Matt

All fart, no substance, like most possession based sides.

And the "booos" ring out round Stamford Bridge at HT.

In two minds ahead of Chelsea v Man City, I don't watch Man City games because they bore the shit out of me (as most teams do in this era, trying to poorly imitate it), but might watch this as it could/should quite well be a schooling for Maresca. Or it could be an incredibly dull match of the two styles. Especially if Man City get an early goal, you just know Pep will make his team take the foot off the gas because he doesn't want to embarrass his mate, then it'll just be a game of passing round the back.

Feels weird to be the relatively positive one (in comparison to others) for once. I read people saying they've never felt more detached and disillusioned with the club than what they are currently, off field I share those sentiments, but I'm pretty sure they're talking on field too. As far as I'm concerned it can't get much worse than 21/22 and 22/23, I really was at my wits end with on field stuff, I genuinely was ready to turn my back on it all and I did during the 2nd half of 21/22, I refused to go to games, I tried to come back with an open mind at the start of 22/23 but well, the writing was on the wall along time before despite people being shocked about what ensued. That was when I was at my most detached and disillusioned. Its all about expectations and this what got me when people were throwing the 'entitled' tag out, I expected far better with how were were playing in 21/22 and 22/23, it was turgid, disgusting and it was clearing going to end one way but the club (and clearly a large majority of fans alike) were asleep at the wheel. Now, we find ourselves where we are, it's stating the bleeding obvious we're going to struggle, but the damage was being done 3 years prior to now and it was allowed to happen (its still is by who still being employed by the club). Expectations need tempering and people need to realise where we are. Now, we are truly seeing who are entitled. A couple of people who continually laugh at my posts but will never actually engage in conversation or debate laughed at one of my predictions back then that what was being allowed to happen would be as damaging as what happened under Peter Taylor, I stand by that comment as we learn more as things come to light.

Why is that? NFC ticketing is supposed to be foolproof isn't? And never failed according to communication i've had. (Strong claims)

I appreciate there is an easy fix to this (remove it) but the leaflets that come in packs of tablets, its a 50/50 chance, but why, every time I come to open a packet, it's the side of the folded up leaflet.

I’m pretty disappointed, disgusted, deflated whatever word you want to use regarding the off field running of the club - I think we’re in unison on that. On field, admittedly I’m yet to see anything under Cooper, I’ve not seen a second of pre season, so I’m going in blind but as far as I’m concerned I cannot feel anymore distanced or disillusion with on field stuff than I did in the summer of 22/23 - that’s not hyperbole or exaggeration. I’m actually going into this season quite content (maybe not quite the right word), certainly not deflated, in comparison the 22/23 - that was the peak of disinterested for me.

Without the Governments threat of the Independent Regulator/Commission this is probably closer to the truth and the reality the Premier League would have gone down. I'm all for the need of an Independent Regulator/Commission by the way aslong as it's across the board and transparent, I have huge doubts over that however.

Ours and Man City’s punishments and situations are very different to say Everton or Forests. While both of those clubs were undeniable in a relegation battle they should have had enough to stay up, of which they did, quite comfortably in the end. We are likely to be up against it as it is, at the other end of the spectrum Man City are going to be in a title race. I don’t think they want “blood on their hands” whereby any sanctions to potentially be used to say “it relegated Leicester” or it “cost Man City the title”. A side note - they’ll never have the bollocks to relegate or even severely punish Man City.

I've found the more hype on here surrounding a signing, they usually turn out to be underwhelming, pretty awful or even an outright failure.

He's destined to fail for a variety of reasons; - He's clearly not being supported or backed by the club - the 3rd* manager in a row who has experienced this. - The Forest link. - The reason you have given. The latter 2 reasons I gave means he won't be afforded any time whatsoever by those who have those issues. *I include Rodgers in those 3 begrudgingly because he was backed (heavily, regardless what the media, friends and fans of him will have you believe), he was given the keys to the club, up until his final year, but that's where the powers that be should have put their big boy pants on and sacked him way before the mess ensued.

Just so i'm not accused of ducking this, I take very little from pre season, nor have I seen any so i'll comment once the season has started and give criticism or credit where fit. You do realise though it was a very valid point Enzo had no plan B, it was ok to say that. That's not even a slight on Enzo, it's a slight on the modern manager and game in general. I mean, in an ideal world there would be no one set stubborn plan for a start no matter who you come up against, you'd adapt to who you come up against, mix it up, not be so stubborn and predictable, i'm not saying Cooper is the man for that or that he'll have success doing so, but my point remains.

No, neither have I, or throughout the whole pre season.* *Then again I've not seen any pre season, not a minute, because for fans its a load of bollocks and bores the shit out of me, it means nothing, all about fitness - i'm not disputing there may be question marks over that but the point remains. As I said the other week some of our worst seasons have come off the back of "good" pre seasons and some of our best seasons have come of the back of "bad" pre seasons.

Pre season.

“If you can score a goal with 3 passes why make 15?” Apparently the words of the women’s manager, I can only hope Coopers allowed the same mantra, although can imagine that going down well with powers than be or fans alike who want to be some poor imitation of Man City.

And how's that going?

Regardless of whatever level, you've got a set of players, you get the best out of them, if they're not comfortable, capable or confident to do that, you don't do it, first and foremost you play to their strengths. If Maresca or any manager for that matter has a long term plan then so be it, but you bring players in over an amount of time, introducing slowly and building until you're able to play 'his way'. I’m waiting for the “I arrive with this idea and the moment there is doubt, the next day I will leave” attitude and outburst. Chelsea won’t stand for it.

I appreciate lack of options are a concern and i'm going to get a "who else we gonna play" attitude back but does anyone think some of the players we've played in the friendlies will actually play in the league? I only ask this question because people do realise for comparison and example; Coady Kristiansen Daka Praet Madivadua Justin Nelson Souttar Soumare Iheanacho Maswanshise Castagne All featured, in every friendly, last pre-season. How many minutes did they get in the league? I tell you what, I'll even let you combine their minutes? I don't know the answer, but with confidence, I can say not many. 2 of them left on loan, 1 of them left permanent.

Aside from off the field stuff (Of which disgusts and angers me), it feels weird to be the more positive person on here for once, maybe it's because i've not seen any pre-season whatsoever (And I feel alot better for it, let me tell you!) but I took a conscious effort not to, because as a fan, for fans, pre-season is a load of bollocks. I think our team does need alot of work, a few more signings, I do think we'll struggle, but it's expected. People need to reassess their opinions of us, much like the damage of Peter Taylor lasted years and years(!), the damage was done the longer Rodgers (And others, who are still here) was here and people (on and off the field) allowed that. People say they see little plan, well as I say i've not seen any pre season, but I assume (And hope) theres been less playing out nonsense, would people rather see that - because I see little plan with that. Unless i'm up for a rude awakening and theres even more* playing out nonsense. *Not possible.

RIP Shakey. Thank you.

On one hand I kinda think "**** you", I said in the transfer thread he clearly didn't want to come here and whilst I appreciate unless you're a Leicester fan why would you want to come here, it's a job, it's a stepping stone but if you don't wanna be here and/or are engineering a move away before you've even got here then i'd rather you didn't come at all. Players who didn't want to be here, simply picking up pay cheques and/or were engineering moves away are a big reason why we're in the mess we're in. On the other hand, re: the "No Sporting Project" comment, he has a very valid point. Truth hurts and hopefully it's a reality check within the club. (It won't be)

Parody.

Ironically we broke that stat leading to many of our failings.

€601m transfer income over the last 10 seasons. 4th highest in England. No idea how much we’ve spent in comparison (personally I don’t think that much) and I appreciate we’ve handed out ridiculous wages but how we’re failing FFP compared to others who are still chucking money about is ridiculous. I’ve answered my own question, wages, is ultimately where we’ve failed but we’re not the only ones with a huge wage bill and others are slipping through the net I have no doubt. Even more so when you note we’ve had a fair few high PL finishes, a Champions League campaign, and a few European campaigns, even with relegation factored in. We’ve all witnessed what happens when we have players who don’t want to be here happens but you kind of have to beg the question what was the point in all that transfer income. Neither notion is profitable nor sustainable.

We were a success last season playing that way. You know what else is common denominator aswell?....We had the best and most expensive players in that league, just like most other successful teams. I said it last season, the 'top' teams (Of which, in the Championship we were) have to play that way to an extent because the so called 'lesser teams' (I hate that phrase, so disrespectful) tend to sit back and defend, and fwiw I somewhat enjoyed the style to an extent last season, I saw a reason for us to do it and understood it, but now we find ourselves back in the Premier League and in this league no-one outside the top 6 (And even sometimes not even some of them in the top 6) have any business or reason to play that way - not exclusively.