Chelsea

Image source, Getty Images

Though Liam Rosenior has "not signed yet", he says he has "verbally agreed" a contract with Chelsea to become their new head coach.

Rosenior, who has been speaking at a Strasbourg news conference, confirmed he will bring his assistants Kalifa Cisse and Justin Walker with him to Stamford Bridge, as well as head of analysis Ben Warner.

"It looks like I am going to be the next manager of that football club," he said.

"The past 18 months have been a joy and the best of my professional career. I have met some incredible people and created some incredible memories and made history.

"I have had interest from many clubs, including Champions League clubs, which I have always been open about with [our president] Marc [Keller] and our ownership.

"I will love this club for the rest of my life but I cannot turn down Chelsea.

"It's really important and this is different to anything anyone has ever done. Nobody has made a statement before they have signed a contract.

"Everything is agreed and it will probably go through in the next few hours. I'm here because I care about this club and I felt it was right to answer your questions physically here today before I move on."

Rosenior will be joining midway through the season so what do you hope he can achieve in the next few months? Do you think he can hit the ground running and achieve top four, or is there going to be a transition period?

Get in touch with your views here

Pat Nevin
Former Chelsea and Scotland winger

Image source, Getty Images

Three weeks ago, I wrote the following: "Managers almost never win against the owners and the board."

"Enzo Maresca may last through this mini-crisis but, when the time comes and a dip happens as it does with every club, there are now enemies waiting for him in that boardroom.

"Don't look for friends or loyalty up there, Enzo - you will be staring into an abyss."

On cue, the abyss swallowed him up less than a month later - as it has Ruben Amorim at Manchester United.

On Maresca's departure, I said on BBC TV that "if you try to flex your muscles as a coach at Chelsea, if you attempt to gain power when you feel you are in a strong position, if you try to deflect some of the blame for transfer errors upstairs even if you are right, then you are toast".

It is brutally clear now that Maresca wasn't the only man standing on a Premier League touchline feeling they are not only the first-team coach.

They are also the flak-catcher-in-chief for every mistake made by everyone above him.

If the coaches speak up now, they are summarily dismissed, whatever spin the clubs try to put on it.

‌This is why the current model for first-team coaches can only cope with young managers desperate for a break in the big time.

They will put up with that level of control, just as Maresca and Amorim did but only for a while - and I don't blame them.

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Chelsea will have to act fast if they are to sign Jeremy Jacquet, 20, from Rennes, with Liverpool, Arsenal, Real Madrid and Manchester United all keen on the French defender. (Teamtalk), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Tuesday's full gossip column

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Will Faulks
Fan writer

Image source, Getty Images

Amid the chaos at Chelsea following the removal of yet another manager, with discontent from the fans aimed at the owners and sporting directors growing to a new level, there was a football match to be played over the weekend.

You'd have been forgiven for thinking it was a foregone conclusion, given it was a managerless Blues team playing away, up against Pep Guardiola's all-conquering Manchester City. But as is so often the case in football, things didn't go as everyone expected.

Chelsea did well to defend and slow the game down in the first half, and while conceding just before half-time is usually a dagger in the ribs for a team just looking for a point against superior opposition, it actually proved to be just what the visitors needed in this case.

It forced a half-time rethink and a more aggressive attitude in the second period. A change of shape and mentality suddenly saw interim manager Calum McFarlane's team creating more chances and putting City under pressure. This in turn led Guardiola's team to play more cautiously, leaving them exposed to the late equaliser that eventually cost them a win which had looked almost certain at some points.

A key man in the change of the game's direction was Andrey Santos, brought on at the break to strengthen the midfield. He never earned Enzo Maresca's trust, and must be one of the players most excited by the prospect of the new era under Liam Rosenior, given their success together at Strasbourg last season.

For Chelsea fans, the late draw gave an injection of joy after a miserable week. For Santos, those 45 minutes could prove even more of a significant moment in his season and perhaps in his career at Stamford Bridge.

Find more from Will Faulks at Chelsea News, external

Image source, Getty Images

Liam Rosenior "has earned his stripes", but his "name going into the dressing room" could be the "biggest problem he will have" at Chelsea.

The Strasbourg boss has flown to London to finalise his expected appointment as the Blues' head coach following the exit of Enzo Maresca on New Year's Day.

Rosenior, who has previously coached at Derby and managed Hull, is currently in charge of the Ligue 1 side also owned by Todd Boehly's BlueCo consortium.

Discussing the situation on BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast, former Premier League defender Stephen Warnock pondered what Rosenior would have to do to convince Chelsea's players of his credentials.

"I really like Liam Rosenior," Warnock said. "The biggest problem he'll have is almost his name going into the dressing room. But the players will have to look past that and think: 'What is he doing on the training ground and is he putting us in the right system? Is he trying to get the best of out of us?'.

"The most important thing that will happen if he does get the Chelsea job is his first meeting and his first training session, because you can either lose players or gain the trust of the players off of those first things."

Ex-Aston Villa and Brentford manager Dean Smith agreed, stressing that making a good first impression will be vital: "That first meeting you have with the players you make a big impact. That first training session is a good one with the players, make it enjoyable and they get to see your personality as well.

"I like Liam. He has earned his stripes, I've followed his career and he has done well. Players want to play for him because he talks so well and with his man-management, it looks like he gets players.

"The way he talks, I think he will get the players straight away."

Listen to the full discussion from 1:58:00 on BBC Sounds

Nizaar Kinsella
Chelsea reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea's first black player, Paul Canoville, says the expected appointment of Liam Rosenior as manager offers "hope".

Rosenior is set to become the 12th black manager in Premier League history and the fifth black British boss to take a permanent position in England's top flight.

Speaking to BBC Sport, Canoville said: "Liam Rosenior is a quality coach who knows the game inside out, and that's what matters most. I want to wish him and his staff all the best. We need them to succeed – simple as that.

"But, as Chelsea's first black player, I would be lying if I said this doesn't move me. I broke ground back in the day and faced things no player should face, just because of the colour of my skin."

Canoville, who was subjected to racist abuse in the 1990s after making his Chelsea debut, now works closely with the club through his charitable foundation and has seen changes since his playing days.

"Since then, we've had trailblazers: Paul Elliott, the first black captain; Ken Monkou, the first black player of the year and Ruud Gullit showing we could manage at the highest level," he said.

"What really strikes me about Liam is that he grew up and played not far from here – he knows this community. His dad Leroy has an MBE for his work tackling discrimination in sport. That's exactly what we do at The Paul Canoville Foundation with young people every day.

"When kids see someone like Liam managing their club – someone who looks like them, who's from their area, who comes from a family that fights for what's right – that's powerful. It shows them the path is there.

"So yes, it's a massive moment for the club, for London and for every young person dreaming big. But let's back Liam and let the man do his work."

Emlyn Begley
BBC Sport journalist

Wayne Rooney has "no doubts" Liam Rosenior, his former assistant at Derby County, could do a good job at Chelsea.

The 41-year-old Strasbourg boss is the leading candidate to replace Enzo Maresca at Stamford Bridge and arrived in London on Sunday night to hold talks, with negotiations at advanced stage.

Rosenior worked under former England captain Rooney at Pride Park in 2021 and 2022, and he became the interim Rams boss in League One after the Manchester United legend's departure.

He then managed Hull City before being sacked, despite just missing out on the Championship play-offs, and moving to Strasbourg, who have the same owners as the Blues, in 2024.

"He's taken chances, and hopefully that pays off because I think Liam is as good a coach as I've ever worked with," Rooney said on the BBC's Wayne Rooney Show.

"His detail, how he approaches the day to day, he's as good as I've worked with. He's been waiting for an opportunity like this.

"If you don't take it now, then you're never going to take it. And I think he's done his apprenticeship, he's done his work to try and get to that job.

"So he'll have no doubts in his mind that he's capable of doing that job. And hopefully, very soon, hopefully we hear that he is the manager, because for young English coaches I think it's massive.

"We don't really see English managers at big clubs. So he'd be leading the way for for us."

Rooney has managed DC United, Birmingham City and Plymouth Argyle since leaving Derby and now works in the media, including his BBC podcast.

"Liam was so important for me," said Rooney. "He was incredible in his coaching ability. I was more of the manager and dealing with players and everything.

"So I learned a lot from him from that point of view and then I think he's done a great job as a whole."

We asked for your thoughts after Sunday's Premier League match between Manchester City and Chelsea.

Here are some of your comments:

Man City fans

John: City are pathetic. They should have won by a bagful with their attack but this team has no killer instinct. We've probably given the title to Arsenal now.

Usama: We fully deserved to concede. If you don't take your chances you'll get punished. Our attack - especially Erling Haaland - have been misfiring for a number of games now. Not good enough at all. We desperately need to get an attacker in this window. No point in talking about catching Arsenal when we are throwing points away for fun. Disappointing.

David: City reverted to last season's tactics of boring and unadventurous football and attempting to lull the opposition to sleep. Unfortunately, it was our defence that switched off. Why do so many good players have an off day all at once? We need a more dynamic captain. Bernardo Silva has been a great servant for the club, but is a shadow of his former self. He would not start in any other Premier League team, let alone get 90 minutes every game! Pep needs to use his substitutes more effectively. I can't remember the last one that had a massive impact on a game?

Gene: What a painful result. To dominate the game and end up with a draw - twice. Haaland was too desperate to score, making poor shooting decisions on several occasions. Abdukodir Khusanov is a good defender and needs more minutes. He looks more comfortable. The unnecessary push off the pitch by Liam Delap should've seen a straight red, in my opinion.

David: Terrific players and a great manager, but this version of City will not win the league. They were good to average in the first half. Dangerous but not the machine they were in the recent past.

Chelsea fans

Tristan: Brilliant from the lads! Could've done better in winning the first ball or keeping the ball in the first half, but other than that this is what we want to see from the Blues. Calum McFarlane played a huge role in that performance because whatever he said at half-time - he really encouraged and motivated Chelsea so lots of credit for him. We needed this point.

Peter: A good, battling display, especially with some first-choice players missing. The team showed their mettle. With Moises Caicedo in midfield we could have won this game.

Mark: A well-deserved draw under the circumstances. Reece James led by example, Delap played well but can still see discipline issues with him.

Michael: Too defensive in the first half so it was no surprise to go in at half-time 1-0 down. But the change in shape worked well - we were more offensive and deserved the equaliser. Well done to the team and well done McFarlane for not being overawed by the occasion or facing up to Pep Guardiola.

Kris: Still no real connections up front. Pedro Neto so deserving of praise, but also so frustrating. Cole Palmer's hopelessly out of form and Joao Pedro and Delap ineffective against a makeshift City defence. Because of the fuss this week, a point is a good result. I think Fulham away will be the bigger test of this squad's metal.

Freddie: Given all the turmoil of this past week, the result was pretty good! James was immense and shoutout to Benoit Badiashile for putting in a shift against Erling Haaland. Genuinely tempted to say let the caretaker manager have it until the end of the season just to reduce whiplash on the players.

Chelsea are putting together a package worth £130m in an attempt to convince Real Madrid into selling 25-year-old Brazil winger Vinicius Jr. (Fichajes - in Spanish), external

Real Madrid look set to rival Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United for Crystal Palace's 21-year-old England midfielder Adam Wharton. (AS - in Spanish), external

Tottenham have turned their attention to Udinese's French defender Oumar Solet, 25, but face competition from Chelsea and Palace. (Caught Offside), external

Winger Raheem Sterling looks set to secure a way out of Chelsea in January, with Newcastle the latest Premier League club to express an interest. (Football Insider), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Monday's full gossip column

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Pundits Shay Given and Gary O'Neil join host Gabby Logan to bring you the action and talking points from Sunday's Premier League fixtures.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Fulham 2-2 Liverpool

• Tottenham 1-1 Sunderland

• Everton 2-4 Brentford

• Newcastle 2-0 Crystal Palace

• Manchester City 1-1 Chelsea

Chelsea caretaker boss Calum McFarlane spoke to BBC Radio 5 Live after Sunday's draw against Manchester City: "For me personally it was amazing, stuff you dream about. Pep Guardiola, Premier League game, amazing.

"I'm really proud of the performance, even if that goal didn't come, I thought the character the lads showed, especially in the second half... I would've been so happy regardless. It's even better we got the equaliser I thought we deserved.

On if he always believed they'd get equaliser: "The whole focus over the last two days was winning this game. Obviously we haven't done that, but putting in that performance, we're all very proud. We always believed we could come here and win."

On facing Guardiola: "He's one of the best managers that has ever done it, that seemed to be the narrative of the game and I don't think it should have been. It should be about the players, and how well they performed. It shouldn't be about me, it should be about the quality performance those lads put on with everything that has gone on."

Trevor Chalobah spoke to BBC Match of the Day: "First half was very difficult. We didn't stop fighting and came out with a different mentality for the second half. The boys just dig in which was what we needed today."

On change in shape at half time: "We felt that we couldn't get tight to them in the first half. So we changed the shape and it worked well.

"Malo [Gusto] showed his quality going down the right [for the goal]. We were working on getting more players in the box when we were in those wide areas and we got the goal.

"You know the week we had, but the boys were focussed. We didn't drop our heads and kept going. We knew what the game plan was today. We knew what we wanted and we did well to get the point."

Did you know?

Enzo Fernández netted his sixth goal of the season, equaling his best return in a Premier League campaign (also 6 in 2024-25).

Whether you were at the game or following from elsewhere, we want to know what you learned.

Have your say on Man City's performance

What did you make of Chelsea's display?

Come back on Monday for a selection of your replies

Manchester City make three changes from the goalless draw at Sunderland .

A significant alteration sees Rodri make his first start in three months, when he was forced off early at Brentford with a hamstring injury. He comes in for fellow Spaniard Nico Gonzalez, who was taken off at the Stadium of Light and is not involved.

Josko Gvardiol and Tijjani Reijnders also come in, replacing Nathan Ake and Savinho.

Man City XI: Donnarumma, Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O'Reilly, Rodri, Reijnders, Silva, Cherki, Foden, Haaland.

Chelsea interim boss Calum McFarlane makes five changes to the side that drew at Bournemouth in Enzo Maresca's final game.

There's a change in goal with Filip Jorgensen coming in for Robert Sanchez, who is not involved at all despite the Blues naming two keepers on the bench.

Captain Reece James returns to the side in place of the suspended Moises Caicedo, while Benoit Badiashile, Pedro Neto and Joao Pedro all start.

Wesley Fofana, Alejandro Garnacho and Liam Delap are the other players to drop out.

Chelsea XI: Jorgensen, Acheampong, Badiashile, Chalobah, Gusto, James, Fernandez, Neto, Palmer, Estevao, Pedro.

There are six games in the Premier League on Sunday and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Leeds v Manchester United (12:30)

• Everton v Brentford - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2

• Fulham v Liverpool - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

• Newcastle v Crystal Palace - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 3

• Tottenham v Sunderland - listen on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• Manchester City v Chelsea (17:30) - listen on BBC Radio 5 Live

Kick-off times 15:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction from the first five games here

And go here for Man City v Chelsea

You can also listen to today's 5 Live Premier League commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Fulham v Liverpool" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Tottenham v Sunderland", for instance.

Find out more about how to listen to Premier League football on BBC Sounds

Chelsea were really not that bad under Enzo Maresca - fifth in the Premier League, into the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup and still well-placed in the Champions League. His departure was clearly down to a breakdown of his relationship with the club's hierarchy.

Maresca did not feel he had the control he wanted and I get why he was unhappy. As Pat Nevin said on BBC Radio 5 Live, maybe Chelsea need a puppet as their next manager, who will do as he is told.

I really liked Maresca. I know some Chelsea fans found his style of play last season boring, and a bit predictable, but they ended up in the top four and of course they became world champions as well.

Their performances in the big games this season have been pretty good, too, but this time, as well as being without Maresca, they are also missing Moises Caicedo - who is suspended after his booking against Bournemouth. He will be a big, big loss.

Chelsea have got enough other talent to still go and get a result at Etihad Stadium, but I don't think they will.

I am expecting City to find their shooting boots again after they were shut out by Sunderland, especially if they have got someone with a long throw.

Chelsea could not deal with Antoine Semenyo's deliveries at all when they played Bournemouth.

A lot has been made of how young Chelsea's defence is, but that's not actually the case. When you look through their team they are not inexperienced, they will need to do far better against a City side that could be too sharp and streetwise for them and their age is not an excuse.

Sutton's prediction: 3-1

Read the full predictions and have your say here

Tom McCoy
BBC Sport journalist

Manchester City go in search of a ninth consecutive Premier League home win on Sunday (17:30 GMT), taking on a Chelsea side playing their first game following the departure of head coach Enzo Maresca. BBC Sport examines some of the key themes before the match.

Blues have proved good opponents for City

Pep Guardiola admitted his players were "a bit heads down" after City dropped points in Thursday's 0-0 draw at Sunderland, effectively losing ground on leaders Arsenal. But the Spaniard felt his side created enough chances to win on Wearside and the stats back that up.

The visitors had 53 touches in the opposition box, the highest tally by a Premier League side this season in a game in which they failed to score. City's expected goals figure, meanwhile, was 2.25, their biggest total in a top-flight match in which they did not find the net since March 2022.

The eight-time Premier League champions will look to return to winning ways against a Chelsea side against whom they have an excellent recent record.

Guardiola's team are unbeaten in 11 league and cup games versus the Londoners since losing the 2021 Champions League final, winning nine of those encounters.

Chelsea's managerial churn under scrutiny

Chelsea parted company with head coach Enzo Maresca on Thursday, just six months after he led the club to victory in the Fifa Club World Cup and only three weeks after he was named Premier League Manager of the Month for November.

Recent results have dipped, with only one win from the past seven league matches, though the decision appears driven primarily by behind-the-scenes disharmony with the club hierarchy.

Maresca's final game was Tuesday's 2-2 draw with Bournemouth, when his starting line-up had an average age of 23 years and 157 days – the youngest picked by any Premier League side this season.

Chelsea's recruitment model means Maresca mainly relied on inexperienced players, albeit highly talented ones, often brought in for significant fees. Despite those constraints, he secured the world title, Champions League qualification and victory in the Conference League final, setting a high bar for his successor.

Whoever replaces Maresca will become Chelsea's fifth permanent manager since the 2022 takeover by Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital, a period marked by managerial turnover almost as relentless as the player churn at Cobham.

Liam Rosenior, currently in charge of sister club Strasbourg, has emerged as an early front-runner. He was harshly dismissed by Hull City as recently as May 2024 but led the French side to European qualification last season.

Image source, Getty Images

Strasbourg manager Liam Rosenior acknowledged "there is a lot of noise and speculation" around him leaving for the vacant Chelsea job but re-enforced how much he loves the French Ligue 1 club.

The 41-year-old Englishman, who is the leading contender to be the new Blues manager, took his news conference as usual before Strasbourg's game against Nice on Saturday and was asked about the rumours.

"I'm going to talk about Nice because that's my job," he said in quotes reported by local media outlet DNA, external.

"There's a lot of noise, a lot of speculation, but as a coach, if you get involved, you fail.

"I don't want to guarantee how long I'll be here, but I enjoy myself here every day. I love this club, but I can't guarantee anything. Nobody can.

"I could say I'm going to stay here for years and then get fired."

Chelsea interim manager and under-21s head coach Calum McFarlane has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Premier League game against Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium (17:30 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• McFarlane was firstly asked to reflect on what has happened since Enzo Maresca's departure: "It's been a crazy 24 hours, a whirlwind as you can imagine, but also really enjoyable and exciting. I can only be positive about it."

• On taking training today: "There's a really good culture at the club in terms of the support from the first team, the directors, everyone seems interested. There's always a bit of an academy presence there [at U21s matches]. In all honesty, it's exactly the same as it always has been. We're all here for the same reason. Training was great today, there was a really good energy."

• He said he did not see any of the reported internal problems between Maresca and the board and that he and the Italian had "a professional relationship".

• McFarlane is unsure if Marc Cucurella will be fit to face City: "We're undecided on that, so I don't have the full information on that yet. I'm sure it will come out in the next couple of days."

• On taking on Pep Guardiola: "Ultimately it's a football match. It's not about me, my first game or playing against Pep - it's Chelsea vs City. Two top sides, we'll go there and compete. We've seen this year how this team can do in big moments."

• More on the squad: "You don't know what to expect, really, but the energy and enthusiasm was exceptional today. They were really focused, driven and hungry. We have a massive game on Sunday. Reece [James] has been brilliant, he has been a real leader in the group and helped the staff and players to get ready for Sunday."

• More on preparation for City: "We found out after lunchtime yesterday so we had the whole of yesterday to watch their games and see what they look like. Quite lucky they played last night, so we could see that game."

• McFarlane praised the club's board: "I've spoken to the directors and owners. Nothing more I can ask for, they have been with us. We've had a lot of really good support in the last 24 hours or so. In my six months at the club, I can only speak positively about the plans, the project and the opportunities the academy lads are getting."

• Is this just a one-off for him?: "The brief is to prepare the lads for Sunday. That's all I know at the moment."

• Can this be an audition for a bigger job? "I don't see it like that. I see it as the team needs to be prepared and ready for the game on Sunday and our job is to give them the best opportunity to perform in that environment."

Follow all of Friday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

Listen to live commentary of Manchester City v Chelsea on Sunday from 17:30 GMT on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds

Image source, Getty Images

We asked for your views on Liam Rosenior, who is the leading candidate for the vacant Chelsea job following Enzo Maresca's departure.

Here are some of your comments:

Mark: Rosenior should get the job - he has worked his way up. He did a great job at Hull City and is doing a great job in Strasbourg right now. It is a no-brainer.

Phil: Rosenior would be an easy appointment for the Chelsea owners as he'd be coming from sister club Strasbourg. Unfortunately, it's not a good appointment for the club's success going forward. Another inexperienced manager, who they feel can be micromanaged. Only signing young players, hoping to increase their value for resale and interfering in team decisions will not improve results. The model needs to change. Sad situation for the club to be in.

Andrew: I don't see any standout choices. I'd like Cesc Fabregas to be considered despite not having much experience.

Damien: This team is too young to perform well under multiple managers within a season. Chelsea is too big for Rosenior. He has not proven himself yet in a any league to get this job.

Eddie: Until Chelsea take a leap of faith and allow a top manager to actually manage the team, it doesn't matter who they bring in. The perfect solution would be wait until after the World Cup and bring in Julian Nagelsmann. But they'll choose a yes man like Rosenior, and repeat the cycle all over again.

Colin: We need an experienced manager. There was little sign of the project working under Maresca. I would bring in Eddie Howe, David Moyes or Jurgen Klopp personally. Failing that, then Fabregas or Frank Lampard. Rosenior is not the answer.

Rufus: Chelsea should be going for a better manager than Rosenior. They are a Champions League team - they deserve better!

Nina Hristova
Fan contributor

Image source, Getty Images

Enzo Maresca's departure from Chelsea has left the club's fanbase in dismay and prompted renewed scrutiny about the hierarchy.

There was an expectation that the new regime would steer away from frequent managerial changes and instead prioritise continuity, but another abrupt decision has again undermined hopes of long-term stability.

Just six months ago, Chelsea were crowned Club World Cup champions, sparking optimism for the Premier League season and talk about a potential title challenge.

The 3-0 victory over Paris St-Germain in the final was widely viewed as Chelsea's most complete performance since the 2022 takeover and a clear sign of progress under Maresca, which was surely worthy of stronger backing from the board.

While Maresca was never viewed in the mould of a Jose Mourinho or Thomas Tuchel, and certainly wasn't flawless, he had earned trust among supporters through strong performances against elite opposition and by delivering silverware.

Despite a downturn in results, we felt his achievements last season merited additional time and the opportunity to at least see out the remainder of the campaign.

The fallout between Maresca and the club's hierarchy has drawn comparisons with Mauricio Pochettino's departure in May 2024, where the two parties had differing views on the recruitment strategy. The perception of a recurring issue for managers operating with limited agency is apparent.

Maresca didn't push for high-profile signings or make unrealistic demands, but expressed the need to sign a centre-back - a reasonable request echoed by supporters but one that had quickly been dismissed.

Optimism about the club's direction is increasingly difficult, as patience wears thin about this 'long-term project' that seems to restart every season, under an ownership that offers managers little to no authority.

This cycle is likely to repeat with the next managerial appointment and nothing will change.

Find more from Nina Hristova at Nina's Chelsea Corner, external