Jase

Mbappe tested positive for COVID-19 and has been withdrawn from the France squad. Not sure if others are infected and/or need to be quarantined.

Matt Law on the Mendy pursuit... https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2020/09/07/chelsea-aiming-complete-goalkeeper-edouard-mendy-signing/

Pretty sure Kova is suspended for prem games as it's just domestic not specific to the fa cup Just had a look again and think you're right..

Some bits on the transfer update: - Talks are progressing well. An offer worth 14 million pounds was rejected by Rennes but negotiations are ongoing and an agreement should be reached. - Mendy expected to arrive "within days or the next few weeks". (LOL!) - Club have considered a number of options including Oblak, Onana and Pope but Mendy is seen as the best option right now. - Mendy will be brought in to compete with Kepa, who looks likely to remain because there is little interest from elsewhere. - Club could also buy a defensive midfielder. Rice remains on the wishlist, although he was originally lined up for his ability to play at the back as well as in the centre. Club also monitored Lille's Soumare last season.

Idiots...

So that red 3rd kit is real...

The club have never really released statements on a player's injury.

According to Simon Johnson on the latest Chelsea podcast on The Athletic, the club still plan to buy 2 more players - a new keeper and new defensive midfielder. The club also want to offload the deadwoods from the rather large squad.

IIRC, Southgate talked about picking players on merit early in his reign but has become just like any other manager in picking his favorites regardless of form etc.

Think the suspension will only apply to the FA Cup as it wasn't a straight red card.

Regarding Ziyech's injury in the Sam Wallace article, this is the line that was mentioned... https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2020/09/05/pressure-frank-lampard-piece-together-chelseas-expensively-assembled/ Maybe it's just me but that feels like a throwaway line in regard to the context of the entire article rather than anything specific on Ziyech's injury. Maybe he will miss the start of the season but if there's been news, one would think Goal, Guardian etc would have picked up on it. Let's see if he's in the training pics this coming week or if there's some actual updates. If not, we just gotta wait for Lampard's presser on Friday.

He did but I don't think the point was about Ziyech's injury.

I never said I was British and I never said I am Austrian either.

Worth pointing out that Mount said this earlier this year.. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-7899613/Mason-Mount-reveals-making-Premier-League-quitting-Chelsea.html

Tie to be played on Sept 22/23, which will be between the Liverpool (h) and West Brom (a) league games.

We'll face Middlesbrough or Barnsley at HOME in the Carabao Cup third round.

Barcelona are really clueless, aren't they? They have an ageing squad, players with basically no resale value and they want to buy another 30-year-old?

Someone on the Guardian suggested Alessio Cragno from Cagliari, although it's not a transfer rumor or anything. https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/sep/05/a-transfer-target-for-each-premier-league-club-in-the-summer-window