Welcome to 2026, Reds and Blues! The new year has decided to bring surprises early, as both clubs are in management turmoil despite reasonably decent spots in the table. And we have the World Cup draw to discuss as well. Let’s get caught up!

It is hard to discuss one club without discussing the other, as there seem to be so many parallels. Knee-jerk management decisions, unclear transfer policies, managers not being given time and control, as well as managers perhaps not being suited for the role in the first place. Without knowing all the details behind the scenes, as fans we are left to wonder exactly what is going on and why 2 storied clubs cannot manage to find stability and further success. That Maresca and Amorim are both gone is not the surprise. And there is no reason to think another untested manager will right things for either club.

This week Chelsea will travel a short distance for their London derby with Fulham, while Manchester United go away to Burnley. Both have winnable FA Cup matches at the weekend. What either team will look like in setup and performance is anyone’s guess. Liam Rosenior has been appointed new Chelsea boss, and he is expected to be in charge on gameday. Darren Fletcher has caretaker duties for United.

There is a World Cup coming to North America this summer. The draw took place in early December and was unfortunately exactly the gaudy, bloated, and disjointed spectacle one would expect at the moment. But the groups and fixtures are now set. The US got a seemingly favorable draw with Paraguay, Australia, and a playoff winner (likely Turkey?).

We’ll be taking odds on manager comings and goings, so join us at 7pm live at Chatham Tap or online through Facebook Live and hopefully YouTube Live. You can also catch us at your leisure on our other platforms listed below. Please like, subscribe, and comment wherever you choose to find us. CHEERS!

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Happy Holidays, Reds and Blues! We hope you were able to enjoy spending time with friends and family last week. Silly Season is now upon us, with games every few days to entertain us throughout the holidays. But how did our clubs do prior to all the upcoming chaos? Let’s get into it!

Chelsea’s onslaught to remain title contenders saw them return from the international break with a firm victory over lowly Burnley before putting on a masterclass against Barcelona at the Bridge. While Barca still has an impressive attacking force, their defense has been less impressive. And Chelsea took full advantage, with Barca going down to 10 men for the 2nd half. But an even bigger test came this past weekend when they hosted Arsenal. Despite themselves going down to 10 late in the first half, Chelsea managed to get on the board first. They managed the game with great aplomb, but Arsenal did manage to get a goal that could have been a platform to victory. But Chelsea stayed strong and took a valuable point off the hopeful league leaders. A mid-week trip to relegation-sitting Leeds kicks off an 8-game December for the Blues. Can they cure their discipline woes to prevent a holiday slip-up?

As was pointed out in our last chat, United can look toothless without true strikers on the field. And such was the case when they faced Everton. Perhaps it was the chaos and confusion of seeing the Toffees go down to 10 men for a player slapping his own teammate in the first 15 minutes, but United’s defense gave far too much space to Dewsbury-Hall to fire home. From there, their low block became their lifeline, and it paid off. United lack the courage and individual talents required to overcome a stubborn defense that is dug in, and they gave up all 3 points that should have been there for the taking. And it briefly appeared they would repeat that recent history by giving up a first-half PK to Palace. United showed good spirit to get back into the game through a rare Zirkzee goal. And a quickly taken free kick allowed Mount to take the lead. United looked shaky but resolved to secure the points. A struggling West Ham side comes to Old Trafford this week as United begin their own run of 6 games in December. Trust the process?

The USMNT was largely considered a B squad during the break, but they managed 2 solid victories against Paraguay and Uruguay. As both have qualified for next summer’s Cup, they present what is hopefully the path forward for our Eagles.

The USWNT took care of Italy twice in the span of a couple days to end 2025 on a high. Cat Macario had 3 goals across the 2 games. They will hope to follow in the USMNT’s footsteps when they host Paraguay in January.

We’ll be making our lists and checking them twice, so join us at 7pm live at Chatham Tap or online through Facebook Live and hopefully YouTube Live. You can also catch us at your leisure on our other platforms listed below. Please like, subscribe, and comment wherever you choose to find us. CHEERS!

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Greetings, Reds and Blues! The north wind has blown in, and winter is coming. But has it reached across the pond? Let’s see how our clubs have fared as we race toward the final international break of the year.

Chelsea eked out a win in an unnecessarily thrilling Carabao Cup match with Wolves, where they yet again failed to finish with 11 players on the field. This time it was the youngster Delap with a rash challenge late on. Despite their good form, indiscipline may come back to haunt them at some point this season. But at the moment they will be happy with their league form. A 1-0 win over London rivals Spurs and a comfortable 3-0 win over Wolves (twice in the span of a week) sandwiched a long-distance draw with plucky Qarabag in the CL. That sees them head into the break in 2nd place in the Prem. They will return in a fortnight to face Burnley before 2 big tests against Barcelona and then Arsenal see out November.

United’s unbeaten run has extended to 5 games since the ugly loss to Brentford. Bryan Mbeumo has been the highlight, but Cunha, De Ligt, and Amad have been big contributors as well. However, Ruben may have some concerns with some others’ focus drifting. Despite taking the lead against Forest and Spurs, United had to work hard to salvage late draws from both. With Sesko set to be out for an extended period with a knee injury, the abundance of number 10s will have to take up the slack. And they may need to utilize the January window to supplement the attack. United will return from the break to face a somewhat disjointed Everton at Old Trafford before ending November with a trip south to Palace. 2 wins would go a long way to putting them within touching distance of the top 4 as Christmas approaches, which seemed a far way off not long ago.

The USMNT will definitely be without Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, Chris Richards, and Christian Pulisic for their upcoming friendlies with Paraguay and Uruguay. Injuries and a not-quite-complete squad are beginning to be legit worries for Poch with just 7 months to go and few further opportunities to evaluate players. It’s time for those on the fringe to stake their claim or risk driving themselves to next summer’s games. Gio Reyna, we’re looking squarely at you.

The USWNT thrashed New Zealand 6-0 through an Emma Sears hat trick. They will face Italy twice – in Orlando then Ft. Lauderdale – to end 2025.

We’ll be trying to make Whitefish Bay before the gales of November arrive, so join us at 7pm live at Chatham Tap or online through Facebook Live and hopefully YouTube Live. You can also catch us at your leisure on our other platforms listed below. Please like, subscribe, and comment wherever you choose to find us. CHEERS!

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Greetings, Reds and Blues! After an extended break we have returned to bring you all of our thoughts about Chelsea, United, and the US national teams. It’s been a while, so let’s get into it!

Chelsea looked to have some good momentum going, especially with the absence of several key players. It appeared they were enjoying their own version of the Ewing Theory, rattling off 4 wins in a row despite no Cole Palmer. But Sunderland is not accidentally in the Top 4. They rocked up to the Bridge with something to prove, and they stole the points late on in stoppage time. Chelsea did manage to keep 11 players on the field, but that will be little consolation to a side looking to push on from their own Top 4 finish last season. They will get a chance to redeem themselves with a mid-week tilt against bottom-feeding Wolves, though form can sometimes go out the window in the Cup competitions. But it will be the weekend trip across London to face 3rd-place Spurs on Saturday that the fans are eager for. That is followed by another mid-week journey to Azerbaijan and the somewhat surprising Qarabag. A reverse of the Wolves fixture is their present before the final international break of 2025.

We’ve heard it before, and we’ll say it again: “Football. Bloody Hell!” After a disappointing and disjointed start to the season, United have now won 3 games in a row under Amorim. 2 more and a young fan may just get his first haircut in about a year. It was, of course, the win over Liverpool at Anfield that will get the most hype, but all 3 wins have seen them look more composed and together as a team. BHA got themselves back into at 3-2, but a red-hot Mbeumo sealed all the points. The Reds face a struggling Forest side on Saturday before their own trip to Spurs the following weekend. Heading into the break with 5 on the trot and a fresh fade would be an early holiday treat.

The USMNT looked much better with a 1-1 draw with Ecuador followed by a somewhat convincing win over Australia. Paraguay and Uruguay await during their last camp of 2025. Poch hopefully is finalizing his preferred squad for next summer.

The USWNT took their foot off the gas against Portugal and were made to pay for it, though their thoughts were clearly more about celebrating USWNT Legend Alex Morgan. They did manage to recover in the 2nd game with a 3-1 victory. They will play New Zealand Wednesday night before finishing the year with 2 games against Italy.

We’ll be trying not to have a full field brawl, so join us at 7pm live at Chatham Tap or online through Facebook Live and hopefully YouTube Live. You can also catch us at your leisure on our other platforms listed below. Please like, subscribe, and comment wherever you choose to find us. CHEERS!

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Greetings, fellow gluttons for punishment! Yes, both the Reds and Blues contrived to lose 3-1 each on Saturday. But the manner in which they chose to do so was spectacularly different. Let’s inspect the corpses.

Despite Evan’s poignant, double-edged speculation ahead of last week’s match against United, Chelsea were good value for money in the first half and could have had a larger cushion before disaster struck. As like last weekend, Chelsea were always looking open after a game-changing instant. And former United lad Danny Welbeck popped up to take advantage. The question coming into this game was whether Chelsea could cope for 3 weeks without their talisman Palmer. But he isn’t responsible for reckless passing and rash tackles. They did manage to recover with a victory over Benfica in the Champions League. And while the 3 points are valuable, once again the manner in which they were gained will not instill much hope. Another unnecessary red card late on is also a cause for concern. A visit from a staggering but still strong Liverpool may be an indicator for which direction both teams are heading at the moment.

Manchester United. Woof. Is this the worst we’ve seen in the modern era? I (AG) can see no clear system; no intended patterns of play; no cohesiveness in positional and/or transitional play. I’m clearly not a top-tier manager, but I’m not sure that’s required to see that the “system” isn’t working, players aren’t where they should be, and letting them play would at least give them a chance. I have lost faith. They welcome a surprising Sunderland at the weekend. Another loss may be Amorim’s last.

The USMNT has upcoming friendlies with Ecuador, Australia, Paraguay, and Uruguay. The USWNT has 2 upcoming matches with Portugal before facing New Zealand, all in late October.

We’ll be trying not to have DOGSO VAR decisions that contradict one another in the same game, so join us at 7pm live at Chatham Tap or online through Facebook Live and hopefully YouTube Live. You can also catch us at your leisure on our other platforms listed below. Please like, subscribe, and comment wherever you choose to find us. CHEERS!

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Welcome back, Reds and Blues! The international break is over, and that means the return of league and Champions League footy. How did our clubs fare after a few weeks off?

Chelsea’s start to the season has been a mixed bag. Coming off a summer run to a trophy – and the extra games and miles on legs that entailed – they have at times looked sluggish. And so it continued on Saturday, as they fell behind to Brentford in the first half. This prompted a trio of changes at halftime and the introduction of their talisman Cole Palmer shortly after. This soon paid off, with Palmer slotting home to tie it up. Alejandro Garnacho made his Chelsea debut as a sub and immediately looked lively, running at and consistently beating his man. This led to a Caicedo goal in the 85th that looked to have wrapped things up. Unfortunately, Garnacho is not quite as active and alert on the defensive end, as he let his man sneak to the back post to salvage a point for the Bees. That should not overshadow his otherwise solid outing, and he’ll hope to get into the action against his former club United on Saturday. But Chelsea must first travel to Munich without a full-strength squad and wary of what Nico Jackson has imparted to the Bayern team behind closed doors. Traveling to Munich and then Manchester (even on their current form; more on that below), is no easy task. If they manage good results from those 2, then Maresca may to be able to ring the changes against League One Lincoln City in the Carabao Cup next week.

Manchester United. Surely something has got to give. And given Ruben Amorim’s firm intention to stick with his system or be fired, it seems a change of personnel is really his only option. Despite Bruno having been United’s best player for the better part of the last few years – as well as arguably the most productive attacking midfielder in Europe – it’s obvious to all that he is not suited to the deeper lying role as part of the midfield base of 2. Kobbie Mainoo came on in the 62nd minute and had an immediate impact on a match that was probably already lost. But if he is once again left on the bench in favor of some form of Bruno/Case/Ugarte (2 from 3), then Amorim has only himself to blame. Bruno’s creativity is wasted in such a role. Short of tweaking the system, the only way United will see a different result against Chelsea will be for Amorim to put other players in from the start and give them their chance. With almost no midweek football, there is no excuse for United to not cover every blade and be well-drilled with so many days to train. Are they incrementally getting better and just ran into a rejuvenated City at the wrong time? Or is this all the more fans can expect under Amorim? Saturday is a chance to change the narrative.

Speaking of Saturday… it’s the first edition of the 25/26 season Red and Blue Soccer Chat Derby Watch Party! We’ll be rocking up to Chatham Tap Fishers for front row viewing of what will hopefully at least be an entertaining match. Join us as we get hyped with pre-match fan interviews, halftime hot-takes, and the post-game post-mortem. Friendly banter and flowing spirits will be in abundance. Come join the fun.

The USMNT held 2 friendlies during the international break with South Korea and Japan, respectively. South Korea truly played the US off the park, with their very own star man Son grabbing the headlines. But a regrouped side turned things around against a weakened Japan side. Alejandro Zendejas and Flo Balogun put themselves into the WC26 roster mix with a goal apiece, and Captain America Pulisic looked like the player that has been tearing it up for Milan for the past season. It seems the “rift” with Pochettino is perhaps more smoke than fire. They have friendlies scheduled for October and November with Ecuador, Australia, Paraguay, and Uruguay coming up. A rumored match against Ronaldo’s Portugal is on the horizon after the new year.

The...

Hey Reds and Blues, the Premier League is back! The first weekend of matches is in the books. Neither side got off to the start we/they had hoped for, but each club showed signs of what may lie ahead. Let’s see how things have gone so far.

Chelsea’s long and successful summer run at the Club World Cup ended in a trophy, but it may have come at a price. Many Chelsea players looked a bit tired and off the pace, with a plucky Palace side showing why they’ve been a thorn in many sides in recent months. The lack of a full pre-season also seemed to be a contributing factor, as Chelsea simply didn’t click. Josh Acheampong, though, looked solid on his debut, but Jamie Gittens struggled to make an impact. A short trip to West Ham may be the tonic to get things going, as the Hammers sputtered out of the gates with a 3-0 loss in their opener.

Manchester United and Ruben Amorim got the full pre-season they needed, and it was nominally successful with multiple wins and good showings from their new signings. But an opening fixture at home to Arsenal is not exactly how anyone would have wanted to ease into the season. But the performance spoke for itself. United outplayed the supposed title-chasing Gunners for long stretches and were denied goals by a post and some terrific saves from David Raya. Once again, the new signings looked lively from the off. Matheus Cunha was direct in his dribbling, and Bryan Mbeumo was always an outlet and subsequent threat on the wing. Benjamin Sesko didn’t have many opportunities, but that should as they all learn one another’s movements. A trip down to Fulham, who earned a solid point in their opener, is up next for United.

The USMNT has upcoming friendlies with South Korea and Japan in September, while the USWNT is off until late October and 2 friendlies with Portugal.

We’ll be looking for the last pieces of the transfer window puzzle, so join us at 7pm live at Chatham Tap or online through Facebook Live and hopefully YouTube Live. You can also catch us at your leisure on our other platforms listed below. Please like, subscribe, and comment wherever you choose to find us. CHEERS!

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Hey Reds, Blues, and all soccer fans! We are finally back and ready to once again give our local take on the global game. Who has had the better transfer window? Will these signings have an immediate impact? And who will be lifting the trophy several months from now? Let’s jump in and find out…

Chelsea theoretically splashed the cash this summer, though most deals are listed as “Undisclosed”, so full amounts are yet to be known. What is known is their intent. Liam Delap, Jamie Gittens, and Joao Pedro have been brought in to bag the goals that were missing last season, while the latest signing of Jorrel Hato from Ajax is meant to keep them out. The list of outgoings is perhaps just as telling, most notably Noni Madueke heading across town to Arsenal. Goalkeeper remains a potential question mark, but these signings combined with the momentum gained from winning the quasi-inaugural Club World Cup show Chelsea’s clear intent: Top 4 or bust.

Manchester United have been slightly quieter during the window, though they have landed 2 of their main targets in Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo. Diego Luna may be one for the future; time will tell. Another striker, deep-lying midfielder, and goalkeeper also remain necessary gaps to fill, but United’s slow business model may see them start the season as-is. Their summer tour has shown glimpses of what fans will be hoping to see more of: free-flowing passing, actual dribbling at defenders, and a confident team taking more chances in front of goal. Last season’s dismal final standing, and the ignominious loss to Spurs in a final that could have secured European competition this season need to be left in the rearview if this newly gelling group can find success. Top 4 is probably way too much to hope for but landing somewhere in a European spot rightly be seen as improvement.

The USMNT endured a tough summer. After losing out in the Nations League they brought what can only be considered a “C” team to the Gold Cup. The fill-ins performed admirably, though, with a few names (Luna, Tillman, Agyemang, McGlynn) making a case to be considered for the upcoming World Cup. The furor came over the names that were missing, with several obligated to the CWC. Most notably, though, Christian Pulisic asked to skip the Gold Cup to recover from his break-out season with Milan. This has divided fans, but a healthy, goal-scoring Captain America will soon have them forgetting it all if he can lead these young eagles deep into a tournament run.

We’ll be shaking the sand out of our shorts and getting amped for this weekend’s impending Community Shield – the unofficial kickoff to the EPL – so join us live from Chatham Tap Fishers at 7:00 pm on Wednesday. We should be on Facebook Live and YouTube Live, and we’ll be sure to update as the evening approaches, or you can catch us at your leisure on our other platforms listed below. Please like, subscribe, and comment wherever you choose to find us. CHEERS!

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#TheRedandBlueSoccerChat

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#manchesterunited

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