MUCH has been made of the ‘red mist’ descending over Chelsea this season, with five red cards in their last six matches, even if one of them was awarded to Enzo Maresca.
When looking at the stats, Chelsea are on for a club and Premier League record if they carry on at this rate.
The most red cards the Blues have ever received in a single Prem season was six in 2007/08, and in the same season they were dished out eight in all competitions.
So far, they have already halved those records, and if they were to continue at this rate, they would end the season with 14 REDS to players, and four to Enzo Maresca…
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That would also break the Premier League record for red cards in a season, shared by Sunderland in 09/10 and QPR in the 11/12 season with NINE.
As for three red cards in successive games, Chelsea joined a club of 11 other teams that have achieved the same feat, with the most recent to do so before them being Everton in 21/22.
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However, no Premier League team has EVER seen red in four successive league games, so if Chelsea get one vs Sunderland on Saturday, they will set that record, even beating the likes of Wimbledon and Stoke.
Chelsea players Marc Cucurella, Moises Caicedo and Reece James have all insisted there is no discipline problem at Stamford Bridge, as has Enzo Maresca, but they need to back that up by keeping 11 men on the pitch on Saturday.
BLUECO’S ‘NEW MARCELO’ HAS NO BUYBACK
THERE are a number of good reasons to be sceptical about claims Chelsea want to buy former Arsenal left back Nuno Tavares.
Not least the fact the Blues are a useful club for the agent of any player to mention when seeking better terms for their client or just trying to big them up.
Tavares is having a good season so far for Lazio.
But not so good that Chelsea (or probably anyone) would consider paying £40m for a 25-year-old who was unable to command a regular place at Nottingham Forest when on loan there in 2023/4.
And the Blues have younger and potentially better options much closer to home – including centre back/left back Jorrel Hato, who is yet to have much game time since arriving from Ajax for £37m in the summer.
There is plenty of chatter about Diego Moreira, the Belgian international sold by Stamford Bridge chiefs to French sister club Strasbourg in 2024.
Moreira gave his latest eye-catching display in last week’s 3-3 draw with Ligue 1 and European champions Paris Saint-Germain, grabbing a goal and an assist.
It was a performance that drew some rather excitable comparisons to Real Madrid legend Marcelo.
Moreira played as a forward off the main striker against PSG and his versatility is a major selling (or buying) point.
Moreira has also featured as a left wing-back, left back, right wing-back and right-sided forward already this season.
But Chelsea did not include a buy-back option when they sold him to Strasbourg – unlike the deal that took midfielder Mathis Amougou to their sister club in the summer just gone.
And the Blues currently have no plans to bring Moreira back, although owners BlueCo are anticipating interest in him from other clubs.
Strasbourg also have former Brighton player Valentin Barco in their ranks.
Like Moreira, Barco, also 21, is showing off his wide skill set, having played most often in central or attacking midfield so far this season rather than on the left.
Either Moreira or Barco would fit Chelsea’s current recruitment philosophy better than Tavares, especially when other areas of Enzo Maresca’s squad are more in need of expensive improvement.
STAMFORD BRIDGE UPDATE
DON’T hold your breath too much for the next important twist in the Chelsea stadium saga.
Anyone who tells you they know when a final decision will be made on the Earls Court site which is the Blues’ only realistic alternative to a Stamford Bridge redevelopment, is a liar.
And it almost certainly won’t be next month, as some had thought or hoped.
Chelsea will only be able to revive their interest in Earls Court – chairman Todd Boehly’s preferred option for a new 60,000-plus-seater stadium – if an existing planning application is refused or withdrawn.
The London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea closed public consultation on amendments to the proposal by Earls Court Development Company only on October 10.
The other half of the massive site is in Hammersmith and Fulham, who stopped accepting new comments on October 13.
The amendments in both cases were pretty minor.
But regardless of that, it is highly unlikely planning officers will finalise recommendations in time for the November meetings of the two councils’ planning committees (both fall on the 11th).
Even if they did, the developers would have to come back with more details on their plans for large areas of the site before the whole project could go ahead.
And if the applications were refused, or granted with conditions that ECDC did not wish to accept, then they could take the matter to appeal.
The best-case scenario in terms of getting a definitive answer seems to be spring 2026.
The vibes from the club right now are they are controlling the controllables and carrying on with their own deliberations while Earls Court’s future is decided.
That leaves open the possibility other sites might be considered, that it’s not just EC or Stamford Bridge.
But you still wonder whether Chelsea should just grasp the nettle now by committing once and for all to a revamp of the Bridge, rather than allowing more months to slip by.
SPAIN STAR’S BRAVE MOVE
MARC Guiu is expected to finally be given a chance to shine for Chelsea after his impressive cameo against Nottingham Forest.
There was growing concern earlier in the season that the Spanish striker’s loan recall from Sunderland had been for nothing, as Enzo Maresca seemed to refuse to use him, preferring Tyrique George as a number nine.
But in recent weeks his role has been growing, and is deserving of a start, or at least another appearance from the bench, in the Champions League against Ajax tomorrow.
On the eve of the game against Liverpool, the 19-year-old actually directly approached Enzo Maresca after training, to speak about his lack of games this season and find out what he could do to improve.
A great sign of initiative from the youngster, which was appreciated by Maresca as a former player.
He played a crucial role in Josh Acheampong‘s opening goal against Forest, and Chelsea looked to be improved tenfold after his introduction, which also allowed Joao Pedro to be more dangerous operating from the number 10 position.
Pedro, though, is unavailable for tomorrow’s game through suspension, meaning Guiu has an even more increased likelihood of starting.
The 19-year-old’s minutes are more important than ever this season, as he has been told he will be under consideration for Spain‘s World Cup squad next year if he plays enough.
NO-GO FOR JOSH
JOSH Acheampong has long been a highly rated figure at Chelsea, coming through the Cobham youth ranks and now becoming a first-team centre-back, with his first senior goal against Nottingham Forest last weekend.
The 19-year-old has had some shaky moments in adjusting to first-team Premier League football, but that is to be expected of any young talent, especially playing for such a big club at the heart of the defence.
Centre-back has been something of a problem area for the Blues, mostly down to the fact that their best player in that position, Levi Colwill, is expected to miss most of the season with injury.
It’s a good thing then, that they didn’t let Acheampong move to Borussia Dortmund, who were circling him in the summer, with PSG and Real Madrid also allegedly showing interest.
According to transfer commentator Fabrizio Romano, Dortmund asked Chelsea about the defender in any capacity, be it a permanent deal, a loan, a loan with option to buy, anything, and Chelsea’s answer was no.
Acheampong is expected to continue to grow at Stamford Bridge in every aspect and is seen as a player who can develop into one of the best in the world in his position.
CABALLERO’S FLAWLESS RECORD
Managerial reigns at Chelsea typically don’t last long, we know that.
Enzo Maresca is trying to buck the trend, and has been excellent at doing so, so far, as the longest-serving manager of the BlueCo era.
But in his absence, Willy Caballero is slyly building up a good little record of his own.
The former Chelsea and Manchester City goalkeeper has actually got a 100% record on the touchline as Blues ‘boss’.
He commandeered a 1-0 win at home to Everton last season, as well as last weekend’s 3-0 win against Nottingham Forest.
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Caballero actually knows Maresca from their playing days together at Malaga during the 11/12 season, and has since been his assistant coach at Leicester and now Chelsea.
It remains to be seen if he will one day emerge as a manager himself from the ‘Enzo Maresca school of coaching’, and the Italian did from Pep Guardiola.