Pizy

Let us pray he's between the sticks this weekend, then. Because if Kepa is in net Salah & Mané will be taking speculative long shots all over the place and probably scoring. Not to mention TAA getting an automatic goal if Liverpool win a free kick near the edge of our box.

I don't think Mendy is being thought of as a stopgap at all. The €25m we'll pay for him isn't massive, but that's decent money for a keeper. If we wanted a stopgap we'd have gone for someone like Ben Foster or something. If Mendy does well he's our long term solution.

Everyday some reporters say it's done and dusted, the next some others say it's not. Meanwhile, in the very first match of the season we see Kepa concede a goal that Mendy's 8 foot long arm would've saved. We worked brilliantly and effeiciantly with every other transfer this summer but have left the most important upgrade until last and stall 😆

I'd prefer to see Callum on the right than Kai. Let Havertz be involved more in the buildup and using his through-ball vision from the middle. With runners like Callum and Werner either side or in front of him he can be more influential. Let's him keep his game simple until he gets up to speed.

Yeah, think it'll be another couple of weeks before Frank risks him. Maybe for the 3rd league game he'll be ready.

Injured AGAIN according to Frank. We were so excited that he was back so quickly and now it sounds like he's a doubt for the weekend as well. He's made of glass it sad to say. We may never be able to depend on him for huge stretches. Bursts of brilliant games constantly interrupted by niggling injuries.

Timo was wincing a bit towards the end of the match and apparently has a huge ice pack on his knee now? 😬😬😬 Wrap this man in wool!

Lamps is going to have a hell of a hard time deciding who will partner Silva. We know he really fancies AC (and tbf he was excellent today) and Zouma has been great for a while now. Rüdiger gets a lot of hate but I want to see him get a shot as well.

Well, that was dire. As a team we looked miles and MILES away from sharpness. Werner and the two CB's were the only ones who looked up to scratch so far. We desperately need these new players fit ASAP. Play like that a week from now and we'll lose by a handful.

Mount can't beat his man once. Gets dispossessed with ease each time.

This is embarrassing, man.

GET RUBEN OFFFFFFFF

The Ziyech injury is huge as it forces us to play mediocre RLC. We'd probably be pinning them in and forcing them to sit deeper with him on the right and Kai in the center. Ruben offers no real threat. Pulisic and Chilwell marauding down the other side will be a dramatic difference as well. Alonso is useless in a back 4 and Mount is wasted out wide.

How does a midfield containing Jorginho and Kante allow play to be dominated by a relegation caliber side? Just how? We've been forced to become a counter attacking small team by Brighton. Not Liverpool, not City. Brighton!

Hook him at halftime FFS!

Ruben and Mount have given the ball away nearly every time they've touched it. They both look MILES off the pace.

I pray Chilwell is fit soon. Watching Alonso move about like a tortoise is torture. And this will be sad to admit, but RLC is not good enough for me. Not Chelsea first XI quality. Offers almost nothing.

Reece needs to seriously shape up his all round play. Outside of his final delivery he has been pretty damned disappointing in recent months. Lamprey showing him up.

This is absolutely turgid. We have resorted almost entirely to lumping it up aimlessly.

Brighton stroking it around and dominating the ball. Brighton...

Has Frank commented on Pulisic? Just not risked here or did he injur himself yesterday in training?

Brighton will almost surely be playing for set plays and crosses against our weak defense. Hopefully we'll be able to totally control possesion and prevent them from exploiting that weakness.

Have to win this. With a match that many will expect us to lose next weekend, we can't afford to drop silly points against Brighton and already be playing catchup after the Liverpool game. Must say, I'm not feeling this team Frank has put out but it should have more than enough quality to beat Brighton.

Oh, wow. Zero natural wide attackers. Width is going to have to come from the fullbacks by the look of it. Big, BIG day for Ruben here. He 100% needs to impress.

Waiting alllll weekend and now waiting alllll day for our match has been tough. So anxious to see how the new boys look and also very nervous about how the exact same shoddy defense from last season will perform having had so little time to prepare and get up to fitness.