Transcript
Global Sports Podcast Network: Hello everyone, welcome to the Daily Chelsea podcast as we preview the 25-26 season. We're fresh from our Club World Cup win. The season's already got underway with two comfortable pre-season wins against Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan.
Global Sports Podcast Network: You're listening to Martin and Yashar. We've debriefed the Club World Cup. We've looked at our transfer incomings and outgoings. It's that fun, silly season time, Michelle, which you can only do at the start of the season to go through our boldest and craziest predictions.
Global Sports Podcast Network: um So come this time next year, or let's say May next year, where do you, you know, all ah all of the things we've discussed in terms of the belief that the Club World Cup win has given us, the transfer incomings that we've, um and outgoings that we've dealt,
Global Sports Podcast Network: Where do you think League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup, Champions League, we will be come May 2026?
yashar: It's a very...
Global Sports Podcast Network: Broad question,
yashar: is It is broad, but you know what? i like it because I really feel that we'll come top two. i think but we won't win the league this season. I really like
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yep.
yashar: I think we're challenged. But I think clubs like Liverpool have that experience, you know, have that leadership that we lack a little bit. But we'll come top two.
Global Sports Podcast Network: So the other the other two is the Liverpool?
yashar: yeah yeah, yeah. Yeah, we'll come second.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yep.
yashar: Liverpool will finish first, I feel.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yep.
yashar: um ah FA Cup and Carabao Cup is... it's ah It's a funny one because we haven't performed well in either under Maresca.
Global Sports Podcast Network: No. I agree.
yashar: um However... Saying that, I ah feel that this team needs a major, i can like a good known trophy, I feel. Obviously, the Club World Cup is new.
yashar: It's still a bit new.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah.
yashar: And the Conference League the Conference League. But I reckon we'll win the FA Cup. That's my prediction. Will we win the Carabao Cup?
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah.
yashar: No. I feel that's one of the trophies that Moreska, again, is like a he's like a Klopp-type manager who plays defensively. Plays a youngsters, which again, I'm not mad at. um Trophy's a trophy, I guess.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah.
yashar: Champions League, it's it's a different animal, isn't it? However, think the biggest for us, it's Champions League nuts under the bridge. It's back.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yes.
yashar: we We missed it for a very long time. I think the fans will be behind it. The players will love it. um We'll go far. I reckon we'll reach at least the quarters.
yashar: Personally, we'll reach the quarters. I'm not trying to, B2, you know, i'm not trying to predict obviously the world. I know, you know, you look back and you think, you know, i guarantee people never thought we'd get for the round of 16 in 2021 where we won it.
yashar: um
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah.
yashar: But again, from just the outside looking in, really feel that we could last, we can get to the last six, I reckon.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah.
yashar: Last eight, sorry, last eight.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah. um Yeah. and And I don't massively disagree with you. You're definitely more on the more optimistic end, which we were like.
yashar: Yeah, I think it's... And the reason why I really believe in this team, I think this is the first...
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah.
yashar: I know, obviously I said it before, but this is the first time in a long time that I'm very excited for the season.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah.
yashar: I know a lot under Potts I wasn't excited because I knew what i knew the story. He knew he was going to stay here for a year.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah. and yeah yeah
yashar: like I called it at the beginning the year. He wouldn't last long.
Global Sports Podcast Network: yeah
yashar: Under Potts, that could say itself...
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah.
yashar: I think the last one I really felt like this was under Frank, and obviously because Frank is a Chelsea icon. And again, we did well that season, you know, Africa final, top four, ah transfer, obviously, ban after two years.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah.
yashar: But again, ah really feel this is a season that I'm excited for and I'm optimistic because really feel we can win something.
Global Sports Podcast Network: No, I totally.
yashar: And I feel the disappointment if we have if we don't win something this year.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah. And you know what, there's that, as you said, there's that newfound, you know, morale looks good, team spirit looks good. Also the front three of, you know, if it is sort of, as in behind the strike, if it is a Cole Palmer, Esteval, Jamie Gittins, that is frankly as exciting as Oscar, Mata, Hazard.
yashar: Very exciting. Yep. Yep.
yashar: very exciting
Global Sports Podcast Network: You know, that was probably, if I think back to sort of the front three over yesteryear, Oscar Mata Hazard was probably the last time it was it was that exciting. um So yeah, no, it it bodes well.
yashar: ye
Global Sports Podcast Network: I would probably, I'm actually going to switch your two cups around. i think if everyone plays that, I think we'll win the Carabao. um And only the only reason I say that is if if every club plays their second string, which typically they do, you know, Man City plays, Pep Guardiola plays the second choice keeper, etc.
Global Sports Podcast Network: If everyone plays their second string, I actually think our second string is stronger than most.
yashar: Yep. Yep.
Global Sports Podcast Network: I think...
yashar: yeah
Global Sports Podcast Network: Liverpool and Arsenal and Man City have probably a better floor first 11. But the strength and depth is something that we've definitely improved on over the last um or last window or windows.
Global Sports Podcast Network: um So if everyone plays their second string, I think they've got a really, really strong bench. um And I'm probably going to go top. I'll be happy with top three in the Prem.
yashar: Mm-hmm.
Global Sports Podcast Network: um you know, in terms of... i I'm more keen about progress, you know, sort of snuck in towards the end of last season. And if we get top three, I would i would think that that is pretty good. But anything just to, you know, anything to get more points. I think we ended the season last season with 69 points.
Global Sports Podcast Network: um So if we... As long as we achieve more than 69, that... to me um feels feels like an improvement, and that should get us off into the top three.
Global Sports Podcast Network: And then Champions League, yeah, just nice, really nice to have it back. um to be in and amongst. It does feel a bit, i know what you mean though. feels a bit paradoxical to be the best in the world, but then only one of the best eight in Europe.
Global Sports Podcast Network: But I know what you mean is when it's a different competition and when it's drawn out over nine months, it's very different to you know a four week tournament in the US. um But i think it if if the draw goes well, quarters, maybe even semis, but um I think to be in and amongst the best eight clubs,
yashar: Yeah, exactly. and
Global Sports Podcast Network: is not a terrible sort of restart into the Champions League. um
yashar: No.
Global Sports Podcast Network: So I will agree with you there. um Just after this short break, we will discuss more in terms of who we think the star players will be for this upcoming season.
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Global Sports Podcast Network: Welcome back to the Daily Chelsea podcast. You're listening to Yashar and Martin. um We've both just now gone through our predictions of how we think the four tournaments will go over the next season.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Who do you think will be some of the standout players or or, you know, the opposite as well? Who do you think will be sort of the... the drags on performance is there any is there any sort of predictions or hot takes you have on on players
yashar: Yeah, personally, I think Jaapedro is going to a player of the season. I really see enough in him. I really see a lot in him.
Global Sports Podcast Network: yeah
yashar: um And young player of the season, I think Estadio is going to win it. I think Maresca really trusts him. There's something that I feel, especially him starting against Leverkusen and then playing against Milan. it's it's i don't know it's it's It's something nice. I know it's a friendly. I know people are going like, it's a friendly. has to play him.
yashar: But I think going to the next season... it's, I think it's also something, you know, i know Cole Palmer, how important he is and he's amazing, but I think it pushes him a bit more, you know, someone's on his tail.
yashar: i think with someone as young as sign Brazilian, you know, it, it's, it reminds of like an Oscar type player, you know, he come in, he was young and there's players like matter and he was on his tail and I really liked that.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yes.
yashar: So I'm very excited for Jean-Petro. I think he's a gem and, I'm surprised he wasn't picked up earlier. I know, obviously, Newcastle were pretty much, the deal was done.
yashar: ah Personal terms were done, but obviously they couldn't agree on a fee. And as always, Newcastle always miss out. so And we got him. We snapped him up and he was was, you know, as reported, he was on the beach in Brazil 48 hours before the
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah. Mm-hmm.
yashar: if I'm not mistaken, before the Palmeiras game. So it was it was something nice to see. But again, <unk> I'm very excited. And again, there's both like Jamie Gittins and Liam DeLapp. I don't think Liam DeLapp will get enough game time to really put a stamp on it because Jarpejo would be too good.
yashar: um I wouldn't be opposed to seeing both of ah both of them in the attack. I think that'd be nice to see a somewhat of a 4-4-2 going. You know what mean? But again, that might just be me with my football manager brain. but Yeah, great. um Again, there's players who, like Wurtz has come in and Ekotique, who were we're looking at heavily as well.
yashar: um But again, i want to focus on my boys and I really feel like Pedro and Estadio will kick on the two Brazilians. We'll show some Brazilian magic.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah, no, they've looked really strong from, you know, a couple of couple of times of um playing with each other, I guess, really from the Bayer Leverkusen preseason win and then the the AC Milan win.
Global Sports Podcast Network: um And Gioral Pedro, i have a personal soft spot for because I always had him, even last year when he was at Brighton in my FPL squad.
yashar: you.
Global Sports Podcast Network: And so I hope, as you say, he does he does the business for but Chelsea this season. um ah Just to add to that, my my ah my hot take for players-wise this year, and let's hope this doesn't come back to bite me, but I think Robert Sanchez will end up having quite a good year.
Global Sports Podcast Network: i think ah there was just something, i mean, again, I'm not reading into one specific game, but the PSG final, obviously he was absolutely excellent in...
yashar: that was alien from him.
Global Sports Podcast Network: it Yeah, it was.
yashar: Like it was, it was like, it was alien because those saves, like the Due save and then the, the even the Hakimi, it's just, I'm like, oh, alien.
Global Sports Podcast Network: but Yeah. Yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Yeah.
Global Sports Podcast Network: It's, yeah. But there's just something, I think there's something about having, you know, the world has such low expectations. um But just the fact, you know, he's had one full season with us now. So this would be a so essentially his second full season.
Global Sports Podcast Network: He strikes me as a confidence, guys. If he's backed, I reckon he will not. Now, not going to say, know, he was a Petr Cech style to sort of win us 12, 15 points in the season.
yashar: Maybe.
Global Sports Podcast Network: Because I think Petr Cech really, really did do that. But I reckon he just, from a very, very low bar, and I'm not going to say at all he's player of the season, but just to sort of add a bit of diversity to to all the players you've mentioned, I reckon Robert Sanchez will be one of those players come the end of the season we will look at and be like, you know what, you've actually had a pretty good season, helped us out on on some of the tougher matches.
yashar: maybe
Global Sports Podcast Network: Let's see when we play this back in May and if he's committed a few howlers or if he even stays, you know, he could easily go in January.
yashar: Thank you.
Global Sports Podcast Network: So I might... um might look like a fool, but um just from a very low bar, i think I think he can do well for us this year. um Yashar, thank you very much.
yashar: thank you
Global Sports Podcast Network: um Thank you everyone for listening. You've been listening to the Daily Chelsea podcast on the Global Sports Podcast Network. Thank you for being with us and goodbye.
