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00:00:01
EP32 - Matchday Review Monday: Brighton
8 Plays12 days ago
Join Matt, Jake and Craig to celebrate the HUGE win against Brighton on the weekend.
Cole Palmer does it again, how far can he go and can anyone stop him?
Sanchez errors again, do we need to bring in Jorgenson now?
All this and more, listen in now!
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Transcript
Introduction and Greetings
00:00:10
officialgspn
Hello and welcome to The Daily Chelsea, brought to you by the Global Sports Podcast Network. I'm your host Matt Blagden, and I'm joined today by two blue legends in Jake and Craig.
00:00:22
officialgspn
Jake, how you doing today?
00:00:23
Jake
You
Craig's Predictions and Chelsea's First Home Win
00:00:23
Jake
don't speak bad, mate. How are you?
00:00:25
officialgspn
Yeah, very well, thanks. And Craig, how are you feeling after this weekend's result?
00:00:31
Craig matthews
Amazing. Great weekend. Love a great weekend.
00:00:33
officialgspn
Yeah, absolutely.
00:00:35
Craig matthews
predict and predicted of My predictions are the start of the season is coming true now.
00:00:35
officialgspn
i think but
00:00:38
Craig matthews
I feel like I've predicted I will do well and it's coming true. So I'm quite happy with what I thought was going to happen. so yeah Long way to continue.
00:00:46
officialgspn
Nice one. Yeah, absolutely.
00:00:47
Craig matthews
fellow
00:00:48
officialgspn
Just keep predicting good things, Craig, please.
00:00:50
Craig matthews
yeah
00:00:50
officialgspn
And we we want your predictions to keep happening.
00:00:51
Craig matthews
paul
00:00:53
officialgspn
We want you to be our genie, you know?
00:00:54
Craig matthews
It's all about positivity in the thing that positive give all the players good vibes and they're with a smile on their face and all the fans are happy. That's the most important thing. army and so yeah
00:01:07
officialgspn
Absolutely, absolutely. Fans definitely have a smile on their face after a big 4-2 win against Brighton at the Bridge.
00:01:10
Craig matthews
that
00:01:15
officialgspn
Great to get our first win at the Bridge of the season after a loss to City and a draw to Palace at Stamford Bridge. And there's so much that we could talk about guys, but I think there's one place in particular where we really should chat.
00:01:26
officialgspn
so And that is of course Cole Palmer. Four goals in a first half. He's the first Premier League player ever to do that. he scored He's had penalties and he's scored all 13. He's the first player in 2024 with 30 goals or assists. No one else in the league even has 25. That's how far He is ahead and it's Cole Palmer's third hat trick.
00:01:54
Jake
Thank you.
00:01:54
officialgspn
Whereas Eden Hazard, that blues legend, he only ever got two in his Premier League career with Chelsea.
Cole Palmer's Record-Breaking Performance
00:01:59
officialgspn
So all already above Hazard in the hat trick. I could go on really with the stats, but Jake, you were at the game.
00:02:06
officialgspn
What did you make of his performance?
00:02:09
Jake
yeah wow just wow like my god like what a player i don't think like it would be a bit too early to say like he's maybe one of uh the best players i've seen like play at the bridge but he is i don't think he's even for how young he is i don't think he's even that far away from getting up there with like some of the like real greats that we've got like you know he's he's got such a
00:02:11
officialgspn
Yeah.
00:02:14
Craig matthews
Oh.
00:02:36
Jake
like a like a Zola esque like a bit of like it yeah like Hazard esque as well like he's so i've never seen i don't think i've seen a more composed player in a game like he just understands he just understands what to do when to do it especially that the chance where Jackson didn't actually score i think i can't remember who it was he cleared it off the line and we got rather keeper and then someone else cleared it off the line
00:02:56
officialgspn
Hmm. Hmm. Yeah.
00:03:00
Jake
Cobb Palmer just sort of walks casually back into midfield a bit like what Messi would do. Receives the ball first time and plays a through ball which loops two of their lines essentially and the last defender which Jackson gets onto and he just he hardly even makes a second look to make the pass.
00:03:11
officialgspn
Yeah.
00:03:16
Jake
Like it's not even just the facts like on so on paper like yes he's he's pleasing everyone on paper like four goals breaking records literally
00:03:16
Craig matthews
Mm.
00:03:25
Jake
you know he's getting assists this season as well at the same time like he's not just if he's just scoring the goals but he is second highest top scorer now as well it's just all the little small things he does and how he impacts the game and i don't want to be negative here but i worry so much about how we would look without colt palmer now just in terms of our confidence i think like it's It's just a bit different when when he gets on the ball.
00:03:52
Jake
Like, for example, the ball I just spoke about, the free ball where he you know sort of smacked it once and Jackson got on the end of it. I think the reason Jackson has the confidence to make that first time run is because Cole Palmer's got the ball and he knows that ball's getting there.
00:04:05
Craig matthews
and
00:04:05
Jake
And he knows it's going to be a bit mabelto, so it's worth making the run for him.
00:04:08
Jake
I mean, you don't have that with every player, really. You know, I think when Woodruff is probably like looking to play a long ball, no not many players are immediately running, you know.
00:04:12
Craig matthews
Hmm. Hmm.
00:04:17
officialgspn
yeah Absolutely.
00:04:19
Jake
So yeah, he's just genuinely and then you just have to talk about the free kick as well just to have the confidence to confidence to try and do that And then actually pull it off just like ah ah wow just it's it's it's very hard to sum up into words the the quality that he possesses and
00:04:23
Craig matthews
Hmm.
00:04:24
officialgspn
Yeah.
00:04:37
officialgspn
yeah absolutely i couldn't agree more jake and you know every is ever he's every stat man's dream at the moment just with everything that he's doing and especially for us blues fans you know sort of without him yeah we would have be a lot further down in the table uh we would have lost the game without him But, interestingly, um he's a similar sort of profile of player to Foden, and obviously they did play at City.
00:05:01
officialgspn
I found it interesting sta that Foden could score 15 goals in his next game, and he would still have fewer goals or assists than Cole Palmer since the start of last season.
00:05:12
officialgspn
Now, I think that basically just shows how you know fast and how much Cole Palmer has developed.
00:05:12
Craig matthews
Hmm.
00:05:18
officialgspn
in the last season or so. But Craig, you know, Foden has ranked so highly highly. Do you think those that rank Foden so highly will now be considering that Parma is on the same level or maybe even higher now?
00:05:31
Craig matthews
Honestly, I feel like Cole Palmer is higher now. I feel like if you see for England, not just for Chelsea, but for England, he's an impact player. He comes off the bench and scores goals in big games. Fulfur has not done it for England. Let's be real. He hasn't done it for England in the big games. He hasn't scored one or two goals for England. He hasn't done it when it mattered. I think Cole Palmer does it in clutch moments, does it all the time. Chelsea in the mud will score goals when he needs to score goals, important goals, not just one goal, two goals, assists, goals, goals, goals.
00:06:01
Craig matthews
goals win your games, goals win your titles. So, Cole Palmer has been a very great player for Chelsea. I think the best sign-in on the top goalie. And I hope you guys agree with me. If I'm wrong, let me know. But I think he's been the best sign on the top goalie. All the sign-ins have been the best sign-in.
00:06:16
Craig matthews
100% he came to Chelsea last season. and Nobody knew, knew a little bit about him. He scored a good goal against Arsenal in the community shield. He scored a couple of goals, like, not to see them before a lot of four months he won the league. And everyone's saying, yeah, it's the next best thing, but he never got the opportunity at CE. Chelsea scooped him up, and a bit of mancee are regretting that now. So he's done a great job about Chelsea and a long way to continue. Hopefully we don't sell him because if we sell him, that would be a big, big, big, big mistake.
00:06:45
Craig matthews
you have to keep him, build the team around him, get the players in that can help you win titles and that's what we need to do, win titles and win trophies. That's the only thing that's missing from him is not winning more trophies.
00:06:56
Craig matthews
I know he won trophies at Mount Sea, but if he wins trophies at Chelsea, then he's on the verge of being a Blues legend. He'll definitely be a Blues legend no matter what. Anyone has to say hands down, like, yeah.
00:07:08
officialgspn
Absolutely. I mean we've got him for another another nine years. So hopefully if he continues that that right he definitely will be a blues legend um um ah To have to be interested. I mean, I know Todd Bolin eggbully they love cashing in surely the fees got to be about 250 million right now to for us to sell him And on top of all that what I do actually love about Cole Palmer is that like you say Jake He's just he knows what to do. He's so nonchalant and I think he's really humble as well in his post-match interview even though he scored for He was saying that I should have scored five or six with the chances that he had. So he's never, you know, just happy with what he's done. And he knows there's always more opportunities. That was the big highlight, obviously, but more on other players and some of the disappointments after this break.
00:07:57
Craig matthews
by
Robert Sanchez's Mistakes and Goalkeeping Debate
00:08:42
officialgspn
Welcome back. You're listening to Daily Chelsea with Jake, Craig and myself, Matt. Guys, you know, sort of other great players yesterday were Sancho and Jackson, I think. I think particularly with Sancho getting his third assist in three games, really showing what Man United are missing at the moment and what a player of his quality can do when he's loved.
00:09:03
officialgspn
also defensive woes. You know, we got four goals from Cole Palmer, but we did concede two and they were both conceded from ah ah Robert Sanchez. Jake, you were at the game. You saw firsthand how what happened. Just talk us through that and what your thoughts are on him.
00:09:20
Jake
it's i don't really understand what what happened like but what we know i understand what happened i mean i do understand what happened you know i saw it but i just don't understand sanchez's thinking like it's it's just so
00:09:27
officialgspn
yeah yeah but Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
00:09:35
Jake
it's so like nonchalant for a Premier League goalkeeper and that's literally what's what's led to the mistakes like and it's not like like what like one of those goals where web Brighton score he passes it out and I can't remember I think it is believe but he picks it up and then obviously takes that shot
00:09:50
officialgspn
Yeah, that's right. yeah yeah
00:09:52
Jake
and it The pass isn't actually awful, like it's not awful. It's it's maybe um a meter wide of where the player needs, that of where where where our player is.
00:10:01
officialgspn
Yeah. What?
00:10:03
Jake
I think it's because he's passing, so I'm not sure.
00:10:05
officialgspn
Yeah. Yeah.
00:10:06
officialgspn
Yeah. Yeah.
00:10:06
Jake
have
00:10:07
Jake
And he, but the thing is, is that Brighton, and he doesn't, he's not aware of the situation that Brighton are very much pressing, but it's not as if those goals were like very, very early in the game. Like you must be aware that Brighton are going to press us, you know, considerably from, from, from the first minute. Like it's not as if you're, you can't be unaware of that. You know what I mean? It's, it's really mad for Sanchez and it is sad as well because we, because we thought we were starting to get there with Sanchez, you know and you know were we're but we're outside the transfer window now. I think Jorgensen has looked okay, but if Jorgensen isn't the answer, then you know we may be back in that situation where we
00:10:45
Jake
don't feel confident in our goalkeeper. And again, it's something I've said before, it really matters, you know, for the defenders who have the goalkeeper and behind them to have the confidence in the goalkeeper, because otherwise it just leads to more mistakes. It happens so often, like, even with Kepa, like, I think don't have the no none of those defenders had confidence in Kepa and that led to even more mistakes in the defense because everyone was just a bit nervous at all times.
00:10:57
officialgspn
Yeah.
00:11:08
Jake
I just can't really understand what was going through his head. I don't know if he was maybe feeling a bit too confident after a couple of good performances, but massive shame really.
00:11:17
officialgspn
I know. I mean, for that goal in particular, Cole did go mental almost, you know, saying to Sanchez, why don't you pass it to me? Because in those tight areas, the passes do actually have to be perfect.
00:11:28
officialgspn
But Craig, for the first goal, Sanchez, you know, the ball's up in the air and it's coming down to be headed. And then Sanchez kind of comes out of nowhere.
00:11:34
Craig matthews
Yeah.
00:11:36
officialgspn
You know, did he do you think he made the right decision for that? Or was that just completely unnecessary?
00:11:41
Craig matthews
Completely unnecessary. The defenders are there to clear the ball. They didn't have to rush out like that. I think when he does that, way and it makes the defence nervous. like it it doesn't always that very It's very erratic. um um such as I would say it's a very erratic goalkeeper.
00:11:53
Craig matthews
Well, I'll make a good save, then I'll do a bozo moment, I'll make a stupid, like, kick out the ball, kick it to another player, like, last season, and deck and rise, kick the ball, deck and rise, and like that, and you're thinking, like, oh my gosh, like, he, not really, when he, when they dropped him last season, and Patrick played in golf, and Patrick was not from about, I know he was a younger keeper, but he was alright in goal last season, to be fair, like, he missed some great saves, and all that, he did well, I think they learned about this season, to see again give him, to give him more experience, and all that, but,
00:12:21
Craig matthews
I thought it was going to sell scientists in the summer and keep maybe peptures which will bring a more experienced goalkeeper, more someone who's more calm behind the sticks. It will give you a defense, more assurances, like, you know, worried, like, if you have the clearance or anything, everything should be fine. Like, you know, when you've got a like calm and collective, he could do his feed and make the right decisions and he won't be worrying about um um looking back, the red looking back to like, he's going to make a mistake now. So, yeah.
00:12:50
officialgspn
Yeah, it's tricky, isn't it? I mean, I think Mariska's been really clever in his post-match comments regarding Sanchez and the way we consider the goals by just almost downplaying it and saying that this is almost a necessary evil or necessary product of the way we're playing and the style that he wants Chelsea to play, saying that, you know, we're going to concede 10 more goals just like this.
00:13:02
Craig matthews
Mmm
00:13:11
officialgspn
And I think he's really clever in doing that to take the pressure off, you know, himself and also the players, but As we've, over the ever since we've signed Sanchez, been a bit nervous about him, Jake. You know, is it time now to actually put Jorgensen in the sticks for the Premier League?
Noni Madueke's Play Style and Potential Changes
00:13:31
Jake
i think not for the next game i think it i think it'd be a bit i think it'd be a lot more demotivating and probably a bit lot a bit worse for us and sanchez uh in the long term if he got dropped immediately after a couple of mistakes like that i think it needs to be so shown a sort of like continuous form for him to be dropped for yorgensen but then we could also have a week you know we're going to see yorgensen play in the conference league and if he has an outstanding performance in that somehow you know uhm then maybe it will be the time to to call up on Jorgensen I'm not really 100% but I prefer not to drop him yet I think maybe after his performance to the right move would be to start including Jorgensen in
00:14:13
Jake
some more important games, you know, league games. And I think maybe a good test for Jorgensen is probably coming up in the Carabao Cup where we play most likely Newcastle away. And that is a cup of competition. So he is the cupkeeper and maybe he can show how good he is there and possibly start pushing Sanchez from that point. But I think it will be quite bad for us long term and Sanchez as well to demotivate him by dropping him off on that performance.
00:14:38
officialgspn
Yeah, fair enough and and I guess you know sort of It's almost a better problem to have that only one player is maybe making mistakes rather than the entire defense being you know disjointed or at kilometer's fault but
00:14:38
Craig matthews
And.
00:14:53
officialgspn
I guess, again, with Sanchez, is it just he needs to take a bit of a breather or, you know, more training on at the training pitch or does it just need to trust his defenders a bit more? Craig, what do you think?
00:15:08
Craig matthews
It just needs to be more, decision making is important, it needs to be improving, it needs to be decision making. Like if it's more calm in front of a goal, as a goalkeeper, then I think if he works it in training, it would be better. I think communication at the back is very important. Sometimes the players have to play it to him, the players have to play it to the player. I think sometimes what he does, he panics. I don't think he's a bad goalkeeper, I think he panics. When he makes a mistake, he panics and then he clears it quickly, thinking he's gonna, and then,
00:15:37
Craig matthews
He loses the ball, he gives the ball to the opposition team and then they score. So if you can cut out that errors in his game, he'd be fine because he's a good shot stopper. He's a very good shot stopper. I've seen some saves he's made. He's very good, but sometimes when it comes to clearing the ball, he shanks the ball out of the pitch or he kicked the ball out or he kicks it to another team player. So if he works on that, he should be fine anyway. I don't think he needs to drop him now. Maybe, you know, cause if you drop him now, as Jake said, then he'll lose confidence then.
00:16:06
Craig matthews
if the other goalkeeper is not good and then he makes mistakes then it's like swapping the goalkeeper is not very good sometimes because he can kind of ah ah disrupt the whole team as well and the balance of the team as well. So we've got to be careful with that as well.
00:16:21
officialgspn
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, he did make a great save against Belieber after Belieber got their second goal um from that powerful short. So he's definitely got that behind him.
00:16:29
Craig matthews
back
00:16:31
officialgspn
More on what we would change after this game, after this break.
00:17:08
officialgspn
Welcome back. You're listening to Daily Chelsea, we're talking all things Brighton.
00:17:10
Jake
you know taking char
00:17:16
officialgspn
Jake, there are lots of positives and some negatives that we've already discussed so far, but one that I really picked out for me, aside from Palmer and Sanchez, was that Matter of way, kid, just his selfishness that we've discussed a little bit beforehand in previous pods seems to be inherently there and that there's almost a sense where I'm getting this desperation from him in order to assist or score to prove his his place in the team.
00:17:45
officialgspn
and that he almost feels like he has to do that every week and that he's not fully, I guess, secure in himself and his position within the team and many more things like that. Most notably when we were clear on through on goal in the first half and he could have cut it back to to Enzo and chose not to and chose to shoot instead. You know, when you watch it back, clearly the wrong decision right there, but kind of just shrugs it off. What's your thoughts on Madawake and does he now need to be dropped for Neto?
00:18:13
Jake
and i mean i quite like i like but i like him by the way he cares a player i've always quite liked him i was didn't want him sold in the summer to be honest even when those rumors were circulating but he he he's very good on the thing is is he's very good on the ball and he is very good in front of goal and it only takes one or two of those chances that you know he took selfishly in the last couple of games to be converted into goals for us to be saying you know he should be taking those chances for himself he doesn't have to pass there he's good enough for those sort of goals to go in
00:18:48
Jake
but he's not and that's, that's the risk you sort of take. And I think this is one of the issues of having a lot of young players is, you know, he's lacking that maturity. And I think if you look at that, you know, if you look at the, you know, the front four yesterday, Jackson got an assist, Sancho, Sancho got an assist, Cole Palmer got four goals.
00:19:05
Jake
So it's, it's, he's the only one who didn't contribute in terms of, you know, what as I was saying before,
Jadon Sancho's Impact at Chelsea
00:19:11
Jake
it's that's on paper. He didn't contribute into any of those really. So.
00:19:14
officialgspn
Yeah.
00:19:16
Jake
that's that it's it's it's a bit of the immaturity of of a younger player who wants to show you know who wants you know at least probably a couple of those stats to himself and he also wants to show how good he is on paper coming away from that game i don't think he had a bad performance really but i think he had a worse performance after he you know didn't pass that ball you know that's that's that's what for chelsea fans i remember from that game not the pretty good performance he had otherwise against Brighton. So I think he'll grow out of it, but maybe that the way that he grows out of it is him being dropped and understanding, you know, what he's doing, you know, not not in a naughty school child sort of way, but it's a bit like you need to fix up a little bit or drop you for a couple of games and you'll come back in. I think it'll be interesting to see if he starts on Thursday, because I think I'll give a good indication of whether he'll be playing on Saturday against Forrest.
00:20:06
officialgspn
Yeah, that's true. because he I mean, so far, I think Mariska's rotated wonderfully and and beautifully between, I guess, our two 11s, really. I mean, for for you, Jake, would you would you drop him ahead of next week's Premier League game against Forest Veneto?
00:20:21
Jake
uh yeah i think so i think i think netto has performed probably on a similar level to madawake but he's not had as many starts so i think it's time for netto to come in we've not really seen netto too much on that right wing either and also if you just sort of read across netto palmer sancho jackson that just sounds like quite a lovely front ball at the moment and probably a bit scary for frost so maybe yeah and i think i think madawake is now getting out of form and i think it's probably the time to drop him and
00:20:30
officialgspn
Yeah.
00:20:44
officialgspn
Yeah.
00:20:50
Jake
letting recipe coupé think a little bit and then come back into the team in a couple of weeks.
00:20:54
officialgspn
Hmm. Yeah, fair enough. I guess it's, you know, it's cut and thrust really when you get to the, especially at the top end of the Premier League, where it's where trouble you want to be. Craig we we've got a good strength in depth didn't see much of gel Felix at all really against Brighton, but such it had come off for ah ah Mudrick has probably just a maintenance sort of Keep it keeping Santo fresh really Do we see much of Mudrick for him to really state a case any further to start or is left one pretty much solidified for Sancho?
00:21:16
Craig matthews
and Mmm.
00:21:27
officialgspn
I
00:21:29
Craig matthews
Santo's the number one spot on that position. I don't think he was going to
Managing the Goalkeeping Situation
00:21:31
Craig matthews
bench him. I think he's their best best player so far. Him and Cole Palmer link up all together. I feel like he's pushing to get back into England team. so I thought San Jose in good form at the moment, he's got four assists, I think he's got four or three assists already in three or four games. He's looking confident, he's looking happy again, got a smile on his face, a smile on his face. He's got the swag of back that he had at Dortmund. I still can't believe my night got rid of him. I'm shocked. Honestly, no, I'm shocked. Honestly, you're not stalling. That's not my... On fair due to that, I feel like he's back in form and he didn't need to continue this for the whole season and then
00:22:10
Craig matthews
I think he's the number one star in that left wing, that's his position now. It's for him to give up, I don't know if he's going to give up that easily anyway. So anyway, I don't think he's starting to get injured or anything like that, but I don't think he's going to get dropped anyway. So he's the number one star in that position.
00:22:27
officialgspn
Yeah, definitely. And I think we also as well just see such an upgrade from Sterling to Sancho as well, just in terms of the control, the decision making, particularly for Cole Palmer's fourth goal, the way Sancho opens his body up almost to suggest he's going to cross it in and then to cut it back through through to the penalty box so that
00:22:33
Craig matthews
and
00:22:38
Craig matthews
a
00:22:43
Craig matthews
and Yeah.
00:22:46
officialgspn
Cole doesn't even have to take a touch, he can just shoot first time.
00:22:47
Craig matthews
i Yeah.
00:22:50
officialgspn
I think those are the little details that are really the cut above and that's why Satchel was such a great upgrade on Sterling.
00:22:52
Craig matthews
about
00:22:57
officialgspn
I guess in terms of we've spoken about goalkeeper and the issue there and whether Sanchez needs to be replaced by Jurgensen but I think we're all in agreement that let's just give that a bit of time because we don't want to demotivate players too much.
Striker Debate: Jackson vs. Nkunku
00:23:12
officialgspn
Jake we've discussed many times about Nkuku and Jackson its It did seem Jackson was a little bit unlucky that his effort got cleared off the line in the second half. But for Cole Palmer's first goal, it almost looks like Jackson overran his dribbling and then really was looking to Cole to get him out of jail with that situation. Is there still a sense that, I mean, Jackson is getting the assists on the board. And so, like you said, you know, he contributed. So it's almost like, yeah, keeping him in the heman and the team. Why not?
00:23:42
officialgspn
But is there still a sense that in Kunku is maybe a bit more intelligent and has a higher football IQ and should we bring him in a bit sooner?
00:23:54
Jake
I don't know about bringing him in a bit sooner. I think it's, I think it's different opponents. now ah ah are going to need different strikers. Jackson, you know, is a bit of a taller bit of a stronger striker. he runs for days. And I think for.
00:24:08
Jake
ah ah a fixture against Brighton that's really really good but that's very good for us to have he needs to be able to we need people who are going to run and run and run press their defence as much as they're going to press ours and you know also you know a striker who's going to have good finishing ability which isn't something you've always been able to say about Jackson but he has done that pretty well as we said you know he probably should have really had a goal like he finished that chance pretty well it was just someone else got onto the line a little bit harsh on him and So I think you probably should have had a goal as well. think in Cuckoo is going to be really necessary against other certain other teams, you know, where we're playing a lot more of, you know, a bit of a slower pace, more build up football, you know, not as much one, one touch not as many one touch passes, not as many players are going to be running behind, they're going to be coming short for the ball and trying to take it forward themselves.
00:24:55
Jake
I think that's where Nkuku is going to be, you know, quite, quite necessary for us. I don't think Jackson's as good. that he's not that good at link up play, I actually think he's pretty decent, but he's definitely not as good on Nkuku's level in terms of link up play. That's also why Nkuku gets used a bit further back at times as well.
00:25:12
Jake
And on the current form of both the players, i I think Jackson is doing well enough to keep his place. And Cuckoo is really knocking on that door like we saw against Barrow last week. So I think it's now we're now we're probably looking at situations where we should be maybe rotating the strikers a bit more often for a few more of these tougher games.
00:25:35
Jake
Which there are more on coming up, you know, forest is not also not an easy fixture.
00:25:35
Craig matthews
me
00:25:38
Jake
And then, you know, we do have Liverpool United, Newcastle, all in this space. It was an awful few weeks. So.
00:25:43
Craig matthews
Hmm.
Manager Enzo Maresca's Style and Squad Harmony
00:25:44
Craig matthews
Hmm.
00:25:45
officialgspn
Yeah, absolutely. It's definitely tasty after the next international break. Craig, just a quick word on Maresca. You know, sort of he's come in, um um not really by demand from the fans, but just completely changed from the board. How do you think he's kicked off the season and do you have a lot of faith in him now?
00:26:03
Craig matthews
but As a pep disciple, you learn from Pep Guardiola, one of the best great managers of all time in football history. You learn from Joann Croft as well, one of the greatest managers of footballing. You can learn the dot system, Ajax and Barcelona, so they all learn from each other. I feel like it's done very well.
00:26:20
Craig matthews
We're going to give him credit where credit is due. that When we first came to airport in, everyone was a bit skeptical of him thinking he only managed to win the championship. But he did very good football at Leicester last season. If everyone wanted to challenge him last season, he did some great football for him. He got them promoted and that championship was a hard league to get out of. Even Lee's fans, they were taught for a long time Lee's and they they couldn't get out of that championship. So it goes to show that he did a great job there, came to Chelsea.
00:26:48
Craig matthews
He's this one. He's just coming. He's been very quiet, got rid of the players he didn't want. Brought in the players he won like the Santos. He brought in a couple of players that he wanted. And he's quietly getting, slowly quietly getting on with what he needs to get on with and get the job done. He's not making a loud noise about it. He's just getting, every week he's getting consistent performance out of the players that he wants. And he's doing a great job. Long may it continue because, you know,
00:27:14
Craig matthews
We've got some tough games coming up very, very soon off the international break. So that's what we're going to see. That's what we're going to see how good he is as a manager. If he can go through them games with no defeats or get a couple of points here and there, then it goes to show that maybe this season we can get top four Champions League football. And that would be a great turn over the last two seasons. I had no time to Champions League football. Just playing Europe, like, you know, so.
00:27:41
Craig matthews
I believe in him. I think he's a good manager. I've always been able to do all the season. He has a massive squad, so he can always rotate players here and there when he needs to be. Keep trying to keep everybody happy and everyone on his side, because sometimes when you have a big squad and you have a lot of players with egos and want to play every game and not get minutes and complain to the agent, I'd be happy at the moment and not get a lot of minutes.
00:28:08
Craig matthews
He has to be able to manage the squad accordingly and for what he wants out of the team. But if the team is winning every week, everybody will be on the same industry. If the team's not losing, certain players will be unhappy, go to the papers and say, I want to play more, or go to the agents, I want to leave.
00:28:23
Craig matthews
You don't you you don't want to disarm him in the changing room, so you want a good
Chelsea's Title Race Prospects
00:28:26
Craig matthews
harmony in the changing room. So he's doing a good job now. Let's see how long he can continue with that good job, I would say.
00:28:30
officialgspn
Mm hmm.
00:28:33
Craig matthews
hey
00:28:34
officialgspn
Yeah, absolutely. He has made a big impression. Six games plays in the prem, four wins, one draw, one loss. A quick far question for for both of you, either a yes or no answer.
00:28:45
Craig matthews
Hmm.
00:28:45
officialgspn
If we beat Forrest and go up to 16 points, are we in a title race?
00:28:47
Craig matthews
Hmm.
00:28:49
Craig matthews
Hmm.
00:28:52
officialgspn
Craig, what do you think? Yes or no?
00:28:54
Craig matthews
Yes.
00:28:55
officialgspn
Jake?
00:28:56
Jake
No.
00:28:58
officialgspn
Oh, divided, divided. I think no as well. So two against three. Sorry, two against one.
00:29:03
Craig matthews
Yeah.
00:29:04
Jake
I think just not right people are trying for it.
00:29:05
Craig matthews
Can I give my, can I, can I, can I give my reason why? Can I give my reason why I say because like, You know, you might see a lot of road, you know, like, you know, anything can happen. Like, obviously the ball like a drop point here and there.
00:29:16
Craig matthews
So it it's anyone's game. If you you beat Forrest and you win them games after the international break, anything can happen.
00:29:23
officialgspn
Yeah, true.
00:29:23
Craig matthews
if Anything could happen.
00:29:24
officialgspn
cheap What are you going to say?
00:29:24
Craig matthews
You never know.
00:29:26
Jake
I think if we are at the 2nd of December and we have a similar similar opinion, similar thinking, then we all start to say it.
Conclusion and Summary
00:29:36
Jake
But I don't think we've been tested too much yet.
00:29:37
officialgspn
Okay.
00:29:39
Jake
I say 2nd of December because that's sort of our last big game in that sort of run of fixtures, which is against Aston Villa.
00:29:46
officialgspn
Yeah.
00:29:46
Craig matthews
Uh.
00:29:46
Jake
That run of pictures, obviously, as you said, Newcastle, United, Arsenal, Liverpool as well.
00:29:50
Craig matthews
o
00:29:52
officialgspn
yeah
00:29:54
Jake
So I really need to see us again in those big games and see what sort of points we can grind out of those games.
00:29:55
Craig matthews
Hmm.
00:29:59
officialgspn
Yeah.
00:29:59
Jake
It's also very nice to have this many points the board early.
00:30:04
officialgspn
Yeah, yeah.
00:30:05
Jake
And I think we're we're all expecting a win against Forest to be honest with how we've been playing. I don't see why we wouldn't win.
00:30:11
officialgspn
Yeah, it's definitely up and yeah, definitely get that win against Brighton though. It's definitely, I think, given the fans, the confidence that we can win at the bridge, even though that it sounds silly, you know, so we just need to get that one on the board. But yeah, we'll see. after the next international break, it's definitely going to be a tough couple of weeks for Chelsea. So everyone strapping for that. Unfortunately, we're out of time. Craig, thanks so much for joining us.
00:30:32
Craig matthews
Thank you man, as always.
00:30:34
officialgspn
and Jake likewise to you.
00:30:36
officialgspn
Thanks so much I've been Matt everyone. Thanks so much for tuning in and we'll see you on the next episode
00:30:36
Jake
Cheers. Thank you very much, guys.