in any other league. 
We have two of the best FB's in the world. We have two of the best midfielders in the world. We have Cole Palmer who is one of the best players in the world. We have Estevao who is the best young talent in the world along with Yamal. 
So a CB and a ST are apparently holding us back so much that we can't even beat Leeds and Bournemouth are they? How about get a decent manager who can put a team together with an actual plan? You don't outplay Barcelona and Arsenal then look shit against relegation teams because of a squad issue. You do get it playing players out of position and having a toothless plan going forward. 
Ignore it all you want - but when your best players like Reece James and Cole Palmer are saying they don't think the tactics are great (or its leaked - where there is smoke there is fire) - then you should probably take that as a sign. 
Its like I'm saying something y'all don't agree with when you actually do - because everyone in the match threads says how boring we are. That is a tactics issue. That is the manager. That is not a squad/team buying issue. 

We had a season where we went from 10th to 1st the following season given a manager change... and we looked completely revitalised.
Inexperience is a cop out. The youngest NBA team won a championship just recently - why? Because they're good enough. On top of that our team is plenty experienced. Played in big finals, CWC, Champions League winners, World Cup winners, etc. 
We have a better team than Villa - yet they look miles better. We're significantly better than United and Sunderland... yet you wouldn't know it looking at the ladder.

TheHulk spitting truth. 
A guy with our offensive firepower can't even get close to a competent offence. 
"Its the sporting directors!!!"
Brentford, Brighton, Bournemouth... all similar goals to us. Man United with all their problems... more goals than us. 
Get real. Stop blaming the squad. Every team has gaps. We need a CB, a LW and maybe a ST (I'm not convinced seeing as Maresca stagnates any offensive movement). Plenty of teams out there need as much if not more and are competing with us. 

TheHulk spitting truth. 
A guy with our offensive firepower can't even get close to a competent offence. 
"Its the sporting directors!!!"
Brentford, Brighton, Bournemouth... all similar goals to us. Man United with all their problems... more goals than us. 
Get real. Stop blaming the squad. Every team has gaps. We need a CB, a LW and maybe a ST (I'm not convinced seeing as Maresca stagnates any offensive movement). Plenty of teams out there need as much if not more and are competing with us. 

Xavi. 

We have Palmer, Enzo, Estevao, JP and people act like its a player problem. Maresca can't make a decent attack with some amazing offensive talent. 
 
Yes we have a hole at LCB, but squad is not an excuse. People need to get their heads out of their asses and realise this is 90% Maresca. We have a better squad than Villa, Man United and Sunderland, yet there we are with them. 
 
We saw what happens when you sign Isak, Wirtz, etc. It doesn't matter. These players are fine bar a few tweaks. This team shouldn't be putting up the performances they are. It is a Maresca problem. 

Maresca is 90% the problem. 
People can harp on about the missteps in buying or not buying some players but that is every club. This team is far and away good enough for top 3. We have Sunderland, Man United and Villa doing as well or better than us... None of them are close to us in our best 11 or depth. The excuses for Maresca have to go. 
We've all harped on about how boring we are going forward even when we scrape wins. Its ridiculous to have players of the calibre of James, Enzo, Palmer, Estevao and JP attacking and you can't put an exciting team plan to score goals. Its nonsense. Its absolute bollocks. Talk about the board, owners and sporting directors all you want - Maresca can't even get this high propane offensive team to play nice attacking football. 
Poch would have us 10 points higher right now and we'd love watching the games. 

We have Palmer, Enzo, Estevao, JP and people act like its a player problem. Maresca can't make a decent attack with some amazing offensive talent. 
 
Yes we have a hole at LCB, but squad is not an excuse. People need to get their heads out of their asses and realise this is 90% Maresca. We have a better squad than Villa, Man United and Sunderland, yet there we are with them. 
 
We saw what happens when you sign Isak, Wirtz, etc. It doesn't matter. These players are fine bar a few tweaks. This team shouldn't be putting up the performances they are. It is a Maresca problem. 

Not bothered but I can’t watch backwards ball any longer 

Again - Maresca sets up well against big teams but losing to these smaller teams is unacceptable. 
I get it is fun to blame management and the board, and people think they aren't about winning - couldn't be further from the truth. Look at what this ownership did with the Dodgers in the MLB. They will spend. They know winning brings even more money and eyes - and they have no problem doing it. 
Management want Tosin played? Yeah, I highly doubt that. I think it is a lash out for not having more quality back ups and I get it. But its self sabotage to keep making the same selection of a certain player when there is an obvious better option - simply to prove a point. 

*Thor

Gusto has been unreal the last two weeks. 

Shout out to Gusto. 
He has been tremendous the last game and this one so far. 

He has been one of the best in the league this season. 

Did you guys talk about me at family dinner the other night mate? 

Gusto looking far more comfortable in his role. Unsure what to think of him given the recent performances. Hes really been quite good. 

Drogba was never some prolific goal scorer either. 
JP has had his bad games but we are scoring goals and he is great in the build up for the most part. 
 
Delap is finding his feet after being injured. 
 
Our defence is the problem. 

You guys are overreacting pansies. 
The problem is on the defensive end and building up from the back. 

Literally use like for like replacements. 
Ach is a perfect step in for Wes. They are high motor CBs who can drive forward. Badi isn't even that bad a selection IMO. 
But you've lost our best back to goal player in Caicedo who receives the ball in our own half, and you've insisted to play Santos (who has bad recovery pace) and Tosin who is even worse in terms of recovery together. It isn't rocket science. 
If you want consistency then use the right players to promote consistency in style of play. 

Robert Sanchez is looking like a reliable No 1 for Chelsea – he’s cut out the mistakes
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6850736/2025/12/01/robert-sanchez-Chelsea-analysis/

 
Perhaps this time, there will not be such an outcry if Chelsea do not sign a new goalkeeper in the transfer window.
Disappointment was expressed among sections of the fanbase when a move for Milan’s Mike Maignan broke down in June. Questions were asked why the position was not strengthened because there was not much faith in No 1 Robert Sanchez.
In fairness, you could understand why. Though there had been eye-catching saves following his arrival from Brighton & Hove Albion for £25million ($33m at current rates) in August 2023, there were calamitous moments, too. It made him a hard player to trust during the 90 minutes, let alone every week. Head coach Enzo Maresca dropped him for four of Chelsea’s Premier League games in February this year.
That omission seems like a very distant memory now. As Sanchez showed in the 1-1 draw at home to Arsenal on Sunday, he has turned things around to become one of the most reliable goalkeepers in the Premier League.
There were two fine saves in each half, diving low to his right to stop an effort from Gabriel Martinelli and going the other way to prevent Mikel Merino from getting a late winner. The Spain international had to get up very quickly from the second stop to deny Viktor Gyokeres from converting the rebound, too.
Robert Sanchez making a brave save against Viktor GyokeresRyan Pierse/Getty Images But crucially, Sanchez has cut out the sloppy mistakes that made him so erratic. One of the reasons Chelsea were so effective defending against Arsenal with 10 men after Moises Caicedo was sent off in the 38th minute was that Sanchez kept doing the basics right. He came for crosses confidently and settled any nerves at the back, as well as in the crowd.
“Robert was very good,” Maresca told reporters afterwards. “When you are with 10 players against Arsenal, you need some special performance like Robert’s. So we are very happy with Robert’s performance.”
Against the same opposition in October 2023, Sanchez’s careless pass out of defence gifted Arsenal a way back into a game Chelsea had been dominating 2-0. Declan Rice took advantage to score for the visitors, and the match ended in a 2-2 draw. On that occasion, Sanchez’s exploits made it feel like a defeat. In contrast, on Sunday, his contribution helped ensure the mood in the camp was much more positive, even though they still trail the league leaders by six points.
No one can say Sanchez’s performance was a one-off, either. Things were improving at the end of last season as Chelsea finished fourth to qualify for the Champions League. He kept five clean sheets in Chelsea’s last nine league games. Sanchez followed that with a strong Club World Cup campaign, including probably his best Chelsea display during the 3-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain in the final. His passing from the back, a major factor in that match, has become much more accurate and varied.
Now, after 13 Premier League games, he shares top billing with the highly rated Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya for most clean sheets this season (seven).
What You Should Read Next This was the most ‘Chelsea’ Chelsea have been under Enzo Maresca This was the day when Maresca finally felt like a proper Chelsea manager. Another indication of just how much things have changed for the better was provided by The Athletic before this fixture. As explained, Sanchez boasted the sorry statistic of making the most errors leading to a shot (including goals) last season, with 10. He went into the Arsenal fixture still waiting to get off the mark in this department for 2025-26.
There was the rather clumsy challenge on Bryan Mbeumo that led to Sanchez getting sent off in the fourth minute at Manchester United in September. That transgression was more like the Sanchez of old and played a major part in Chelsea losing 2-1 at Old Trafford. But other than that, it is hard to think of another high-profile mistake.
Following Chelsea’s last London derby against Tottenham Hotspur last month, Sanchez said he was in peak form, having found things difficult over the first 18 months. After impressing in Chelsea’s 1-0 victory, Sanchez told reporters: “I feel confident, I am fit and at my best. I have always felt settled because the club always told me I am No 1.
“But on a personal level and my performance, I have to say yes (this is the most settled I have been at Chelsea). I have reached a very good level now. I am consistent, I have the confidence, I have the fans behind (me), so everything helps a little more.”
A measure of the new esteem Chelsea fans now hold him in comes with a rather tongue-in-cheek chant that indicates the kind of journey he has been on. To the tune of Bing Crosby’s Winter Wonderland, it goes: “There’s only one Robert Sanchez, one Robert Sanchez. He used to be s***e, but now he’s all right, walking in a Sanchez wonderland.”
Whether Sanchez can be dependable enough to help Chelsea win one of the Premier League or Champions League will be up for debate as long as the club do not get their hands on either trophy. You would still not put him at the same level as great predecessors Petr Cech and Thibaut Courtois, who were part of five title-winning sides between them.
Chelsea have high hopes for Mike Penders, out on loan at Strasbourg, to develop into one of the world’s best. But while the 20-year-old continues to learn the game, Sanchez deserves to remain first choice on this form. Put it this way — it is hard to see how Maignan could have done any better.
By Simon Johnson Chelsea Correspondent

Wharton is amazing. 

Wharton is amazing. 

Yep - was one of our best players in the Barcelona game. 
Aside from the mistake for the goal was again one of our best. 
Like Sanchez, if he wins us points, everyone skates over it. No one wants to even talk about how good Sanchez has been this season. One of the best keepers in the league.

Yep - was one of our best players in the Barcelona game. 
Aside from the mistake for the goal was again one of our best. 
Like Sanchez, if he wins us points, everyone skates over it. No one wants to even talk about how good Sanchez has been this season. One of the best keepers in the league.