No Palmer? No problem (on this specific occasion at least...)

Matt Davies-Adams have got Simon Johnson and Luke Bosher alongside him to look back on the impressive 5-1 win over a pitiful West Ham at London Stadium on Friday night. We give props to the team for adapting to the late line up change, revel in Estêvão's youthful exuberance and heap some love on comeback kid Trevoh Chalobah.

Next up in the never ending run of London derbies - Fulham make the short trip down the road to Stamford Bridge on Saturday lunchtime. We look ahead to that game and ponder the key team selections that Enzo Maresca will have to juggle.

There's brief transfer chatter with the devastating news (for Luke at least) that Renato Veiga has officially left. Plus - could Raheem Sterling be on his way to Saturday's opponents?

And, it's Simon's first attempt at Blues Clues - how will he get on?!

We'll be back at the slightly later time of Tuesday next week to capture all the transfer deadline day chaos, review Saturday’s meeting with Fulham - and settle into the first international break of the season! 

HOST: Matt Davies-Adams

WITH: Luke Bosher and Simon Johnson

PRODUCER: Lucy Oliva

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Failing to score at home for the first time since the opening day of last season!?

Matt Davies-Adams has got Liam Twomey and Luke Bosher along for the ride as we look back on the pretty underwhelming goalless draw with Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon. We take the positives from Josh Acheampong's excellent performance in the heart of the defence - but are left lamenting the lack of any real attacking potency from Enzo Maresca's side against the stubborn Eagles, who could well have gone home with all three points if it wasn't for that pesky Law 13...

Then - we look ahead to the second London derby of the season as the Blues makes the short trip east to face West Ham on Friday night - otherwise known as the Graham Potter derby! Hammers reporter Roshane Thomas gives an insight into the doom and gloom hanging around the club after an underwhelming summer and horror opening day defeat at Sunderland.

We've also got the latest transfer news... what's happening with the long list of players that the club need to try and shift before the window closes? And are we any closer to a deal for Garnacho?

Plus, we've got a second edition of the still evolving Blues Clues to try and test the immense brainpower of the panel...

We'll be back on Monday with all the fallout from Friday night at London Stadium and a look ahead to Saturday's West London derby with Fulham.

HOST: Matt Davies-Adams

WITH: Luke Bosher, Liam Twomey and Roshane Thomas

PRODUCER: Lucy Oliva

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The countdown to Sunday, 2pm is on...

Matt Davies-Adams gears up for the brand spanking new 2025-26 Premier League season with the help of The Athletic's Luke Bosher and Liam Twomey.

We begin with our reflections on the two impressive victories over Bayer Leverkusen and AC Milan in the *very* truncated pre-season. What lessons will Enzo Maresca have learned? And what clues does it give us about what we can expect from Chelsea this season?

With Crystal Palace visiting the Bridge on Sunday, it's a legal requirement to get Dom Fifield back on the show to fill us in on his beloved Eagles who are fresh off the back of beating Liverpool in the Community Shield at Wembley. We look ahead to that game - and discuss the wider repercussions of the devastating ACL injury that Levi Colwill picked up on the first day back in training.

We've also got a round up of the latest transfer chatter - and a new feature called Blues Clues (working title)...

We'll be back next Monday to bring you our reaction to the opening weekend clash against Palace - and all the other Blues news besides!

HOST: Matt Davies-Adams

WITH: Luke Bosher, Liam Twomey & Dom Fifield

PRODUCER: Lucy Oliva

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

2025-26 season coming in hot...

Matt Davies-Adams, Liam Twomey and Simon Johnson are BACK as we round up a rather extensive list of transfer incomings and outgoings with the new campaign fast approaching.

First things first, The Athletic's German football expert Seb Stafford-Bloor gives us an flavour of what Blues fans can expect from Jamie Gittens, a transfer that got overshadowed amid the July's Club World Cup glory. Plus - are Chelsea in pole position to sign Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig?

We run through some of the other key storylines including the arrival of exciting young Dutch defender Jorrel Hato, whether the club are still in the market for a goalkeeper - and when we might expect movement on the approach for Manchester United's wantaway forward Alejandro Garnacho.

There's plenty of outgoings too - with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall on his way to Everton and Burnley becoming a bit of a feeder club... plus, the obligatory look at who's on their way to Strasbourg - and whether Nicolas Jackson could yet be on his way before the window closes.

Away from all the transfer news - we get the chance to hear from no other than Levi Colwill! Reflecting on a summer to remember over in the USA and his exciting role in developing the new LSC academy.

We'll be back next Monday with our bumper look ahead to the opening weekend tie against Crystal Palace AND the 2025-26 season as a whole!

HOST: Matt Davies-Adams

WITH: Simon Johnson, Liam Twomey & Seb Stafford-Bloor

PRODUCER: Lucy Oliva

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We've really, really, REALLY won it all now...

Matt Davies-Adams has got a bumper crew of Simon Johnson, Liam Twomey and Sam Parkin alongside him to look back on the sensational Club World Cup final victory over Paris Saint Germain in New Jersey on Sunday.

We bask in the gloriousness of Cole Jermaine Palmer, laud Enzo Maresca for the tactical masterclass he put on - and issue a full apology to Malo Gusto who was just one of the players who shone all over the park in the 3-0 win over their formidable French opponents.

So, what does the victory mean for the club? And have expectations just been raised ahead of the fast-approaching 2025-26 campaign?

Just like the players we’re going to have a very truncated post-season and take a couple of weeks off - BUT we’ll be back with all the build up to the new Premier League season, transfer ins and outs and much more. 

Follow Liam and Simon’s work on The Athletic in the meantime and stay across our socials for all the latest Blues news.

HOST: Matt Davies-Adams

WITH: Simon Johnson, Sam Parkin and Liam Twomey

PRODUCER: Lucy Oliva

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

So... this PSG lot are quite good, ey?

Matt Davies-Adams has got The Athletic's Simon Johnson and Luke Bosher with him to run the rule over the 2-0 win over Fluminense in the CWC SF's which has seen Chelsea set up a mouthwatering encounter with Champions League holders & French juggernauts PSG.

Oli Kay reports from MetLife Stadium after João Pedro announced himself in emphatic style with two sensational goals in his first start for the Blues. We talk Caicedo's fitness concerns, Trev being great - and the tactical flexibility which has seen Chelsea book their place in the final.

Then, French football expert Tom Williams stops by to give us an insight into what Enzo Maresca's side can expect from the Ligue 1 giants - and how they might go about hoping to beat Luis Enrique's team.

We've got love for the CFCW Lionesses who put on a show, a look at the out of favour players back in training back at Cobham - and a quiz!

We'll be back on Monday to look back on Sunday's Club World Cup final and the culmination of a long but potentially hugely rewarding month of action over in the United States for CFC.

HOST: Matt Davies-Adams

WITH: Luke Bosher, Simon Johnson, Oli Kay & Tom Williams

PRODUCER: Lucy Oliva

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

28 games later...

Matt Davies-Adams has got Simon Johnson and Liam Twomey with him to look back on Friday night's 2-1 victory over Palmeiras.

The Athletic's Senior Data Analyst Mark Carey was in Philadelphia for the game and sends us his thoughts - before we take a closer look at Cole Palmer's return to the scoresheet, the hugely impressive debut of João Pedro who was literally just on the beach a few days earlier - and a look at how Andrey Santos faired after his late call up to the starting XI.

So, next up it's the Blues' third meeting with a Brazilian side in the tournament as they take on Thiago Silva's Fluminense at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. We look ahead to the game and ponder whether Nicolas Jackson will be left out in the cold again?

Finally, we've got the latest transfer news with Jamie Gittens officially announced as a Chelsea player - plus the latest on Noni Madueke's potential departure to Arsenal...

We'll be back on Thursday to look back at the semi-final showdown with Fluminense... and look ahead to Sunday's final?!

HOST: Matt Davies-Adams

WITH: Liam Twomey, Simon Johnson and Mark Carey

PRODUCER: Lucy Oliva

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Estêvão Derby is upon us...

Matt Davies-Adams has got Liam Twomey and Sam Parkin back with him to look ahead to Friday night's Club World Cup quarter-final against Palmeiras in Philadelphia.

Brazilian football aficionado Jack Lang pops by for a closer look at the Blues' opponents - and what we should expect from Estêvão going forward...

We've got reflections on Kepa's departure (we'll always have the 2019 Carabao Cup Final, ey?!) - excitement around what João Pedro could bring to the squad, and a quiz!

We'll be back on Monday to review the Palmeiras clash and with any luck be looking ahead to a semi-final tie as the CWC enters the final stages...

HOST: Matt Davies-Adams

WITH: Liam Twomey, Sam Parkin & Jack Lang

PRODUCER: Lucy Oliva

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We hope no one had any plans on Sunday morning...

Matt Davies-Adams has got The Athletic's Luke Bosher and Simon Johnson alongside him to look back on the bonkers 4-1 (AET) victory over Benfica in a crazy match that lasted more than four hours and included a near two-hour delay due to extreme weather.

We discuss the pretty farcical scenes in Charlotte which the Blues boss labelled a 'joke', the wonderful resurgence of Reece James who looks well and truly back to his best - and we salute Christopher Nkunku's contribution - even if he still looks set to leave the club after the tournament!

Elsewhere, there have been some eye-catching transfer developments with the news that João Pedro and Jamie Gittens look to officially be on their way to Stamford Bridge. What do those signings mean for the current crop of attacking talent and what will they bring to Enzo Maresca's side?

We'll be back on Thursday to look ahead to the last eight showdown with Palmeiras in the early hours of Saturday morning in the UK!

HOST: Matt Davies-Adams

WITH: Luke Bosher and Simon Johnson

PRODUCER: Lucy Oliva

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Bank of America Stadium awaits...

Matt Davies-Adams has got Liam Twomey and Sam Parkin in tow for your latest dose of Club World Cup chatter!

We start with the MD3 3-0 victory over ES Tunis on Tuesday night in a balmy Philadelphia which saw the much-changed Blues comfortably wrap up 2nd place in the group - and arguably a much more favourable route to the final...

Then, attention turns to Charlotte and Saturday's last 16 meeting with Portuguese powerhouse Benfica.

With so much history between the two clubs - it would be remise of Matt not to conduct a quiz...

We'll be back on Monday to review Saturday's Benfica showdown and hopefully have a quarterfinal to look forward to!

HOST: Matt Davies-Adams

WITH: Liam Twomey and Sam Parkin

PRODUCER: Lucy Oliva

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.