Possibly, but no one was offering us £30m for Nketiah. We had to take a risk and cash in on a player we considered to be at his peak value. The Balogun decision in isolation so far looks the correct one. Having a better back up than Nketiah is also a valid opinion.

Squad for PSV:
Raya, Ramsdale, Hein, Cédric, White, Walters, Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior, Zinchenko, Sousa, Elneny, Jorginho, Rice, Smith Rowe, Ødegaard, Nwaneri, Havertz, Trossard, Nelson, Saka, Nketiah, Jesus

But he has had plenty of easier opposition, for instance : five games in the CL against very poor opposition 1 goal. 2 games in the League Cup no goals.

Brighton is going to be Villa-lite. I'm hoping the Villa game made us angry and more focused. Brighton has a decent home record. They have beaten Newcastle, Ajax, drew with Liverpool. they have drawn against sides they should have beaten but they can be tough for big clubs.

I am curious to see how we start. If there is some sense of urgency.

I thought we were at Brighton, but we have them at home. Still, it could be a draw if we are not careful.

I'm hoping we play the youngsters and bench players and see what happens. I'm hoping PSV approach it with the mindset, we are just going to play the game out. What's going unnoticed possibly is that they are perfect in their league after 15 games. Crazy.

It’s amazing the lack of noise around Chelsea right now. 12th in the league, 12th last season, another £400m spent. Poch in as manager and still as awful and inconsistent as before. Can you imagine if that was us or Man U…or even spurs. Why do Chelsea get such an easy ride?

Look at some players as well, Enzo £105m, Caicedo £110m, Mudryk £90m…. I think if you’re a club that generally doesn’t spend big or spends big in isolated players then they’re under more scrutiny than those clubs who drop upwards of £60m on every single signing. Cucurella was £60m!!

Morning/afternoon Gaz,

True, but I say again, Havertz doesn't get played as an out and out striker.

Should every midfield player outscore Balogun?

(And I repeat, I'm yet to be convinced by Havertz, but a comparison between the two wasn't the point of my original post)

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/20 ... y-dilemma/

Chelsea don't get an easy ride. This is today's Telegraph link.

Fabregas would play for Klopp
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/7-KCaAI6Meg

Not sure what the problem is but long may it continue. I was surprised how good they were against us. Yeah, depending on the fan its either their 1st or 2nd biggest derby but we were a far higher class than they were in October. Even away.

I am also surprised that Poch has had so much trouble. Maybe he needs another season, but on paper they are a decent side.

I'm not convinced either, but he's putting forward a good argument at the moment.

0.39 goal involvements per 90 minutes is not bad from an attacking midfielder.

That's well ahead of some forwards. For example, Rashford (0.27) !

Ramsdale, Walters, White, Gabriel, Kiwior, Jorginho, Emile Smith Rowe, Havertz, Nelson, Nketiah, Nwanieri

Unless we are getting totally brutalised don’t change it and take the L

Yup, I know. I was not countering your opinion.

Loading = Total Meltdown when Arteta picks a strong side.

Ramsdale; Cédric, Saliba, Gabriel, Kiwior; Elneny, Jorginho, Havertz; Nelson, Nketiah, Trossard.

Subs: Raya, Hein, White, Saka, Ødegaard, Jesus, Smith Rowe, Zinchenko, Rice, Nwaneri, Sousa, Walters.

Why is Saliba playing? We need him fit for the season so why not Kiwior at CB.?

I'd have much preferred Walters to be given a start over Cédric. Cédric is not getting a new contract but Walters might be something for the future. I'd have also liked one of our starting CB to be rested, and I'd have given Nwaneri a start over Havertz.

I'm sure the written press do considered pieces but I'm more talking about the reactionary outbursts and hits driven stuff that sky sports and social media do. Where is the attack on them by influential pundits like Neville, Carragher etc. Where are the constant reminders about Poch being under pressure? The soundbites from every interview where he's asked about his job security and given a rough ride by the media? Have people just become numb to them being so consistently bad and laugh off the money as some zany brainwave by the owner?

Man U are getting a fair bit of stick for sure, but Chelsea? Poch is fortunate that Arteta has taken so much heat in recent weeks!

Loading complete

Prize money for winning any champions league group game is 2.4 mill, 900k for a draw.

Might give you a clue about the side we picked.

I hear that TG but why risk our 2 best centre backs in a nothing game like this.
He has been singing the praises of our youngsters but doesnt start any of them!
Rank stupidity if Saliba or Gabriel get injured.

Very simple really. We have zero cover for either of our full backs now Tomiyasu is injured. So it’s a call of who you decide to rest. 1 centre half or Zinchenko and from witnessing how kiwior has played at left back then trust me we don’t want our Ukrainian injured. Ben white well he’s been used sparingly recently because he’s had injuries.

I’ll be shocked if a full back doesn’t arrive in January even if it’s a loan and until then we are on tenderhooks if the 2 fullbacks get a knock over the Christmas period.

Nketiah!!!!!!!

Nelson is our brightest spark out there. He created this goal

Maybe but that opportunity took a lot of scoring. Taken very well.

For context, PSV are a proper team.

Played 15 won 15. Goals for 52, against 6. Leading the Eridivisie by 10 points.

Only team in Europe with 100% record.

Deserving of respect.

Nketiah was very composed to slide the ball between the defender's legs

PSV cuts through our midfield too easily

quick everyone turn over the ERG are about to make a statement that’s obviously not at all irrelevant to everyone in the country !

absolutely, huge team in NL.

not as easy as playing all teenagers and destroying their confidence

Cédric is playing ok, at least better than expected. Maybe Arteta’s reasoning for starting him ahead of Walters is he’s more likely to trust and turn to Cédric in an emergency league game than Walters, so it’s more important to the here and now to keep Cédric more match fit. He did the same in the last game where he could have easily bought on the youngsters but gave Nelson, Jorginho etc minutes

Rice on at Centre back. Must be a planned change to protect Saliba

Not sorry to see Bak go. Handful.

5 families

wot a bunch of absolute divs

Did that go in off Kiwior?

He wasn’t offside.

Emile Smith Rowe coming on

Yes

And no he wasn't

We got lucky

What's the point of those subs? A handful of minutes is no good for Emile Smith Rowe and why Jesus.....why? Why werecthe youngsters brought along?