The Red and Blue Soccer Chat

Where we give our picks for the group stage of the World Cup.

Greetings, Reds and Blues! Well, we’ve reached the end of another season. So how did we each fare, and what do we have to look forward to this summer with our USMNT? Let’s get into it! Chelsea’s season started promisingly enough. A win over the European Champions PSG at the Club World Cup set the stage for what should have been a top-4 season. They went the month of August unbeaten, had a bit of a...

Welcome back, Reds and Blues! We survived the international break and the first week back. But things have not gone well for the Red-White-and-Blue, the Reds, or the Blues since we last chatted. Let’s get into it. Chelsea desperately needed the international break. 4 losses on the trot had dropped them out of the Champions League spot. They returned to face Port Vale in the FA Cup, and it was a we...

Greetings, Reds and Blues! We’re nearing the business end of the season. Chelsea’s hopes now sit squarely upon the FA Cup. United have a chance to grab a CL spot if they can hold onto their current position. Let’s see how both fared recently. Chelsea’s season is limping toward the finish line. Recent results in the Premier League have not been what they have hoped for at this point, as they sit in...

Greetings, Reds and Blues! The international break is upon us. So how did our clubs sign off in the league? Chelsea have now lost 4 games in a row and failed to score in the last 3. But it is the manner in which they’ve lost that should be worrisome. The first leg of the PSG CL tie was going along acceptably until the last 20 minutes, during which the wheels fell and have not been located since. A...

Hello, Reds and Blues! We took an extra week off, but the football world certainly didn’t. Let’s catch up with our clubs! Chelsea now ignominiously holds the record for most red cards by a team in a single season across all competitions, and they are quickly closing in on the record for the Premier League. That indiscipline has been an Achilles Heel all season, but it was particularly impactful ag...

Greetings, Reds and Blues! It’s been far too long, and there’s a lot to unpack. The new year has brought new managers—and new hope. Michael Carrick’s second spell as caretaker at United has picked up where he left off. And Liam Rosenior’s move to the Chelsea dugout is already showing signs of life. Let’s assess. Since the loss to Fulham in early January—the last match before Rosenior took charge—C...

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,...

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 victo...

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 D...

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...

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 b...

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 b...

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...

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”...

Reds and Blues, we are finally back after an extended hiatus. There’s much to catch up on. So let’s dive right in.  Chelsea now sit in sixth place, 1 point behind City and 2 behind Newcastle. A top-four finish is still possible. But the immediate focus is on progression in the Conference, where they take a 3-goal lead into the Bridge on Thursday. Take care of business and advance in a tournam...

Reds, Blues, GFOPs! A soothsayer bids you beware the Ides of March. Set our clubs before us; let us see their form. Chelsea’s fifth-place standing is both blessing and curse. It’s probably enough for future European exploits regardless of Thursday’s trip to Scandinavian shores. But it hides an inconsistency that may be their undoing. They have conceded 5 and scored 4 in their last 3 matches. They...

Welcome back, Reds and Blues! January flew by, and our absence has done the same with February. We have a lot to catch up on, so let’s dive in! The ongoing inconsistency of Manchester United continued this weekend as they fell to Spurs away. United entered February on a 3-game winning streak. But an incredibly limp performance against Palace brought them back to earth. That was followed by another...

BRRRR, Reds and Blues! We hope those of you enduring this Midwest cold blast are managing to stay warm and safe. England is also suffering at the hands of the Snow Miser. Let’s see how our teams are handling it.  It’s safe to say that Manchester United are struggling to find themselves. While they are able to get up for the big rival matches, they continue to have problems with teams they sho...

Happy Holidays, Reds and Blues! It’s that time of year, and we are definitely in the midst of the Festive Fixtures. Games are coming thick and fast, so let’s see how our clubs are faring. MANCHESTER. IS. RED. Yes, it was against a City side that appears to be in free-fall, but United haven’t exactly been setting the world alight with their performances either. Despite playing well for long stretch...

Happy New Year, Reds and Blues! We hope you all had a safe and enjoyable holiday season. The Festive Fixtures are winding down. How did our clubs close out the year and kickoff the new one?  “Chelsea’s December has gone about as well as any Blue could have hoped.” That’s what I wrote just a few weeks ago. But the mid-December form that had some folks talking up a title challenge has disappear...

And we’re back! We hope you enjoyed the additional week off for Thanksgiving, America’s oddest holiday celebration. And we’ve made it through the final international break of 2024. How did the USMNT fare in their 2-leg Nations League encounter? And how did our clubs do upon their return from the break? Let’s dig into the leftovers!  Chelsea returned from the break with an away day at falterin...

Welcome back, Reds and Blues! We’re at yet another international break, but both clubs have seen some positive results in recent weeks. Let’s look at what they’ve done, and what we can expect from the new USMNT manager as he takes on Jamaica in the Nations League. Chelsea goes into the break on a relative high. They followed up the away draw at Old Trafford with an 8-0 trouncing of Armenian side N...

Welcome back, Reds and Blues! We made it through yet another international break. The USMNT was in action under our new coach, and several players from both clubs got much-needed rests. How did the first 2 games under Poch go, and how did our respective clubs fare upon returning from the break? Let’s get into it!  Mauricio Pochettino got his first look at his Eagles, and it’s safe to say he m...

Greetings, Reds and Blues fans! We are back for yet another international break. This one feels a little different for USMNT fans, though. Let’s get into why that is and also how our respective clubs have fared as they go into the hiatus. The Poch Era begins in earnest. He took over training just this week. He is saying all the right things, but the reality is that the USMNT underperformed for the...