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Defector

Luis Paez-Pumar

Chelsea's English head coach Liam Rosenior reacts following the English Premier League football match between Everton and Chelsea at the Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool, north west England on March 21, 2026.

Soccer

Chelsea Manager Gets Fired, As All Chelsea Managers Do

Billy Haisley

A child taunts the Chelsea fans during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Leeds United at Stamford Bridge on February 10, 2026 in London, United Kingdom.

There Are No Good Teams In The Premier League

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<div>Abigail Segel is a contributing writer at Defector. She is also an editor for The IX Soccer and the Equalizer. Her work has been published in the Guardian and the Montreal Gazette.</div>
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Abigail Segel

Manchester City players huddle ahead of the Subway Women's League Cup Semi Final match between Manchester City and Chelsea at Joie Stadium on January 21, 2026 in Manchester, England.

Manchester City Lost A Battle But Is Winning The War For English Women’s Soccer Supremacy

Head Coach Enzo Maresca of Chelsea during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Everton at Stamford Bridge on December 13, 2025 in London, England.

Unlikable Manager Loses Job At Detestable Club

Tom Ley

Ange Postecoglou Head Coach of Nottingham Forest looks dejected with empty seats behind during the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest and Chelsea at City Ground on October 18, 2025 in Nottingham, England.

Big Ange Has Never Been More Out

Cole Palmer of Chelsea FC celebrates scoring his team's second goal with teammates Reece James and Joao Pedro of Chelsea during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Final match between Chelsea FC and Paris Saint-Germain at MetLife Stadium on July 13, 2025 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

Bills Week

Cole Palmer Demolished A Bill-Less PSG, And The Rest Is History

Fluminense's Brazilian goalkeeper #01 Fabio concedes a second goal by Chelsea's Brazilian forward #20 Joao Pedro (2-L)during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 semifinal football match between Brazil's Fluminense and England's Chelsea at the MetLife stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on July 8, 2025.

Who Is Winning At Soccer?

Lauren James #10 of Chelsea F.C. women crosses the ball during the Barclays FA Women's Super League match between Manchester City and Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, England, on March 23, 2025.

Chelsea And Manchester City Are Delivering The Goods

Jan Paul van Hecke of Brighton &amp; Hove Albion celebrates after he scored his side's first goal for 1-1 during the Premier League match between Brighton &amp; Hove Albion FC and Fulham FC at Amex Stadium on March 8, 2025 in Brighton, England.

The Premier League’s Tightest Race Is For Fifth Place

Naomi Girma of Chelsea waves to the crowd as she is unveiled as a Chelsea player prior to the Barclays Women's Super League match between Chelsea FC and Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on January 26, 2025 in London, England.

Naomi Girma’s Move To Chelsea Is Ambition Incarnate

Moises Caicedo of Chelsea is fouled by Yves Bissouma of Tottenham Hotspur leading to a penalty which is scored by Cole Palmer of Chelsea to make it 2-2 during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Chelsea FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on December 08, 2024 in London, England.

Never Doubt Tottenham’s Inability To Capitalize On Chaos

West Ham United manager David Moyes (centre), first team coach Kevin Nolan (right) and player Michail Antonio (left) during the Premier League match at Stamford Bridge, London. Picture date: Sunday May 5, 2024.

The Game Has Once Again Passed David Moyes By

Cole Palmer of Chelsea celebrates scoring his team's third goal, his hat-trick, during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Everton FC at Stamford Bridge on April 15, 2024 in London, England.

Cole Palmer Is Right Where He Needs To Be

Noni Madueke of Chelsea argues with Cole Palmer of Chelsea of Chelsea about taking the penalty during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Everton FC at Stamford Bridge on April 15, 2024 in London, England.

Chelsea Players Briefly Stop Embarrassing Everton In Order To Embarrass Themselves

Liverpool players including Caoimhin Kelleher, Kostas Tsimikas, Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool celebrates after winning the Carabao Cup Final match between Chelsea and Liverpool at Wembley Stadium on February 25, 2024 in London, England.

These Pool Boys Became Pool Men

Malo Gusto of Chelsea during the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Crystal Palace at Stamford Bridge on December 27, 2023 in London, United Kingdom.

Chelsea Is Neither Here Nor There

Emma Hayes, Head Coach of Chelsea FC poses for a portrait during the UEFA Women's Champions League Official Portraits shoot on October 17, 2023 in Cobham, England.

Emma Hayes Knows What American Soccer Needs

The LED board shows the VAR check which disallows a Tottenham Hotspur goal for offside during the Premier League match between Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea FC at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on November 06, 2023 in London, England.

VAR Turned A Great Match Into The Worst And Weirdest Game Of The Season

Belgium's forward Eden Hazard celebrates during the Russia 2018 World Cup quarter-final football match between Brazil and Belgium at the Kazan Arena in Kazan on July 6, 2018.

Eden Hazard Deserved A Better Ending

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 18: Chelsea owner Todd Boehly gestures prior to the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal second leg match between Chelsea FC and Real Madrid at Stamford Bridge on April 18, 2023 in London, United Kingdom.

What Should We Make Of Chelsea’s Reported Saudi Bailout?

Frank Lampard, Caretaker Manager of Chelsea, looks dejected during the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal first leg match between Real Madrid and Chelsea FC at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on April 12, 2023 in Madrid, Spain.

Frank Lampard Is Just Here To Eat Chelsea’s Shit

LUSAIL CITY, QATAR - DECEMBER 18: Enzo Fernandez of Argentina poses for a photo with the FIFA Young Player award during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Final match between Argentina and France at Lusail Stadium on December 18, 2022 in Lusail City, Qatar. With WINDOW SHOPPING graphic.

Window Shopping: Is Enzo Fernández Worth A Record-Breaking Transfer?

Ray Ratto

ZAGREB, CROATIA - SEPTEMBER 06: Thomas Tuchel, Manager of Chelsea looks on prior to the UEFA Champions League group E match between Dinamo Zagreb and Chelsea FC at Stadion Maksimir on September 06, 2022 in Zagreb, Croatia. (Photo by Jurij Kodrun/Getty Images)

Thomas Tuchel Wore Out Another Welcome

Patrick Redford

Leeds United's US midfielder Brenden Aaronson (R) celebrates after scoring his team first goal during the English Premier League football match between Leeds United and Chelsea at Elland Road in Leeds, northern England, on August 21, 2022. - RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

Leeds United, America’s Premier League Team, Is Flying

Christian Pulisic of Chelsea speaks to the media after the Pre-Season Friendly match between Chelsea FC and Charlotte FC at Bank of America Stadium on July 20, 2022 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Chelsea