Straight Outta Cobham: The Athletic FC's Chelsea show

In the absence of the usual SOC gang (on holiday) why not check out Monday's Athletic Football Podcast... Host Ian Irving details Chelsea's growing interest in Raheem Sterling, in the company of our Football Correspondent David Ornstein, Manchester City writer Sam Lee & Chelsea writer Simon Johnson...We learn how Chelsea's confidence in capturing Sterling has grown, why City are open to letting Sterling leave this summer & consider whether this could see a new trend in the Premier League's top clubs selling players to domestic rivals. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Host Matt Davies-Adams is joined by Sam Parkin and The Athletic's Liam Twomey to discuss Romelu Lukaku's increasingly likely return to Italy, interest in both Jules Kounde and Ousmane Dembele and how the new owners are likely to let Thomas Tuchel build the team he wants...After the new Premier League fixture lists were released this morning, the guys also consider Chelsea's start to the season and how they'll be affected by the winter World Cup break.Plus, Fran Kirby's selection for the Women's European Championships and why sponsors 'Three' will still be on Chelsea shirts next season. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Another quiet, uneventful season for Chelsea Football Club in the bag...Matt Davies-Adams has got the full complement of Blues experts alongside him for the final time as Dom Fifield, Liam Twomey, Simon Johnson and Sam Parkin round up the news of the approval of the takeover of the club by the Todd Boehly led consortium. Your questions are answered as we look at what this means for next season - and many seasons to come.Back in August the team made some pretty bold - and sometimes disastrous predictions - we go through those and round up some of the other news including changes to the academy, more awards for Chelsea's Women, and success in Europe for another former Cobham kid.There's one final quiz before we bid farewell to 2021-22 - ahead of a short break before the summer fun and game kick in! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

So long, 2021-22...Matt Davies-Adams has got Sam Parkin and Simon Johnson alongside him for the penultimate time this season as Chelsea finished the season in...style?!...with a last-gasp 2-1 win over Watford at Stamford Bridge.There's a full prognosis of the final Premier League game of the campaign - and the subsequent lap of honour - including farewells to Antonio Rüdiger (and how many others?), Mason Mount's player of the year award - and the very welcome return of Ben Chilwell.We've got the usual takeover update before popping over to Italy, with Liam Twomey on assignment as AC Milan won the Serie A title for the first time in 11 years with Fikayo Tomori, Olivier Giroud and Tiémoué Bakayoko in their ranks! Liam spoke to Tomori just moments after their scudetto triumph was confirmed in style after a 3-0 win at Sassuolo. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Almost there listener, almost there...Matt Davies-Adams has got The Athletic's Chelsea experts Simon Johnson and Liam Twomey alongside him to wrap up the 1-1 draw with Leicester which all but mathematically secured third spot for Thomas Tuchel's side.But we begin with takeover talk amid reports on Monday that the deal was at risk of "falling apart" due to a lack of consensus with the club and government over the proceeds of any sale. Liam also gives an insight into his piece which focuses on Clearlake Capital.The final match of the season is just around the corner as the Blues get ready to host the hapless Hornets at Stamford Bridge. We look ahead to the visit of Watford, and question which players could be bidding farewell to the crowd for the final time...And of course, it wouldn't be complete without a quiz! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

At least we've got CFCW...Simon Johnson and Sam Parkin join Matt Davies-Adams to reflect on yet another day of Wembley disappointment for Chelsea's men after the 6-5 defeat on penalties to Liverpool. Liam Twomey and Simon send in their on-the-whistle post mortem, before we take a closer look at why the Blues fell just short once again.It wasn't all doom and gloom this weekend though - with Emma Hayes' women wrapping up the league and cup double after a 3-2 extra-time win over Manchester City. Flo Lloyd-Hughes pops in for one last time this season to analyse yet another domestic triumph - and ponder whether the Champions League could be within their grasp anytime soon...It's back to Premier League action for Thomas Tuchel's side - with Leicester City visiting Stamford Bridge in the penultimate game of this long and punishing season. We preview that match - and round up the rest of the Blues news as the season draws to a close. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mason did say he likes playing at Leeds...Matt Davies-Adams is joined by The Athletic's Chelsea experts Liam Twomey and Dom Fifield for your second weekly dose of all things CFC.We begin with the comfortable 3-0 win at Elland Road - including a Mount masterclass, another goal for a resurgent Romelu Lukaku and a horror challenge on Mateo Kovačić which could rule him out of the FA Cup final.That's our next stop - with the game against Liverpool on Saturday just on the horizon. We look ahead to that tie, try and find some weaknesses in Jürgen Klopp's side - and discuss the all important team selection up top...are you Team Rom or Team Kai?It's not just the men in FA Cup action - Emma Hayes' WSL champions go head to head with Manchester City at Wembley on Sunday in a rematch of the Continental Cup final which they lost. We preview that game ahead of a quiz with a difference... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Just another quiet weekend in the life of CFC hey listener?Simon Johnson and Sam Parkin join Matt Davies-Adams to try and round up a pretty bonkers few days on and off the field for Chelsea.We start with the takeover - after it was confirmed in the early hours of Saturday morning that they'd agreed terms on the £4.25bn sale of the club to a consortium led by Todd Boehly.Here's hoping Todd wasn't put off by what he saw on the pitch at Stamford Bridge - as Thomas Tuchel's side conspired to squander a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Wolves. We talk redemption for Romelu - before tactical tweaks and yet more poor defending cost the Blues yet again at home.No such problems for the women though - who thanks to a Sam Kerr masterclass in a 4-2 victory over Manchester United at Kingsmeadow wrapped up their third straight WSL title. Flo Lloyd-Hughes joins us to round up the significance of this latest success for Emma Hayes' side.Then it's over to Cobham, where the U23's came from behind in dramatic circumstances to beat Tottenham and secure their PL2 status on the final day.Amid all that chaos there's also a lookahead to Wednesday evening's trip to Leeds - and what Athletic subscribers can enjoy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It just rumbles on and on and on and on...The Athletic's Chelsea experts Simon Johnson and Liam Twomey are alongside Matt Davies-Adams to discuss another tumultuous week off the pitch for the Blues as the takeover drama continues.On the pitch, there's the visit of Wolves on Saturday afternoon to look ahead to - as well as a quiz (of course!) as Chelsea look to get back on track after last weekend's defeat at Goodison Park,We also look ahead to the final weekend of the WSL season, as Emma Hayes' Chelsea Women look to wrap up their third consecutive title when they host Manchester United - and highlight a defining weekend for the U23's as they fight for their lives in PL2. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Let's just call time on this season, shall we?Matt Davies-Adams has got Sam Parkin and Dom Fifield alongside him to reflect on another disappointing afternoon for Chelsea after a 1-0 defeat against relegation threatened 'Frank Lampard's Everton',But we start with the takeover latest - which took various unexpected twists and turns on Friday afternoon as Todd Boelhy was confirmed as the preferred bidder and an audacious late offer arrived from British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe...There's a round up of the rest of the Blues news - including a massive 1-0 win on the road at Birmingham for Emma Hayes' Chelsea Women with the WSL title now within touching distance - but danger for the U23's as they look to stave off relegation with a showdown against Tottenham to come. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.