Pochettino departs: What happened? Why now? Who next?

Hello... again... A new Chelsea manager calls for yet another emergency podcast - which rather conveniently we were able to record at our end of season knees up! Matt Davies-Adams has got *literally* the whole gang alongside him to bring you reaction to the appointment of Enzo Maresca as the new Blues boss. So, what kind of manager is he? The Athletic's Leicester reporter Rob Tanner stops by to give us the lowdown on his time with the Foxes - and a word of warning if the owners are expecting a 'yes man'... Plus - the worst kept secret in women's football is finally out there - following the appointment of Sonia Bompastor as the new CFCW boss! Jessy Parker Humphreys is on hand to give us a bit of an insight into what Chelsea fans can expect from Emma Hayes' successor. Now that really is it until the start of the new season! No! More! Bonus! Pods! Or! Crazy! Chelsea! Announcements! (We hope!) Have a lovely, restful summer and we'll see you in August... HOST: Matt Davies-Adams WITH: Simon Johnson, Luke Bosher, Liam Twomey, Dom Fifield, Rob Tanner & Jessy Parker Humphreys PRODUCER: Lucy Oliva Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our summer break lasted a whole 36 hours... Matt Davies-Adams parachutes in The Athletic's Chelsea experts Simon Johnson and Liam Twomey for an emergency pod following the departure of manager Mauricio Pochettino by mutual consent. We bring you the inside story of how events transpired and led to the parting of ways - while taking your reaction and questions. Why now? Who's in the frame to take over? What does it mean for the future of the club and players going forward? It's just another day in the life of Chelsea Football Club. We'll see you again... soon?! HOST: Matt Davies-Adams WITH: Simon Johnson & Liam Twomey PRODUCER: Lucy Oliva Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

And just like that, another rollercoaster, topsy turvy season is over... Matt Davies-Adams is joined by Liam Twomey, Simon Johnson, Dom Fifield, Jessy Parker Humphreys AND Luke Bosher on his holidays to look back on another remarkable campaign at Chelsea Football Club. We begin with events at an emotional Stamford Bridge on Sunday afternoon as the club said goodbye to Thiago Silva AND the 2023-24 season with a 2-1 win over Bournemouth to secure 6th spot and European football. Then up to Old Trafford, and CFCW heroics as Emma Hayes signed off in style after overseeing a fifth straight WSL title following their 6-0 demolition of Manchester United. There's reflections on the wider season as a whole and what the future could hold for the likes of Mauricio Pochettino and Conor Gallagher - before our customary end of season quiz with a difference... We'll be back ~rejuvenated~ ahead of the 2024-25 campaign a little later in the summer - unless an emergency podcast is required in the meantime! HOST: Matt Davies-Adams WITH: Liam Twomey, Simon Johnson, Dom Fifield & Jessy Parker Humphreys PRODUCER: Lucy Oliva Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Four wins a row to put Chelsea in pole position for a European spot?! Matt Davies-Adams has got The Athletic's CFC experts Simon Johnson and Liam Twomey alongside him to look back on the 2-1 victory at Brighton which moved the Blues up to sixth in the Premier League table. Elsewhere there was a narrow but huge victory for CFCW - beating Tottenham 1-0 at Brisbane Road to go into the last day of the season top of the WSL table on goal difference! Jessy Parker Humphrey's sends us their thoughts. And just like that we've reached the last game of the season - with the Cherries in town on Sunday afternoon as Mauricio Pochettino's men look to close out the 2023-24 season on a high... We'll be back on Monday to reflect on the games against Bournemouth and Manchester United AND round up another crazy season in the life of Chelsea Football Club. HOST: Matt Davies-Adams WITH: Simon Johnson & Liam Twomey PRODUCER: Lucy Oliva Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Just imagine if we hadn't had all those injuries... Matt Davies-Adams is joined by two of The Athletic's finest - Luke Bosher and Liam Twomey - to revel in Saturday's 3-2 victory over Nottingham Forest at the City Ground. We lavish yet more praise on Cole Palmer, herald the return and impact of Reece James - and question where this leaves Chelsea's European hopes going into the final week of the season. There's then a look ahead to Wednesday night's trip to Brighton - and a huge clash in the WSL as CFCW face Tottenham in their penultimate game of the season. We'll be back on Thursday for our penultimate podcast of the season - reflecting on events at Brighton and Brisbane Road - AND looking ahead to Sunday's visit of Bournemouth. HOST: Matt Davies-Adams WITH: Liam Twomey & Luke Bosher PRODUCER: Lucy Oliva Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Keep, sell or loan out? Matt Davies-Adams is joined by Dom Fifield and Luke Bosher to take a deep dive into the Chelsea squad as we discuss the future of the current crop of players and their places at Stamford Bridge or elsewhere going forward. It's the small matter of the MDA derby on Saturday teatime as Mauricio Pochettino's side make the trip to Nottingham to face Forest! We look ahead to that one and ponder the motivation for both sides with Europe and Premier League safety potentially on the line. Then - Dom takes matters into his own hands with the quiz - and the shoe is on the other foot as Matt becomes a contestant... We'll be back on Monday to reflect on the trip to the City Ground - and look ahead to the penultimate game of the season at Brighton. HOST: Matt Davies-Adams WITH: Dom Fifield & Luke Bosher PRODUCER: Lucy Oliva Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Goals, goals, goals and more goals! Matt Davies-Adams has The Athletic's Chelsea experts Simon Johnson and Liam Twomey alongside him to reflect on a fantastic Sunday of action for CFC & CFCW. We begin with a round up of the 5-0 thrashing of West Ham at Stamford Bridge - as Chalobah and Gallagher shone once more, Cucurella got his fans singing and European football suddenly started to look like a very real possibility... Then, remarkable scenes at Kingsmeadow for Emma Hayes' last home game in charge as they put EIGHT past Bristol City to take advantage of Man City's defeat by Arsenal earlier in the day. Jessy Parker Humphrey's captures the mood on a bonkers day in the WSL title race. We'll be back on Wednesday to look ahead to Saturday's trip to the City Ground in the MDA derby (coming a day early because a certain producer is off to Paris to see Taylor Swift...) HOST: Matt Davies-Adams WITH: Simon Johnson & Liam Twomey PRODUCER: Lucy Oliva Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can we play you every week? Matt Davies-Adams has got Luke Bosher and Dom Fifield in tow to look back on the thoroughly satisfying 2-0 win over Tottenham at Stamford Bridge ft a Liam voicenote and some singing... We round up the performance and give some love to Chalobah, Gallagher and Cucurella - before taking a closer look at the rather pointed post-match comments from Pochettino. Next up - West Ham come west in the final London derby of the season - we preview that game before reflecting on the shock defeat for Chelsea Women at Liverpool which all but ends their hopes of a fifth consecutive WSL title. And finally - a quiz to impress the lovely lady or man in your life this weekend... We'll be back on Monday to reflect on Sunday's latest London derby - and see whether CFCW have got back on track against Bristol City. HOST: Matt Davies-Adams WITH: Dom Fifield & Luke Bosher PRODUCER: Lucy Oliva Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Refereeing and VAR controversy, you say? How original... Matt Davies-Adams has got The Athletic's Chelsea experts Liam Twomey and Simon Johnson alongside him to look back on Saturday night's dramatic 2-2 draw with Aston Villa. But we begin with our tributes to the great Thiago Silva - who's announced he'll be leaving the club at the end of the season after four hugely influential years in West London. Then there's the small matter of a London/ Pochettino derby to look forward to on Thursday evening - with Tottenham making the short trip to SW6. Plus, our friend JPH drops by to reflect on the heartbreaking and highly controversial defeat by Barcelona at a sold out Stamford Bridge. We'll be back on Friday to bring you reaction to the visit of Spurs AND look ahead to Sunday's latest London derby against West Ham. HOST: Matt Davies-Adams WITH: Liam Twomey, Simon Johnson & Jessy Parker Humphreys PRODUCER: Lucy Oliva Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A horrible, horrible, horrible night... Two of The Athletic's finest - Dom Fifield and Simon Johnson - are alongside Matt Davies-Adams to look back on the hugely demoralising 5-0 thrashing by Arsenal at the Emirates on Tuesday night. Next up - another tricky away trip - this time to Villa Park to take on Unai Emery's Champions League chasing Aston Villa. There's some light at the end of the tunnel as Chelsea Women welcome Barcelona to Stamford Bridge with a slender 1-0 lead going into their semi-final second leg. Plus hot garden waste chat, Shaggy - and a quiz! We'll be back on Monday where we'll reflect on the trip to Aston Villa and hopefully be toasting a glorious UWCL victory for CFCW. HOST: Matt Davies-Adams WITH: Simon Johnson & Dom Fifield PRODUCER: Lucy Oliva *** • This is a paid ad from BetterHelp. Our listeners get 10% off their first month at BetterHelp.com/COBHAM Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices