Alan Shearer Exclusive: Chelsea are a bonkers club and I've been impressed with Liam Rosenior

• A tad surprised Maresca left but Chelsea are a bonkers club

• Maresca should have no problems getting another big job

• I've been impressed with what Liam Rosenior has done

• Title race is already looking between just two teams

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Chelsea are a bonkers football club

I'm a tad surprised that Maresca has left Chelsea, but then again, everyone knew there was something going on behind the scenes. 

When he came out with those comments a couple of weeks ago, it only intensified it; he clearly wanted to get something off his chest.

You know when you go into that job what you're doing. It's a very different football club to others in terms of how it's managed. That's not Maresca, that's the people above him. 

Their model is obviously to buy young, develop them, and give them crazy long contracts with the potential to sell.

I don't think you're going to win the league like that. You might get into the top four because you can spend, but in the main, the guy coming in has to do better than the guy that's left.

The guy that left won two trophies last year. They were sitting in fifth, one win off the top four. So, I think he did a really good job. I'm not sure he could have done any better. His stock is high. Am I surprised? Not really. 

I think Chelsea is a bonkers football club at times. That's the owners; that's how they want to run their club. It's very different, and that's what Maresca was trying to tell us with that little rant three weeks ago.

 He was Manager of the Month in November. I know they've only won one in seven, and at a top club that is hard to watch, but nothing surprises me in football, let alone at that club.

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Maresca will be sought after

His time at Chelsea should be viewed as a successful spell for Maresca. They beat the best team around last year in PSG; he out-coached the Coach of the Year.

 They won the Conference League, which you'd expect, but not many thought they'd go to the Club World Cup and win. He's in and around the top four, so for me, he's done a really good job.

He'll leave with his stock high. I don't think he'll struggle to get another job because of the work he's done at Chelsea and Leicester. 

Whether he gets one of the big ones remains to be seen. There's been talk about City, hasn't there, but it depends on if Pep Guardiola decides to leave and when, but he won't struggle for a job in England or abroad.

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I'm impressed with what Liam Rosenior has done

Liam Rosenior has had a good run at Strasbourg, he got sacked at Hull under slightly bizarre circumstances and he's highly thought of. 

The big question will be: is he ready for a job the size of Chelsea? Does he know exactly what he's taking on? We've seen a guy go there recently with potential in Graham Potter, and we know what happened to him.

I can understand the need for a young, up-and-coming coach. I don't think Chelsea will get one of the "huge" managers because of the way they want to run the club. So, I guess that's why they'll go down the potential route rather than a big name manager.

It would be great for a young English manager to get the job. He chose to go abroad and learn something different, which shows hunger. I know his time at Hull ended strangely, but to go abroad and learn a different lifestyle is impressive. 

He'll have to think long and hard about whether it's the right thing for his career, but Chelsea is a huge club in the mix for trophies. It'll be very difficult to turn down.

Whoever comes in, top four is the target for Chelsea. They're not going to win the league; I think it's clear the top two will be City and Arsenal. They have to qualify for the Champions League. Pretty simple.

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Semenyo has worked hard and deserves his big move

Semenyo a really good player. He had a great start to the season, I remember his two goals at Anfield on the first night, and when Liverpool, Chelsea, and City are chasing you, you're doing something right. 

City is a good option; he's going to Pep and a hugely successful club. With the talent they have: Doku, Savinho, Foden and Cherki, it's incredible. Whether he plays every week we'll have to wait and see.

He's worked hard to get where he is. You have to applaud him. The fun starts now in terms of winning trophies and working with the best manager we've ever seen. He deserves it.

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I'm expecting Newcastle to do some business this month

The transfer window is now open and my guess is Newcastle will bring a couple in. Maybe another forward, midfielder, or defender to strengthen. If you talk to me next week and they get two or three wins, they could be in the top six and everything looking great.

Three weeks ago we talked about Fulham in a relegation battle, and now they're 10th after winning three on the spin in December. If Newcastle can do that, it propels them up the table. But I do expect movement there.

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Halfway through the season and there have been many surprises

The biggest surprise of the season so far is Liverpool and how poor they have been. Isak hasn't worked for them yet, Wirtz has only shown glimpses. We expected Liverpool, Arsenal, and City to go head-to-head, but Liverpool are out of the title race.

Equally, I have to say I don't think anyone predicted this from Sunderland. They're unbeaten at home. Even with players away at AFCON, to go head-to-head with City tells you they have a right scrap about them. Granit Xhaka has been one of the signings of the season as well.

The other surprise is Aston Villa. I thought they'd be top six, but to be in third is brilliant. Villa have been amazing, but I don't think they have enough to sustain a challenge. It's between City and Arsenal. Arsenal are clear favourites for me.

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It's looking like a two-horse race for the title at the halfway point

Defensively Arsenal are great. It's clear to see how tight they are when William Saliba and Gabriel are at centre-half. They are never going to have a better chance than this season. They have to do it, because imagine the backlash if they finish second again. 

Even when they haven't played well - like against Wolves and Brighton - they've won. They have a four-point lead at halfway; they'd have snapped your hand off for that. 

The pressure doesn't start until April - I've been there at Blackburn with a team that hasn't won before. If there's one team you don't want breathing down your neck, it's City. It's going to be a great few months for the neutrals.

I don't care what anyone says - you watch every single result. At Blackburn, we had Man United chasing us and they'd won it the previous two years. 

You pray for teams to do you a favour, like Sunderland did against City. It definitely intensifies when April comes. City will want to keep it to a one-game situation so if Arsenal slip up, they are ready to pounce.

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Now read Alan Shearers Matchday 20 Predictions 

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