Chelsea

Enzo Maresca is in the chair now. Chelsea news conference quotes coming very soon!

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, Reuters

Chelsea's decline since Christmas has been impacted by injuries, an unsettling January transfer window and the loss of form by key attackers like Cole Palmer and Nicolas Jackson.

Yet, it has also unsettled a fanbase used to winning trophies under Roman Abramovich but they are now at risk of not qualifying for the Champions League under Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital for the third consecutive year.

Many are unconvinced by the American consortium given the downturn in results, and that has affected the atmosphere at Stamford Bridge ever since the takeover.

The volume has been massively turned down in home games and manager Enzo Maresca has, on dozens of occasions, encouraged supporters to make more noise this season.

Chelsea's backroom staff and fans came together to establish a singing section in April, but supporters are also increasingly responding negatively to Maresca's patient, slow style, which involves defenders and goalkeepers playing short passes out from the back, an approach not traditionally associated with Chelsea.

According to Maresca, chants of "attack, attack, attack" have affected players, which he says partly led to Ipswich's second goal when goalkeeper Robert Sanchez went long instead of short with his passing.

Some supporters defended Maresca's comments, while others were angry at being partly blamed for conceding a goal. But whatever your view, the Italian played with fire with his comments and is losing sections of the Blues' fanbase.

Image source, EPA

Enzo Maresca has favoured a 4-2-3-1 formation as Chelsea boss and has not just urged his players to play out from the back, he said in February that he would replace the goalkeeper if they play long balls.

Fans have become frustrated at what they see as slow, ponderous play and a rigid system.

'Maresca-ball' was initially thought to favour Chelsea's wingers, who were encouraged to play high and wide on the pitch.

However, after flourishing last season under Mauricio Pochettino, Cole Palmer went 18 games without scoring before converting a late penalty against Liverpool.

During that spell, the Blues had to settle for a 2-2 draw against Ipswich at Stamford Bridge. They went 2-0 down in the first half and the home fans made their feelings known by jeering, which was demonstrated in a social media video that went viral., external

Thanks for getting in touch, worried Chris.

Enzo Maresca was given the Chelsea job after leading Leicester to the Championship title in his first season in management.

His first win came in their second game of the season - against Servette in the Conference League play-off round - and the Italian has gone on to lead the Blues to their first European final since winning the Champions League in 2021.

After winning five straight Premier League games Chelsea climbed to second in the table and were seen as potential title challengers to Liverpool but they drifted out of contention after winning just two of their next 10 league games.

That saw Maresca's side slip to seventh but after winning six of their past 10 games they are back up to fifth with two games remaining.

As for the domestic cups, the Blues were beaten at Brighton in the FA Cup fourth round and at Newcastle in the League Cup fourth round.

Overall, Chelsea have won 32 of Maresca's 54 games in charge, losing 13, giving the 45-year-old a win ratio of 59.26%.

Nizaar Kinsella
BBC Sport football news reporter

Image source, PA Media

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca is expected to lead the team into next season even if they fail to qualify for the Champions League.

The club hierarchy, led by co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart, plan to reserve judgement on the 45-year-old Italian until the summer of 2026.

That is despite ongoing uncertainty over whether Chelsea will secure a top-five finish following their 2-0 defeat at Newcastle on Sunday.

With two rounds of the Premier League season remaining, Maresca's team sit fifth, but they are only ahead of Aston Villa on goal difference, with matches at home to Manchester United and away at seventh-placed Nottingham Forest to come.

This has been Maresca's first season in charge, after joining from Leicester City in June 2024.

Joe Rindl
BBC Sport

Thanks everyone for getting in touch.

I think we'll keep the top-five topic going, but I also want us to talk Chelsea specifically for a bit. They have a news conference at 10:00 BST.

Opta's Supercomputer has been crunching the numbers. Here are the percentage chances of finishing positions for each team currently in the top seven.

If the final two games follow Opta's prediction then Chelsea would pip Aston Villa to fifth place:

• 1st - Liverpool 100% [we knew that, obviously]
• 2nd - Arsenal 78.1%
• 3rd - Manchester City 42.7% [31.2% chance they could finish 4th]
• 4th - Newcastle United 33.1% [30.8% chance they could finish 3rd]
• 5th - Chelsea 33.1% [26.9% chance they could drop to 6th]
• 6th - Aston Villa 38.0% [25.8% chance they could move up to 5th]
• 7th - Nottingham Forest 59.2% [only a 13.2% chance of finishing 5th]

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

Looking forward to taking your questions this morning with a huge week ahead. We've got the FA Cup Final, the Europa League final, plus the race for Champions League places.

And of course, we also have the last Premier League game to be played at Goodison Park when Everton meet Southampton on Sunday.

The floor is yours. The agenda is yours. Fire away and I'll be answering from 09.30 BST.

Joe Rindl
BBC Sport

Wait Jonny, I also spent my A-Levels reading football live texts!

Not 100% sure it was the greatest revision technique though given it took me two attempts to pass my exams! (At least pretend you're shocked, please).

But maybe we can blame the live texters of my youth. (Looking at you Tom Rostance and Phil Dawkes).

Hopefully, with me, Ben and Craig at the wheel, you're all set for your biology question on the seriousness of knee injuries.

Here are the all-important numbers:

Statisticians Opta give Arsenal a 99.7% chance of qualifying for the Champions League.

They give a 94.9% chance for Newcastle, 92.6% for City and 56% for Chelsea.

For Villa it's 38.4% and for Forest it's 18.2%.

Start getting your questions in for our chief football writer Phil McNulty to answer!

Phil's particularly interested in the race for the Champions League, the Europa League final and the FA Cup final.

But you can ask him anything!

For those that missed it, Manchester United will hold a barbeque at the club's Carrington training ground to celebrate if they beat Tottenham Hotspur in next week's Europa League final.

And no parade is planned should they win the tournament.