Are Chelsea running out of excuses for their Jekyll and Hyde form?

Happy New Year...Matt Davies-Adams, Simon Johnson and Luke Bosher assemble for an emergency pod following the news that dropped at lunchtime on Thursday 1st January 2026 - that Chelsea Football Club and Enzo Maresca have parted company.We take a deep dive into the reasons behind the decision and its timing, the mounting questions which will now only grow for the club's hierarchy and their policies - and why it looks like Liam Rosenior will be the man to take over the helm at Stamford Bridge...Back on Monday with our regularly-scheduled podcast looking back on the trip to Manchester City, plus all the latest news and developments off the field. HOST: Matt Davies-AdamsWITH: Luke Bosher and Simon JohnsonPRODUCER: Lucy Oliva Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Well, that wasn't very festive Chelsea.Matt Davies-Adams has got Luke Bosher and Simon Johnson for company as we unpick the collapse in the 2-1 defeat by Aston Villa at the Bridge on Saturday evening.We discuss the failings of the squad building process of the summer, the defensive lapses which yet again came back to bite this team - and whether Enzo Maresca can avoid the pressure mounting to deliver performances and results considering it's now just two wins in eight matches in all competitions for the Blues. There's no time to dwell on that result - with games against Bournemouth and Manchester City in quick succession to take us into 2026. We look ahead to those and make the case that no one from the bench exactly made a case to be starting in these ones... Plus - a quick look ahead to the January transfer window activity and the importance of the League Cup with nine games to come in a crazy month for the club. We'll be back NEXT MONDAY the 5th of January with our reaction to the Bournemouth and Man City games - plus a look ahead to the trips to Fulham in the Premier League and Charlton in the FA Cup. Strap yourselves in for a crazy January!HOST: Matt Davies-AdamsWITH: Luke Bosher and Simon JohnsonPRODUCER: Lucy Oliva Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A minor Christmas miracle in the circumstances...Matt Davies-Adams has got Sam Parkin and Cerys Jones alongside him for a look back on the quintessential game of two halves in the 2-2 draw with Newcastle on Saturday lunchtime.We talk the impressive second half comeback after a dicey opening 45 minutes, Reece's spectacular free-kick - and is Garnacho actually any good at football?Aston Villa are in town next weekend - an Aston Villa side who have won no less than TEN matches in a row in all competitions. So - what can Enzo Maresca's side do to put a stop to their rampant form? And is it another game where they'll rise to the challenge against a top side? Meanwhile CFCW put just the NINE past a sorry Liverpool to book their place in the League Cup semi-finals. And - Chelsea players as Christmas things, anyone? We'll be back next Monday to look back on Saturday's visit of high-flying Villa - and preview the clashes with Bournemouth and Manchester City.HOST: Matt Davies-AdamsWITH: Cerys Jones and Sam ParkinPRODUCER: Lucy Oliva Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Ornstein reports that Chelsea's Enzo Maresca is high on the list to replace Pep Guardiola - with the anticipation of this being his last season at Manchester City.It comes less than a week after Maresca's outburst regarding his 'worst 48 hours' at the club, which came following the 2-0 win over Everton on Saturday. The Athletic FC Podcast assembled to react to the news. Matt Davies-Adams and the gang will have more reaction to the story on Monday's pod - where we'll be reflecting on Saturday's trip to Newcastle as well and looking ahead to the festive fixtures.Host: Adam LeventhalWith: David Ornstein, Oliver Kay, Jack Pitt-Brooke and Simon JohnsonExecutive Producer: Abi PatersonProducer: Guy Clarke Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How was your last 48 hours?!!Matt Davies-Adams is joined by Cerys Jones, Luke Bosher and Simon Johnson (through the medium of extensive voice notes) as we look back on a pretty bonkers few days in the life of Chelsea Football Club.We take a deep dive into Enzo Maresca's post-Everton press conference revelations and the subsequent reluctance to elaborate on his angst. We've got a look back on that 2-0 win over the Toffees on Saturday AND the slightly painful but ultimately successful path through to the League Cup semi-finals after the 3-1 win at Cardiff on Tuesday night.There's a look ahead to the slightly daunting trip to St James' Park on Saturday lunchtime - a venue where the Blues have suffered four straight defeats. Plus - there's a big European tie for CFCW, forgotten £50 million men and FPL woes to boot.We'll be back on Monday with our analysis of that game and a look ahead to what the Christmas period has in store for Enzo's side. HOST: Matt Davies-Adams WITH: Cerys Jones, Luke Bosher and Simon Johnson PRODUCER: Lucy Oliva Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Non bene... Producer Lucy's joined by The Athletic's Simon Johnson out in Bergamo for some quickfire reaction to the 2-1 defeat by Atalanta - which leaves Chelsea's hopes of a top eight finish in the UCL league phase hanging perilously in the balance.So where did it all go wrong in the second half? What have been the big areas of concern across these that three performances against La Dea, Bournemouth and Leeds? And how much pressure does this put on Saturday's game against Everton?Matt will be back with a thorough look at the visit of the Toffees - and a look ahead to the trip to Cardiff in the League Cup! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the dullest games in recent memory?Matt Davies-Adams has got Luke Bosher and Sam Parkin alongside him with the unenviable task of having to look back on Saturday's drab goalless draw at Bournemouth. Cerys Jones was there and sent her thoughts - and tried to take the positives from the clean sheet! But the misery was compounded by another serious injury to Liam Delap as the curse of the '9' shirt continues...The Blues have to get back to winning ways on Tuesday night, making the trip to Bergamo to face Atalanta in MD6 of the Champions League. The Athletic's Italian football expert James Horncastle sends in his assessment of the challenge the Blues will face against the side who they sit level on points with in the league phase table.Elsewhere, the streak is over! Chelsea Women's unbeaten run ends at 34 games after their shock 1-0 defeat by Everton at Kingsmeadow on Saturday. So does it mean their title hopes are over, sitting six points behind Manchester City at the top of the table?Plus - a chance to hear from Chelsea loanee Leo Castledine - who's impressing at Huddersfield and in a rich vein of goalscoring form in League One!There will be a SOC Extra dropping for you on Wednesday morning off the back of the trip to face Atalanta - before Matt returns with a full squad on Monday to look back on the visit of Everton AND look ahead to the trip to Cardiff in the League Cup on Tuesday night.Join the SOC fantasy leagueRead Simon's piece with Leo CastledineHOST: Matt Davies-AdamsWITH: Luke Bosher and Sam ParkinPRODUCER: Lucy Oliva Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It feels like more than just a point... Matt Davies-Adams has got an OG SOC crew of The Athletic's Simon Johnson and Liam Twomey alongside him to look back on Sunday's 1-1 draw with league leaders Arsenal at Stamford Bridge.The gang reflect on the pretty remarkable point picked up against the Gunners given the first half red card dished out to Moises Caicedo, the maturity showed by Reece James and the rest of the team to contain Mikel Arteta's side - and the overall growth of this young squad over just a matter of months to show they really can be competitive against the very best the Premier League and Europe has to offer. Next up - the Blues kick off a run of three straight away games when they travel to Elland Road to face Leeds on Wednesday night. How will Enzo Maresca tinker ahead of that one? And will Cole Palmer be thrown back in from the start? Plus! Dom Fifield pops by to tell us more about The Athletic’s brand new book ‘The Soccer 100’ - billed as ‘a celebration of the beautiful game and its 100 greatest players’. Who of a Chelsea persuasion gets a mention?!We'll be back on Monday to look back on Saturday's trip to Bournemouth AND look ahead to UCL MD6 as the Blues head out to Bergamo to face Atalanta on Tuesday night.Join our Straight Outta Cobham fantasy league!Get The Athletic's 'Soccer 100' book! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Yamal who???????Producer Lucy's joined by Simon Johnson to look back on a great European night under the lights at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea dispatched Spanish champions Barcelona in emphatic fashion, winning 3-0 and in some style on Tuesday evening.What more can we say about Estêvão?! How big was it for Liam Delap to open his account? How good is Marc Cucurella!? And how does this set the team up for the top of the table clash with the Gunner's this weekend?Matt will be back on Monday for a comprehensive look back at Sunday's visit of Arsenal - and to look ahead to the midweek trip to Leeds in the Premier League! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Some week ahead...Matt Davies-Adams has got Cerys Jones and Sam Parkin alongside him for all the fallout from Saturday's ultimately comfortable 2-0 win over Burnley at Turf Moor.It might not have been the most memorable of encounters - but we lavish praise on Andrey Santos and his MOTM performance, ponder Liam Delap's importance despite his struggles in front of goal - and lament Cole Palmer's door frame after his freak injury extends his lay-off from action. It tees us up for an absolutely pivotal week - with Barcelona visiting Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night, before Arsenal make the trip over from North London in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.We look ahead to the Champions League MD5 meeting against the Spanish giants - with The Athletic's Barca reporter Pol Ballús on hand to give us some insight into what to expect from Hansi Flick's side. Simon Johnson was in SW6 for the pre-match press conferences of Enzo Maresca and Marc Cucurella - so we've got a bit of a flavour of that for you too! We'll be back on Wednesday morning with Simon's official verdict from the Bridge - before Matt and the gang return on Monday morning with our full post-Arsenal pod.HOST: Matt Davies-AdamsWITH: Cerys Jones and Sam ParkinPRODUCER: Lucy Oliva Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.