Daniel Childs

3 days ago | therationalperspective.substack.com | Daniel Childs

I’m not angry, I’m just disappointed. Few of us can truly say we are flabbergasted Chelsea lost at St. James Park again. For most of my life Chelsea have gone up to Tyneside and come back with nothing. From Mourinho through to Conte and now Maresca, Chelsea coaches cannot escape without some form of punishment at that ground. Sunday’s loss at this late stage of the season against a Champions League rival could however prove the most consequential.

1 week ago | therationalperspective.substack.com | Daniel Childs

This Means More. At the risk of going down a road of snarky schadenfreude, Chelsea deeply needed this. The players needed this. Enzo Maresca needed this. The supporters needed this. The cinematic conclusion at Stamford Bridge on Sunday provoked the unbridled joy and shared celebration that has felt lost to a void as big as the one from Thunderboltsfor some time. I am writing this before heading to bed on Sunday night, returning home from the Bridge not long ago.

1 week ago | therationalperspective.substack.com | Daniel Childs

As far back as a very sunny evening in late May of last year Chelsea became automatic favorites for a tournament they had never played in before. One ponders the alternative timeline if Manchester United had been predictably beaten by their noisy neighbors in that FA Cup final and Chelsea would have ventured into the higher echelons of the Europa League.

2 weeks ago | therationalperspective.substack.com | Daniel Childs

Romeo Lavia perfectly fits the hypothetical era of Chelsea in 2025. There are hypothetical ideas of what Chelsea could be if the club’s grand “project” was to come to fruition. If their rookie head coach could blossom into the next Pep Guardiola. And more common amongst supporters, if talented players could remain fit. Lavia falls into the final category. One that has included a list of regretful tales across the last five years.

1 month ago | therationalperspective.substack.com | Daniel Childs

Enzo Maresca had an open goal on Sunday afternoon when he walked into the press conference following a draw with relegation bound Ipswich. He could decry this as an unacceptable failure, a bad day at the office, one that did not meet the standard required on a must-win afternoon. Although Maresca’s words could not fully soothe the frustrations of a dismal result, he at the very least had the chance to not pour more fuel onto a growing fire. Then, he started talking about the “environment”.