FireSide

#BottomLine

Jackson may be killing his Blues career with his childish reactions and stupid mentality, but a fact we cannot fail to appreciate is that it's his work rate and game involvement that always results in the many chances he wastes.

Delap on the other hand makes these little fake moves either to create spaces for blinded passes or for others, but his build up involvement is so blunt and his press triggers are mostly unfruitful.

But what is alarming the most is how plenty of times he is aimlessly walking by out of possession and how many times he loses balls in possession and the terrible effort he puts in to recover the lost ball.

This makes our attack less fluid, predictable and toothless.

The fact is you create more chances with more game movement and involvement.

Diego and Drogba used to be bullies, but their game involvement was also top notch. He may be a better finisher than Jackson, but he needs to work on these things if he is to be decisive

FireSide

#BottomLine

Am seeing rivals fans hate all over but we got to tell them one thing.

If anyone thinks we will tuck our tails in between our legs like madrid did against PSG, they are in for a rude shock.

We are not Madrid. unlike Mbappe, Garcia and Vinicius, Neto, Pedro, Noni, Jackson and even Palmer all press.

We are not Madrid. While their midfield is made up of lazy, attack minded players, Ours is made of battle hardened war maniacs.

We are Not Madrid. Valverde and Garcia are not real fullbacks. They are not James or Cucu.

System wise. We are so different.

It will be war

FireSide

#BottomLine

For the kids coming in:- Dario, Santos, Estevao, Gittens, Penders, e.t.c

There can never be a better tactical, physical and physiological display to what Chelsea is about than yesterday's match.

We were intelligent and brutal.

They will live those moments.

They will understand that's what we fight for.

Who we are, and who we will always be.

We bleed blue no matter the odds.

And that will always be the Bottom Line.

FireSide

#BottomLine

"New players need time" is the common scapegoat people use.

Neto, Pedro, Estevao, Palmer and more hit the ground running from the first minute.

Even kids from the academy like Walsh and Acheampong have been called to action and have been better.

Its down to mental strength. And mental strength is what defines the very top players from the average.

With the number of games we have this season, and the quality they will demand, we cannot afford hitch hikers.

It's either you can or you can't. ....and four games down the season, you need to show that you can.

Basically, you can choose to live by the common legitimate excuse which is fair, or you can choose to relive your greatest strength which is for the top cream.

FireSide

#BottomLine

There are two things I saw at the Club world cup that we just need to do to get our mojo back. Things that gave me hope for this season

✓ Fast interchanges of balls and positions in attacking areas we saw during the Club World Cup, rather than the slow sideways passes that are making us predictable and easy to defend against.

✓ Systematic pressing rather than the current reckless running towards opponents. Currently we are so easy to bypass our presses leaving us so vulnerable.

We could be tired. Could be the lack of cohesion that comes with Integrating new players or even the piling up of injuries, but the thing is, we improve on this and we are back in business.

FireSide

#BottomLine.

These players make stupid mistakes but Maresca hasn't helped them in the last two games. He has been making poor decisions that are just shocking.

✓ Pedro doesn't have the strength and pace to play as a lone striker. In case of a red you'd rather get him off than Neto because you need legs to both defend and attack through breaks.

✓ when you are 1-0 up and defending a lead, you don't substitute a defensive midfielder (Santos). You get an attacker off.

✓ when you are leading and a goal up, you protect the lead. You don't wait to concede before strengthening the team.The moment you lose the lead you lose the momentum and morale. Collapse is always a step away.

FireSide

#BottomLine

One game, One loss and people are panicking. Suddenly we all know where Maresca needs to play who where? We should cut the crap and swallow the emotions.

Maresca must have the ability to choose different players in different matches and see players abilities and cut out those he deems unable.

And today we just lacked stability almost everywhere.

We couldn't control the mid (remember we play James and Caicedo there. Today it was as good as Santos alone).

That defence was as good as any worst championship team.

The attackers are toothless and that Satpayev kid will walk in this attack so easily if they we continue seeing the crap we see upfront.

It's a loss. Swallow it and move on.

We will cut all dead wood at the end of the season as we did with Jackson and Madueke.
But we must try the deadwood out first

FireSide

#BottomLine

Let me tell you where the rain starts to beat us against bus parking teams. It's so easy. You could say system inefficiency or player deficiencies or both.

When teams play compactly first you need good close penetrators. Second you need your most potent attackers near the box. Third you need them to be able to drag, pass and move. That's how you break compactness.

Our system problem? We stick our attackers wide, and we push our central midfielders into the box. We want to rely on half crosses to Enzo and Cucurella on defenders blindspots. And we stick our attackers wide hoping this will create the spaces for the CM and Fullbacks to run into. If the opposing team is disciplined and remains compact our plan A fails and since we have no dribblers inside the box, we can't dribble and we can't shoot.

Player problem? Yes too. Most of our players are technically inept. Mostly runners. Almost all of them can't string consecutive two-three ball carrying dribbles.

Enzo would run into the wall like a blind donkey. Joao Pedro legs!! I have never understood them. He just runs in this funny way that results in awkward ball knocks and constant possession loss. Neto without space to run to is another blind horse. He can't protect balls in short spaces. I am not even going to say anything regarding Gittens and we all know Garnacho loses the balls as fast as kids lose virginity these days.

So unless we find a system that favours their deficiencies, we will always come short. They will perform great in one game, we pump ourselves up when they win against the current bottom three teams in the league (West Ham, Burnley & Wolves) then they normalize with crap in the next five when they come up against still silly but a little better quality.

Hot and Cold.

We will die of mixed emotions.. and rant till we die.

FireSide

#BottomLine

Listen, it's really difficult to see positives after a painful loss like today.

Those who have been here for long know I never make emotional judgements. I call shit as shitty as it is and light as sunny as it is.

Even when everyone was celebrating the likes of Westham wins, I warned our play was unsupportive of sustainable win. It came to pass.

But I have seen plenty of positives today to be hopeful. In so many things and so many ways that I'll hopefully do an extensive analysis later if possible

If we can be consistent with what I have seen today, better days are coming.

....And coming soon.

#BottomLine

Listen, I know a good number of people are going to kill me for this. Because it's tough facing the truth compared to being fooled by the price tag, but the truth is he shouldn't lament or question quality (which is true)

But, anytime he wants to do that, he should just stand in front of the mirror and see a true reflection of what he is blubbering on.

Madrid or PSG WILL NEVER... And NEVER give us anything close to what we paid for him.

He first has to learn how to dribble effectively like a true midfielder. For now he will remain half baked. There is a reason why we lack defensive balance when he is used in deep midfield or lack technical penetration when he is deployed in attacking areas

But we hate the truth don't we.

We think the same or even worse than our SDs. We buy hype and shiet then complain.

FireSide

#BottomLine

Let me put it here this early so that I can be judged harshly later if I will ever be.

The truth is, the mouthy guy is a half or less player Barco is in terms of technical skills required to run a midfield.

Control, ball carrying in tight spaces, passing vision, speed and precision in slicing through defensive lines, the kid is by far superior.

The other smart thing is how he dictates tempo and attacking play.

The other one covers his inadequecies with a short fused raging bull attitude. Beneath it however is a shallow technically inept player surviving by the initial hefty price tag and some fans blind love

We may hate it, but its the damn bottom line.

FireSide

#BottomLine

Maresca’s game had become stale, monotonous, and predictable—but we still had structure and tactics, so the solution should have been straightforward. We just needed to bring in the line-breaking dribblers he wanted and see how it worked.

When these SD's were brought in at the sunrise of the ClearLake era, I said they had a weak small club mentality—and people jumped on my back. Now it's clear.

Maresca’s system had become unsustainable and outdated, but so had Pep Guardiola’s at different points—yet he was always given new tools to adapt. He even ditched his preferred ball-playing goalkeeper for stability.

Maresca asked for Simons and a ball-playing CB to fix the tactical gaps. Instead, the SDs—driven by ego and poor judgment—went for Garnacho and Gittens, even when many of us warned against it.

For this so-called project to get back on track, the SDs’ childishness must be addressed properly.

We will however be stuck is this vicious cycle of gambling and it wont matter whether Klopp or Pep will be incharge.

People should take their childish emotions and stupid egos to their wives and girlfriends—not our club.

FireSide

#BottomLine

I'd choose and welcome back Jackson over Garnacho in the left wing a million times over and over again without blinking.

Left half wing, Forced dribbling, holdup plays, physique, Directness, Pressing and breakaways.

You may miss the crossings but 99% of Garnacho crossings are mediocre anyway.

FireSide

#BottomLine

We have a very shitty emotional fan base.

Most can't think outside the influence of their emotions.

Is this the first final we are losing? Whether with Blue Co or Abramovich ? Are we the first club to lose a final.

Accept we have been in the gutters. And today was a positive first step towards redemption.

When wrong, say it. When decent, say it too.

FireSide

**Survival Meter- Attack"

This is one area I believe will need serious strengthening.

55-80- Natural Fits

Palmer & Estevao- They both love playing as 10's and half spaces. Preferred starters here when fit. They should both enjoy the one-two's and high mobility Alonso gives to his attacking players. Alonso's system also reduces the big spaces, wild pressing. It should help with injuries prevention they have been accustomed to in recent times.


Joao- Alonso wants his 9's to drip in between lines to link up plays as well as play in the defensive lines shoulders to exploit through balls. This is Joao's bread and butter. He should thrive.

41-50- Can Adapt

Delap - If he can get his head out of WWE and think more about soccer, he can adapt. Mainly because of how he plays on the CB shoulders and how he runs channels. If he doesn't, Ipswich are back in the Premier League.

Neto- I see his adaptability more as a wingback. He has the work rate, pace and a sprinkle of defensive attributes to do it. As a 10, his close dribbling technique is a sell out.

0-40 High Risk

Gittens- I see no defensive attributes for the wingback role. I haven't seen anything to see him as a 10. He should adapt or be amongst the first casualties

Garnacho- Have seen some things that you can use as a false 10. His liking for receive, run, pass, receive and shoot around and inside the box can be a weapon. But that's where the positives end. Must adapt or perish too.

WildCards

Quenda- His abilities are well known. He should do well in the half space role. Also ready made for the wingback role.

Satpaev- This kid reminds me of Lautaro Martinez and Kun Aguero. Elite movement, positioning and Finishing. I seriously rate this boy.

Emegha- Good movement and positioning especially around the back post areas. But I have some big reservations with him. Mostly his liking to make second touches before he can finish. Luxury strikers are rarely afforded in the EPL. We will have to see if he can be coached.

Jackson - Time at Bayern should have had him in retrospect of some of the kiddish attitude he used to have. If addressed, Nico is a potent tool that can be effectively used in a number of roles in attack. Half Spaces and Hybrid 10-9. Compound with his pressing and work rate, if no buyers are found you can slowly reintegrate him back into the fold.

#BottomLine

The biggest mistake Alonso can make is to come in and try to fit our "big players wingers" in a dynamic formation.

First because they are entirely useless even in their "primary roles" and second because it exposes the weaknesses of other players who have key and working strengths.

We need :-
✓ covers for both Palmer and Estevao.
✓ Ball Playing Cover CB for Colwill
✓Another CB

These are the immediate ones that cannot be addressed from the Blue Co ecosystem.

✓ Left Wingback
✓ Right wingback
✓ Striker Cover...

These can be addressed from the ecosystem.

FireSide

#BottomLine

Grimaldo: 10 goals + 13 assists
Frimpong: 9 goals + 7 assists

That’s a combined 39 goal contributions from wingback positions.

Cucu pops in with 1–3 moments the whole season, and we forget how technically limited he is.

Gusto has almost zero attacking moments throughout the season.
Reece’s injury record wouldn’t even allow consistent deployment in that position.

If Alonso decides to ditch the back three, even more problems await him with our midfield and wingers. This only compounds the issue further.

Strengthening the wingback positions is not just critical; it’s also one of the easiest solutions considering the current profile of this team.

I mentioned Moreira and Quenda. Even that Barco kid can be a solution. Even the Antwi guy can be nurtured because they have better attacking skill sets than the current options.

But some people look at a player’s name, not their technical skills.

That’s why someone here said, “You are stupid to think Moreira is an upgrade.”

These are the same fuckers who were crying for us to sign Lukaku and the rest.

Big names, shitty performances.

The wingback position is a limited market. And we must also strengthen other areas. We just have to be smart.

But when it’s the same people who were begging for the likes of Gittens and Garnacho to be signed, you have to understand that no matter how well you sing for a donkey, it will always believe its bray is the best.

Limited players, limited fan base but bloated expectations equates confusion.

FireSide

#BottomLine

I do not think the Enzo issue is done and dusted even though Florentino tried to lead madristas thoughts aways from EPL.

Fact is, because of PSG and Bayern financial muscles, Madrid cannot force them into selling one of their star players.

The next bus stage for their luxurious Galactico project should always be amongst the next big boys including chelsea.

Every Chelsea Enzo fan should brace themselves for probable heartache.

FireSide

#BottomLine

The Cucu news is a bit shocking.

But if you go back to earlier firesides, you'd understand why I think it's good for both parties and the club and why I rated him at only 50 in terms of Xabi Alonso's ball.

There's no question on Cucus defensive capabilities and work rate. If you want him to be an outright fullback like Madrid would want him to be, you will get 1,000% Output.

Now, with how Xabi Alonso wants to play, just like Gusto, Cucu is an attacking liability. Not because of lack of committment, but limited technical and attacking skills.

Cucu move is right and necessary for everyone.

FireSide

#BottomLine

This Paez Kid,....

He can never have a better time than now, and a better coach to develop and let him prove himself at chelsea than Alonso.

Two half Spaces players with highly technical needs are required, Skills he possesses and Position he is comfortable in.

But I am worried that the false sense of stardom has already gotten in his young and prideful head.

The good thing is, he is still 19. He can still be panel beat with the right people around him.

His potential will otherwise end up wasted and worse than Memphis Depay's.

His age mates like Estevao, Yamal, and Endrick have already embraced the heavy responsibilities that comes with such rare talents.

Chances are, we may never witness the coming to blossom of a rare piece of an artist once admired by even Messi.

It will be sad.

#BottomLine

This rumoured 50M Santos Sell to United is one of the most stupid decisions I have seen from this Club.

One we WILL definitely regret in not more than a season or two. 

We have fools running this club who don't know the value of talent or money.

They have crooked eyes that see talents upside down. Just look at the shitty Garnacho they signed and Santos they are selling.

Do we even have a plan on talent growth? Do we have a plan for these raw gems that need polishing or as long as they make a few coins on top of their purchase prices that's perfect?

If you have to sell him, why can't you do it for the right price then?