Straight Outta Cobham: The Athletic FC's Chelsea show

News just in... unfortunately we can't forfeit this game...

Matt Davies-Adams is once again joined by two of The Athletic's finest - Simon Johnson and Liam Twomey - for a look ahead to the weekend trip to Merseyside to take on Liverpool.

Will the players actually bother to try and put in some kind of performance on Saturday? What players are even available? And do they need to string a couple of results together to have any hope going into the FA Cup final?

Plus - we discuss the announcement of changes to the club's ticketing policy next season - and what the ramifications could be.

Oh, and Super Frank! He's been speaking to The Athletic's Tom Burrows after guiding Coventry City back to the Premier League.

We'll be back on Monday with a look back on events at Anfield - and see whether Chelsea Women have managed to book their place in an FA Cup final.

HOST: Matt Davies-Adams

WITH: Liam Twomey Simon Johnson

PRODUCER: Lucy Oliva

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Can the season just end now?

Matt Davies-Adams enlists The Athletic's Chelsea experts Liam Twomey and Simon Johnson for our latest doomcast after the horror show against an unrecognisable Nottingham Forest.

What can you even say after that performance?! The lack of effort, the shortcomings all over the field, the terrible end to what should have been a special day for Jesse Derry, the magnificent Joao Pedro goal which will sadly be nothing more than an after-thought in an afternoon to forget.

Elsewhere - CFCW seal UWCL football! But the U21's season is over after PL2 play-off quarter-final defeat.

Plus, legendary goalkeeper Petr Cech shares his reflections on the current state of the club.

We'll be back on Thursday for the look ahead to Saturday's trip to Anfield to take on Liverpool... they haven't won their since March 2021 - what could possibly go wrong?

HOST: Matt Davies-Adams

WITH: Simon Johnson and Liam Twomey

PRODUCER: Lucy Oliva

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MDA Derby pending...

Matt Davies-Adams has got Sam Parkin and Liam Twomey for company - and a smorgasbord of Chelsea-related chatter to get stuck into ahead of a busy weekend of action.

We look ahead to the visit of Nottingham Forest. We discuss any managerial developments and hear from Italian football expert James Horncastle on why it may be difficult to tempt Cesc Fabregas away from Como. We chat Mudryk's CAS appeal and what comes next. We're joined by women's football writer of the year Charlotte Harpur to discuss legend Millie Bright's retirement! And we try and name a bunch of 17-year-olds who made their Premier League debuts.

We'll be back on Tuesday with a look back on the Bank Holiday festivities at Stamford Bridge as the Blues look to keep their hopes of European football alive!

HOST: Matt Davies-Adams

WITH: Liam Twomey, Sam Parkin and Charlotte Harpur

PRODUCER: Lucy Oliva

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So, that's what effort looks like!?

Matt Davies-Adams has got The Athletic's Simon Johnson and Luke Bosher alongside him for a look back on Sunday's trip to Wembley - where Chelsea set a date with Manchester City in the final after a 1-0 win over Leeds.

We discuss the much-improved performance from the end of the Rosenior reign (although that's not saying much!), discuss the captain Enzo's goal, the crucial role that Joao Pedro plays - and give praise to Calum McFarlane for how he's conducted himself having been thrust back into the spotlight.

Then - we touch base with the runners and riders to become the next man in the dugout. Is Iraola the favourite? Could Cesc be tempted away from Como? Is Xabi Alonso an ideal fit?!

Plus - Levi Colwill was back playing with aplomb for the U21's and CFCW kept up their hunt for a Champions League spot with a big win at Everton.

We'll be back on Thursday for a look ahead to the MDA Derby - with the visit of Nottingham Forest to Stamford Bridge on Bank Holiday Monday.

HOST: Matt Davies-Adams

WITH: Luke Bosher and Simon Johnson

PRODUCER: Lucy Oliva

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106 days later...

The SOC gang assembles under emergency measures after the news dropped late on Monday afternoon that Liam Rosenior has been sacked by Chelsea after less than four months as the club’s head coach.

Appointed in January to succeed Enzo Maresca - he began by winning eight of his first 11 matches in charge.

But Monday's defeat to Brighton was the seventh time they have lost in their last eight games — the only victory coming against third-tier Port Vale in the FA Cup.

Matt's joined by Liam, Cerys, Luke AND Simon for our immediate reaction to the news. Was this always inevitable? What can Calum McFarlane do to lift the spirits going into Sunday's game at Wembley? Where do the club turn next? Could they convince Cesc Fabregas to join the project? Will the club hierarchy be held accountable for the mess that this season has been turned into?

Keep across The Athletic for the definitive inside read on Rosenior's departure and all the fallout that follows - and we'll of course back with you on Monday hot off the back of a trip to Wembley.

HOST: Matt Davies-Adams

WITH: Cerys Jones, Liam Twomey, Luke Bosher & Simon Johnson

PRODUCER: Lucy Oliva

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What were you doing in 1912?

Matt Davies-Adams, Cerys Jones and Liam Twomey jump aboard the pretty downbeat party bus for a look back on the 3-0 defeat at Brighton which condemns Chelsea to their fifth straight Premier League defeat without scoring.

We get into Liam Rosenior's pointed post-match comments, the bizarre formation, the totally inept performance across the board - and what this latest low means for Rosenior's future and the fate of the rest of the season.

So - what chances of beating a confident, in-form Leeds United at Wembley on Sunday afternoon? Spoiler alert... not very high by our estimations!

Then - the good news keeps coming - with The Athletic's Football Finance Writer Chris Weatherspoon with us for a closer look at his comprehensive piece - 'Exploring BlueCo’s finances and its massive bet on Chelsea'.

Plus - CFCW have a new official home for the next WSL season... Stamford Bridge!

We'll be back on Monday (barring any news in the meantime...) to look back on Sunday's semi-final with Leeds - where Chelsea might have somehow booked their place in the FA Cup final!?

• Read Chris's deep dive into BlueCo's finances
• Read Liam's post-match post-mortem
• Read Conor O'Neill's of Chelsea's 'muddled tactics' under Rosenior

HOST: Matt Davies-Adams

WITH: Liam Twomey, Cerys Jones & Chris Weatherspoon

PRODUCER: Lucy Oliva

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Gallows humour at the ready...

Matt Davies-Adams has The Athletic's Simon Johnson and Luke Bosher for company to look back on the latest shambolic result for Chelsea Football Club - this time in the form of a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Manchester United.

We touch upon the pre-match protests, before focusing on another day to forget at the Bridge to condemn the Blues to their fourth straight defeat... without scoring a goal.

Then - there's a trip to the seaside to take on a Brighton side who would leapfrog Liam Rosenior's side in the table if they were to win.

Plus - Caicedo's new contract - and co‑owner Behdad Eghbali admits mistakes have been made...

We'll be back with you on Wednesday for the fallout from the trip to the Amex - as well as all the other Blues news and a look ahead to Leeds in the FA Cup semi-final.

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HOST: Matt Davies-Adams

WITH: Luke Bosher and Simon Johnson

PRODUCER: Lucy Oliva

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Four Premier League defeats in a row for just the second time this century? Surely not?!

Matt Davies-Adams is in the company of The Athletic's Cerys Jones and Liam Twomey for a look ahead to the visit of Manchester United under the lights at Stamford Bridge on Saturday night.

We discuss what kind of team we're expecting to see face up against Michael Carrick's side with Enzo Fernandez in from the cold, how much pressure there is to get a result in front of expectant home fans and whether this is a must win for any hopes of a top five finish - or whether there's still plenty of room for slip ups in the run-in...

Plus - would Chelsea make a move for Andoni Iraola? What kind of crowds should we expect at the pre-match protests before Saturday's game? And can you name the last 10 men to play for both sides?

We'll be back on Monday with a look back at events at the Bridge on Saturday evening - and a look ahead to Tuesday night's trip to Brighton as the season enters its final stretch.

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HOST: Matt Davies-Adams

WITH: Cerys Jones and Luke Bosher

PRODUCER: Lucy Oliva

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All downhill from here?

Matt Davies-Adams has got Simon Johnson and Sam Parkin alongside him for a look back on the 3-0 defeat dished out to the Blues by a far superior Manchester City.

Why was the second half showing so poor? Would Enzo Fernandez have made any difference if he wasn't on the naughty step? And does it feel like it's now only a matter of time before the club move on from Liam Rosenior's tenure with things seemingly souring quickly - and results and performances continuing to deteriorate?

There is at least a bit of positivity to come out of Cobham for the U18's and U21's in their respective leagues.

We'll be back on Thursday with a look ahead to the visit of Manchester United in the Premier League on Saturday evening.

HOST: Matt Davies-Adams

WITH: Simon Johnson & Sam Parkin

PRODUCER: Lucy Oliva

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

Matt Davies-Adams has got Luke Bosher and Liam Twomey for company for a look ahead to the visit of Manchester City to Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon.

Who the heck is going to be in the starting XI?! What chance do Liam Rosenior's side have of frustrating Pep's men like they did at the Etihad back in January? And can they avoid losing 3 successive league games without scoring for the first time since 1998?!

Plus - a deep dive on who we think will be wearing the captain's armband this weekend - and whether we're going to have to reopen the never tedious starting goalkeeper debate...

Oh - and neither Luke or Liam cover themselves in glory when tasked with naming the last 10 footballers who've made at least one Premier League appearance for both Chelsea and Manchester City.

We'll be back on Monday (probably slightly later in the day because Producer Lucy may or may not be on holiday, sorry!) to capture all the fallout from events at the Bridge on Sunday.

https://fantasy.premierleague.com/leagues/auto-join/7lntvq

League Code: 7lntvq

HOST: Matt Davies-Adams

WITH: Luke Bosher and Liam Twomey

PRODUCER: Lucy Oliva

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