No it doesn't.
And even for biased ones, there's levels to it. Ballbag is in his own realm of bias.
Enzo Maresca - Chelsea manager - Sack watch
- Thread starter Carl
- Start date
-
In the latest episode of the United Hour Podcast, Nik and Imran are here to talk about a frustrating 2 points dropped at Crystal Palace. They then discuss the regeneration of Old Trafford. Finally, Nik is joined by special guest Michael Statham from the Football Oranje podcast - who gives us a more in depth look at our EL opposition FC Twente, and then runs through the (many) Dutch connections currently at United.
And even for biased ones, there's levels to it. Ballbag is in his own realm of bias.
Idk … Tony Kornheisrr is considered an elite professional and he used to don war paint for Redskins games vs the Cowboys.
Stephen A Smith dons a cowboy hat to mock Cowboys fans and laughs at them while smoking a cigar on air every time they choke a loss. He fake cries to imagine how they are reacting, and then talks about how delicious their tears are from such a horrible, misguided fanbase.
That’s pretty up there.
I wasn't talking about the US.
*cough cough*
Yeah he’ll be gone by Christmas.
Maresca speedrun sacking would be just another clever decoy in Clearlake’s 5 year plan for global domination.
Trust the process.
This thread was awfully quiet after the last game. Get away from this thread you doom mongers 
Like I said, you’re in trouble.This thread was awfully quiet after the last game. Get away from this thread you doom mongers
Like I said, I’d rather wait and see. Maresca using these games to experiment isn’t something I’m going to get hung up on.
Will be one of their worst managers in recent history
he doesn't experiment, he has his 1 system that he will stick to regardless
He is very very clearly experimenting with different lineups and set ups.
I'm seeing it with my own eyes. Mudryk on the right, Gusto on the left/in midfield, James in midfield etc.
Is that not all within the same framework though? Like trying different players in different roles within the fixed system?
It’s 2 weeks until the season starts and you have managed to ship 4 goals twice (could be more today).
Experimenting is fine and all but it looks like you will be experimenting for a while with these results.
Not necessarily. The set up today with Caicedo, Lavia, Enzo and KDH in midfield was not the same set up I saw a few days ago with Sterling, Guiu, Madueke up top and Lavia and KDH in the middle with Gusto inverting.
Defensively it's a mess, agreed. All 4 goals came from misunderstanding and defensive mishaps whilst passing our way out of an aggressive press, however. I personally think those things can, to a certain extent, be ironed out with more training and repetition.
Last edited:
Has a manager ever been sacked in preseason before?
Tbf, trying to play Caicedo in a CM/DM role in a tight passing system that is meant to bypass a high press is always asking for trouble. There is a reason RDZ started to play him in a variety of positions and away from his favoured CM position when he was at Brighton. It was because his passing is subpar and he is also a clumsy tackler.
His passing is fine. He's definitely a clumsy tackler, for sure, borderline reckless at times, but I think Poch's set up hung him out to dry too often with having to cover acres of space by himself. I just don't think a line up that includes all 4 midfielders work.
In Maresca's system, the wingers appear to be of huge importance, and you could see in the second half how much trouble Madueke was causing when he came on in the second half, so to line up with no winger on the left, and Mudryk on the right who looked clueless in a position he had never played, was odd but as I said, he wants to experiment. I'm sure we will never see Mudryk on the right again, and I'm sure we'll never see those 4 midfielders starting together again, just like he very quickly learned and abandoned the James inverted into midfield experiment.
Well, I would class his passing as fine also, however in such as system as Pep, RDZ and Enzo M want to play, he'll need good to excellent passing. However, when I watch him, all I see is him largely being a liability with his passing as it can be pretty loose and he is easily disposed when pressed - which is a cause for his clumsy/reckless tackling. This I think was also why RDZ played him out of position as his ball retention could not be trusted.
Maybe I am wrong, but I haven't ever seen him play and think his passing is anything above average.
Doesn't need 100 games to get it right
Doesn't need a premade squad
Doesn't need hair
Doesn't need excuses
Doesn't need a premade squad
Doesn't need hair
Doesn't need excuses
I think a lot of fans were relying on Chelsea being a non-entity in the top 4 race due to their off the pitch issues with owners who don't know whay they're doing.
Whilst off the field mess can effect things on the pitch, it doesn't necessarily have to. Looking at their squad on paper, there's no reason they wouldn't be one of the favourites for 4th. And their start to the season suggests they're probably not going to have another disaster mid-table finish.
Whilst off the field mess can effect things on the pitch, it doesn't necessarily have to. Looking at their squad on paper, there's no reason they wouldn't be one of the favourites for 4th. And their start to the season suggests they're probably not going to have another disaster mid-table finish.
We finished 5 pts off top 4 last season despite having the most injuries, I dont think any sane person thinks we will finish mid table.
But if the break PSR rules they deserve a heavy points penalty
Promote this guy
This summer the club sold almost everyone they wanted to sell and for pretty decent prices too. Gallagher, Maatsen, Hall and Hutchinson alone brought in more than enough profit to not be at risk of failing PSR this season.
The only real issue is success (if you can even call UCL qualification 'success') will have to come sooner rather than later because having to rely on player sales every year is just not sustainable in the long run but for this season I've zero worries about PSR and am feeling rather optimistic about the actual footballing side of things.
His emphasis on possession-based football and fluid movement is starting to become evident in the team’s play. The match against West Ham showcased Chelsea’s ability to maintain control in the middle of the park, with quicker transitions and more intricate passing combinations.
Maresca’s influence on younger players has been promising as well, as the team appears to be more confident in advancing the ball under pressure. However, there are still areas for improvement, particularly in converting possession dominance into clear-cut chances. Defensively, Chelsea looked more composed, but lapses in concentration, especially on set-pieces, remain a concern.
Overall, Maresca’s philosophy is slowly blending with Chelsea’s squad, and though the results may not have been entirely consistent yet, the potential for growth is there.
On a personal note, I have been threatened to be banned by a staff member, so at least I wanted to make my final post on my manager - before the ban has been concluded.
Maresca’s influence on younger players has been promising as well, as the team appears to be more confident in advancing the ball under pressure. However, there are still areas for improvement, particularly in converting possession dominance into clear-cut chances. Defensively, Chelsea looked more composed, but lapses in concentration, especially on set-pieces, remain a concern.
Overall, Maresca’s philosophy is slowly blending with Chelsea’s squad, and though the results may not have been entirely consistent yet, the potential for growth is there.
On a personal note, I have been threatened to be banned by a staff member, so at least I wanted to make my final post on my manager - before the ban has been concluded.
If you thought it was going to be your final post you probably should have written it yourself.
Marescas style will get found out eventually.
The insistence on playing out from the back will be their downfall.
The insistence on playing out from the back will be their downfall.
Also doesn't need 44 players to choose from
There’s something about him. He has something. I like what I’ve seen so far. It’s been a good start to the season.
Pep regen
I mean, let’s be real, it was a late surge when you had absolutely nothing at stake. You were not once in contention for top four despite the relatively small gap.
Other teams around Chelsea were frequently incapacitated by injuries (Newcastle and Man United the main ones) too. With your outlay on players, the injury excuses just does not hold weight for me - I’d apply that to Man United (as a supporter of them myself).
That said, Chelsea are looking good this season so have reason to feel optimistic.
The simple fact that we are set up to win second balls in midfield is already a colossal upgrade compared to last year.
The cohesiveness of our structure is night and day versus what Poch was doing.
As we continue to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of online discussions on a forum such as Redcafe, I think it’s fair that the mods have concerns about relying on GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) models for generating posts and responses. While these AI tools may seem convenient and efficient, I firmly believe they undermine the very essence of our community.
GPT models lack the passion, emotion, and personal touch that make our discussions so valuable. They can't replicate the humor, sarcasm, or frustration, regardless of one being a Manchester United fan or Chelsea fan. Our community thrives on individual perspectives and experiences, which are lost when relying on algorithmic responses.
Secondly, GPT-generated content can be misleading and inaccurate. These models are trained on vast amounts of data, but they don't always understand the context or nuances of our conversations. This can lead to spreading misinformation, reinforcing outdated narratives, or even creating conflict.
Lastly, over-reliance on GPT models stifles creativity and original thought. By relying on AI-generated responses, we risk becoming echo chambers, regurgitating the same tired points without truly engaging with each other.
I would rather preserve the authenticity and heart of our discussions. Let us not get to the point where if I thought I were to be making my last post on the forum, I am still fecking relying on GPT to write out my post for me because I’m too scared to have an original thought and writing style
Yep, I like the set up and structure he’s implemented. I like it when I can at least see with my own eyes what the coach is trying to achieve.
Is there any indication they're even close to breaching PSR? I don't think it's an issue at the moment - they've spent a lot but they've also sold well.
Chelsea have turned that corner and I do not see them going back in the pit. They seem to be getting better and better and the manager has a plan which will put them in the top four this season in my opinion.
I genuinely doubt he can do that… how often do you see a manager with zero top leagues experience take a team in the PL to the CL in his first season ?
This is more like their “Arteta first season”, they may win a cup. Normally they should be a huge favourite for the conference league. But that’s it.