Chelsea 2023/24 season thread.

With all the sales (with which they've done very well) and the injuries, Chelsea have somehow gone from "Squad is so big players are changing out in the hallway" to "Can they actually field 20 credible first team players on match day?"

Some important players will come back from injury and they'll add a few in the market, most importantly Caicedo, but this is a rough squad to bring on tour. Two credible midfielders with much experience in top level football, five credible first team forwards (three of whom are really quite raw), and six defenders with top level experience.

 
Powderfinger said:
With all the sales (with which they've done very well) and the injuries, Chelsea have somehow gone from "Squad is so big players are changing out in the hallway" to "Can they actually field 20 credible first team players on match day?"

Some important players will come back from injury and they'll add a few in the market, most importantly Caicedo, but this is a rough squad to bring on tour. Two credible midfielders with much experience in top level football, five credible first team forwards (three of whom are really quite raw), and six defenders with top level experience.

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Kepa
Bettinelli

James
Gusto
Chilwell
Cucurella
Hall

Silva
Colwill
Badiashile
Chalobah
Fofana

Enzo
Gallagher
Chukwuemeka

Mudryk
Nkunku
Sterling
Madueke
Broja
Jackson

So that's basically where we're at right now. With Fofana more or less counted out for the season that leaves us with 20 first team players plus the youngsters who are trying to stake a claim for a place in the squad during pre-season (Maatsen, Santos, Casadei etc.) and some of whom could yet end up staying.

No matter what we're definitely going to sign another 2-3 players this window so that would put us with around 23-24 players for the season, assuming at least one of the young lads is staying for the course. Whether people rate this group of players or not I don't think squad depth is going to be too big of a problem for a season with only domestic games on the calendar.

Of course it's going to look a bit sensationalist now when we've left behind a few first team lads who should be fit and firing by the time the season starts (James, Broja, Badiashile) and we're yet to make some of our moves in the transfer market where incomings are concerned.
 
How do the Chelsea fans see how it's going so far? Given how many were saying they went into last season really under prepared, do you think with there's a danger of that happening again with all the changes and still signings up in the air, or are you confident in where you're at just now and confident of a good start? Liverpool at home first game isn't it?
 
GoonerBear said:
How do the Chelsea fans see how it's going so far? Given how many were saying they went into last season really under prepared, do you think with there's a danger of that happening again with all the changes and still signings up in the air, or are you confident in where you're at just now and confident of a good start? Liverpool at home first game isn't it?
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We will finish in top 5. We have enough talent to make it into top 5. We will smash Liverpool at the opening game and league will take notice. :drool:
 
GoonerBear said:
How do the Chelsea fans see how it's going so far? Given how many were saying they went into last season really under prepared, do you think with there's a danger of that happening again with all the changes and still signings up in the air, or are you confident in where you're at just now and confident of a good start? Liverpool at home first game isn't it?
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I don't think we'll recover as well as the last time we fell so far down the league but I think people who are expecting a sequel will be in for a nasty shock.

As for the Liverpool game I'm quietly hopeful we can get off to a decent start, we have had the better of games against them pretty much since Lampard 1.0 left. Although Szoboszlai getting a shooting chance against Kepa could be squeaky bum time.
 
They could honestly finish anywhere from 3rd to 10th. I would guess 5th or 6th but wouldn't be surprised by significantly better or significantly worse.

Its pretty clear that a big part of last season's disasterclass was simply due to half the players checking out once they realized they didn't have a future at the club while the other half of the players were checking in and playing together with new teammates for the first time. But where the side ends up once you take those factors away is really anybody's guess.
 
Unless they sign 3 starters they are Europa League at best.
 
Powderfinger said:
They could honestly finish anywhere from 3rd to 10th. I would guess 5th or 6th but wouldn't be surprised by significantly better or significantly worse.

Its pretty clear that a big part of last season's disasterclass was simply due to half the players checking out once they realized they didn't have a future at the club while the other half of the players were checking in and playing together with new teammates for the first time. But where the side ends up once you take those factors away is really anybody's guess.
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I’d say this is a pretty accurate summation of the state of things.
 
GoonerBear said:
How do the Chelsea fans see how it's going so far? Given how many were saying they went into last season really under prepared, do you think with there's a danger of that happening again with all the changes and still signings up in the air, or are you confident in where you're at just now and confident of a good start? Liverpool at home first game isn't it?
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With a this much change, it is honestly hope for the best. We don’t know half of the starting XI. Rather hard to defend any prediction given all the moving parts. Only thing in our favor to be top 6 is only one game a week until the domestic cups roll around. It is really going to be how well Poch can do with so many young and new players. If Poch gets us top 5, just name him manager of the year.
 
I'm worried about our approach to transfers at the moment. I like that we are more focused than ever on bringing in high potential young players, but it seems we are solely focused on that, and neglecting any experience. Feel like we would greatly benefit from a Casemiro-like signing, whether it be in midfield (in addition to Caicedo) or at the back now that Fofana is out. The balance seems to be way off in approach.

Think the squad we took to the US would seriously struggle to make top 8/10 in the PL, and even with a few big additions (if they are young, inexperienced) wouldn't make me think top 6 is a certainty.
 
Friendly with Wrexham.

1. Maatsen played as left winger and scored two.Jackson has everything we need as a striker. Have menacing pace and great pass to assist maatsen.Pochettino may try to play him like he did with Kane. Very good touches and holding the ball well. Pressing well and moved well into no 10 position to give wingers space to run into.

2. Nkunku albeit isolated in solo striker role with minimum touches but when opportunity arises he took it fantastically.

3. Casedai was brilliant and never thought he is physically good as well. Well built fantastic touches and superb weighted pass to assist nkunku.

4. Angelo looked as part considering he is with the squad two three days but touches, passes, crosses all were fantabulous.

5. Santos and Humphreys both played well.

6. Sterling looked the same sterling.

7. Gallagher and hall had okayish performances.

Only against Wrexham though. Can't wait for next game against Brighton.
 
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Not surprised with that start. Poch always plays amazing football and he even made a dysfunctional team like psg play well.

Impressed with Casadei. He seems much more effective as the no 10 next to Nkunku’s rather than playing deeper in the second half. Although he was good both half.

I was also impressed by Jackson and Angelo, but regarding the latter Pochettino still need cherki. It will be a mistake if he doesn't get him. That other Portuguese boy, still has a lot to learn.

Pochettino playing his wing back as midfield was impressive and worked out. With the amount of left backs he has, he may be able to accommodate all of them into his team without loaning or selling them out. Trying Cucarella at lcb is something I also taught will happen. I can see him becoming their Ake if he develops his defensive side of the game better.

The bad was sterling. He did ok with the assist, but Pochettino should make him play second fiddle to Mudryk and let Mudryk develop and cook. In addition, the quality of their keepers. Their squad isn't that impressive, but as usual Pochettino will make it work. He will turn some of their average players into top players. I do not know who, but one of their young/squad players will become an elite player on Pochettino.

Pochettino still need at least 4 more players to break into top four with caicedo being one of them, a ram like cherki, a goalkeeper, and another number 6 like lavia or if they have the fund touchameni.

All in all, even though it is just Wrexham, it is the manner of how chelsea played that has many people praising Pochettino and that performance. It has been awhile since chelsea played such football and it can only get better with the players understanding more Pochettino philosophy and when he gets the other players that suit it.
 
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BarryWinks said:
That's a lot of Pochetinos in @Amadaeus post. :lol:
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At least the Chelsea threads should rival the Arsenal threads this season for hyperbole from certain posters, was getting a bit lonely being the main criticism of that! :)

Love Nkunku as a player mind you, think he's up there with the best in terms of quick combination play and finishing of chances, makes him very hard to defend against.
 
Caicedo will be a very important get for them, their midfield needs him.

They still look weak in both penalty boxes though - personnel-wise. Are Chelsea being linked with any number 9s at the moment? Or is Jackson seen as the answer?

Will be interesting to see how they are set up, as they have been a back three side for so long. Silva has been very good for them in that three, but could be different in a two. He may also not be in love with the thought of playing high up the pitch at this stage of his career. A squad with a lot of question marks, but a good coach in charge of them. No midweek European football should be of benefit to Pochettino this season with the current squad composition.
 
duffer said:
9 times in one post is fairy average I think for him.

He's trolling everyone, always has been. I've no idea how people always fall for it.
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When it's so consistent over such a long period of time, I truly start to wonder how much trolling it is, and how much sincere delusion and love for the person it shows.
 
I enjoyed the game. Really enjoyed Santos, such a composed kid. My favorite moment was Poch going after the ref for blowing the whistle for halftime during a breakaway. It didn’t matter that it was a friendly against a league 4 team, he was fully into it.
 
Rooney in Paris said:
When it's so consistent over such a long period of time, I truly start to wonder how much trolling it is, and how much sincere delusion and love for the person it shows.
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Came across a persona on reddit for Mourinho a few years back that makes this guy look like an amateur.

He/she would go to extreme lengths to absolve him for blame for literally anything that went wrong in his career, i once remember around a 6 paragraph essay "explaining" why he had no responsibility for 15/16 :lol:

Genuinely suspected it was Mou himself until he/she posted while his Spurs were playing.
 
He jumped in the GOAT manager thread and name dropped Poch which makes me think he's just a WUM. Quite worrying if he's not though.
 
duffer said:
9 times in one post is fairy average I think for him.

He's trolling everyone, always has been. I've no idea how people always fall for it.
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Didn’t someone link that he said Poch should win manager of the season the year that Ranieiri won the PL? Surely a decade or so is a really long time to continue a singular troll?
 
Zaphod2319 said:
I enjoyed the game. Really enjoyed Santos, such a composed kid. My favorite moment was Poch going after the ref for blowing the whistle for halftime during a breakaway. It didn’t matter that it was a friendly against a league 4 team, he was fully into it.
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It was very entertaining. Quite a few impressive performances amongst the youngsters playing for the first time, albeit against a team just promoted out of non league football. I was really happy with what I saw from Jackson, Casadei, Santos, Maatsen and Humphreys.

I think Poch switched to a back 3 at HT plus wholesale changes made the second half a bit dull to watch, despite the late flurry of goals.
 
WeePat said:
Caicedo
Cherki
Hopefully a GK but it’s gone very quiet on that front.
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Cherki isn’t a starter and the GK position does look like it’s going to be an afterthought at this point. The midfield still looks a bit thin but there’s still chance for that to change, and there’s no recognisable striker either.
 
Shinjch said:
Caicedo will be a very important get for them, their midfield needs him.

They still look weak in both penalty boxes though - personnel-wise. Are Chelsea being linked with any number 9s at the moment? Or is Jackson seen as the answer?

Will be interesting to see how they are set up, as they have been a back three side for so long. Silva has been very good for them in that three, but could be different in a two. He may also not be in love with the thought of playing high up the pitch at this stage of his career. A squad with a lot of question marks, but a good coach in charge of them. No midweek European football should be of benefit to Pochettino this season with the current squad composition.
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They are no way strong in the opposition penalty box, but they are not as bad as last season. Jackson, borja and Nkunku will be their main goalscorer. Nkunku actually took his chances well for his goal and that was something that chelsea lacked last season as you can see in the tweet below.


Nkunku also led the Bundesliga with the most goal last season, so I believe Pochettino knows he has an attacker who is familiar with putting the ball in the back of the net. Jackson was the most clinical finisher in LA Liga last season. So there is a very good chance that both Nkunku and Jackson, when they start gaining chemistry with each other will form a very formidable partnership. They aren't world class names, but they have the characteristics to become world class players.

On the defensive side, they didn't use none of their main central defenders, and even with that, I taught chalobah looked solid for a squad player and Humphrey looked composure. When you add the likes of colwill, Badishelle and even Thiago Silva they look a bit more solid. There are a lot of questions marks on kepa and even though Silva is a bit old, and loosing fofana to injury, it will cause many teams to panic. But, I feel they have a good foundation there to build from even if they don't get another center back.
 
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It was always a bit weird to hire three new guys (Vivell, Stewart, Winstanley) into some variation of the technical director/head of recruitment role, not really clarify their roles and powers, and then expect them to peacefully co-exist.
 
awop said:


Fighting each other for the checkbook
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He was also a huge voice in favour of Nagelsmann as well as Felix. It’s probably a case of too many cooks in the kitchen. Saying that, there’s stories about Paul Mitchell, so who knows.
 
I'm not fully sure what Vivell's role even was so I doubt he'll be missed too much. He and Winstanley were picture alongside some of our January signings (Felix, Badiashile) on the club's website so probably he had a role in bringing those players in but that was before Laurence Stewart even officially started working for the club.

After the January transfer window it's been clear Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart have been the head honchos of our sporting leadership. They've been everywhere from interviewing the managerial candidates during the hiring process to being heavily involved with all of our summer transfer business but I'm not quite sure if I've even seen Vivell's name being mentioned anywhere in months until today when it was reported he's gone.

So yeah, like @WeePat said probably just too many cooks in the kitchen and somebody's bound to be unhappy with the level of their influence.
 
Early days and shouldn't read into pre season games. But from before, I always had a feeling with Poch that his little golden spell came at a transition time in football where he looked like a "modern tactics" manager by just having that Southampton team pressing high but he's severely lacking in other aspects to what he can coach like knowing how to implement deep build up structures and having a team be able to press how he'd like on a consistent basis when he's not in charge of a smaller side. Which means that after that little transition period in the prem that happened in the mid 2010's, he began to look outdated and a step behind.

So will be interesting to see if he can implement a system to deal with the press that is so prevalent in the premier league these days. Think they'll be alright this season with the new manager bounce but mainly having no European football, so I can see them being able to get consistency in the league and press like mad in a way that other top clubs can't, but long term I'm not sure if he can do it.
 
A couple meaningless stats.

In the two preseason games under Poch, Chelsea has score more goals than under Potter/Lampard since January.

Nico Jackson has more open play assists in two games than Mount had his entire career with Chelsea.
 
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