Chelsea Team and Matches Talk

24 Aug 2026 23:04:16
Good performance from the outfield players all in all. Attack looks dangerous. Delighted to see Palmer looking fit and hungry to prove a point, same with JP. Really liked the look at Lacroix, especially 1v1. Think the system suits him perfectly.

Onto Bob Sanchez. Nothing else to say. He's simply not very good, maybe even worst in the league.

Mistakes aside, he's an absolute disaster on the ball and anyone that's tried to convince us otherwise. I hope you can finally see what some have seen since he first signed. Same old story with him. Luckily Fulham were worse than bang average, or it'd be another game he's cost us.

25 Aug 2026 06:57:52
Fulham are fifth favourites with bookies to be relegated this season, and, yes, looked like it last night. Only Sanchez kept them in the game.

25 Aug 2026 07:26:12
It must be me, but I can't see Fulham being anywhere near the relegation zone.

I just can't see us signing a top keeper (not many about) as it will block the path for Penders.

I think Penders will play midweek, but Sanchez will start against Brighton. I hope I'm wrong.

25 Aug 2026 09:02:13
I didn't think Fulham were that bad, to be honest.

I've supported Sanchez for a while and I think there's a good keeper in there. However, for the level we want to reach, and I believe we can reach, he isn't good enough. We keep hearing about how Penders is a potential generational GK. Let him show it. If he isn't up to it this season, send him on loan again and bring someone in.



How good was it to see Palmer play like that? When he's on form, I personally think he's the best player in the league, one of the best in the world.

Last negative from me is Gusto. I think he's crap. He has no defensive awareness, is always caught sleeping at the back post, has no technical ability, no brain. If we could get £35m I'd sell.

25 Aug 2026 17:18:54
Saim, Sanchez has had 3 years and hasn't improved. Unfortunately, we can't just sit and pray he wakes up world class one day. Get rid, and send Roberts with him. Any average keeper would be an option. Heck, id be dying for a Begovic/Caballero level keeper, watching Sanchez fluff the basics and pile pressure onto us every week.

24 Aug 2026 22:22:25
Ok, Sanchez made costly mistakes but for me the positives were there for all to see. I’m generally happy with the team's performance without Caicedo. Some of the individual performances were excellent.

24 Aug 2026 22:53:21
Tom, we will not compete at the highest level with Sanchez: he negates the positives, and no doubt scares the crap out of our defenders.

24 Aug 2026 23:03:50
Jimbo, he made two mistakes, but thankfully it didn't cost us the game. If that's what some would rather focus on, that's up to them.
I'm looking at a front three that looked scary, Lavia and Josh were fantastic, plus Lacroix had a very solid debut.
Three points away from home. Happy days.

25 Aug 2026 08:55:10
He actually made 3 mistakes when he came for the ball, and nearly got chipped.

Would have been 3-4 and 2 points lost.

Give Penders a chance.

25 Aug 2026 09:09:38
Lrdit, I wasn't that unhappy that he had a rush of blood and charged out. It seemed enough to put Robinson off, although he did get lucky.

24 Aug 2026 22:13:24
I don't want to get carried away but with the attacking side of things I am genuinely excited. Palmer playing like he had a massive point to prove, good showing from Rogers, JP an absolute handful as always now (tired towards the end). Wonderful to see Lavia playing again, and Lacroix had a pretty solid debut. Acheampong starting is another big plus – he'll get better, and lovely to see a manager show faith in him. I don't know, I've just had this really good feeling since Alonso was announced.

I just trust him to make the right calls. Intelligent, thoughtful – love his manner and always have, even when he was at Liverpool (think I said it around the time the rumours started, but he's the player of theirs I always wished we had). Not sure if we'll go anywhere with Bob in goal, but genuinely thrilled to have what looks like a proper manager for the first time in a good long while.

24 Aug 2026 22:43:03
Edw, I totally agree with your post. Far more to be positive about than negative. Besides the front three, Lacroix had a fantastic debut, Josh was excellent, and Lavia is looking good.

24 Aug 2026 22:49:40
Edw, I generally agree with you. A bit scrappy at times, but 3 points to start the season off is very welcome. Our front line will score a lot of goals this season, but I don't want to see James and Lavia start again as a midfield two. Defensively, we will still have work to do, but I agree Lacroix had a very solid debut. Gusto was pretty poor again.
However, like you, I have faith in Alonso. That said, I think it is undeniable that having Sanchez between the sticks will hinder our chances of seriously competing this season.

It's not just how he conceded the goals; his distribution was appalling. His hoofs upfield invariably led to us losing possession. I suspect Penders would have started against Luton in any event, but if it is believed that he is not ready, we must go into the market for a better keeper than Sanchez, which shouldn't be difficult.

24 Aug 2026 22:49:40
Agreed EdW, though reckon we need better wing-backs to support our excellent front 3. Gusto and Hato ok, with Gusto generally more advanced and Hato offering more defensively, but they needed to be better.

Pep C did not impress on his debut, but it was his debut.

But I was really impressed by our front 3, especially in the first half, and Palmer my MoM. It has been a while since I've been able to write that.

25 Aug 2026 16:44:15
Thanks for the replies, Tom, Jimbo, JBS. Agree with your points. Jimbo, yes, we need to get rid of Sanchez. He's panicked at all times, and, as we've all said, it spreads fear through the defence. We all saw it with Onana at United as well, and before that Kepa - the difference it makes just having someone not prone to ridiculous errors. The whole team benefits. Gusto needs replacing (although I thought he was good for the first fifteen minutes or so) - assume you all watched some of preseason, where I thought Palestra looked excellent, at least in an attacking sense.

So that's maybe the right side sorted. Agree also that Chavarria didn't look great (and, in fact, a slight worry was that we looked lesser for almost all of the subs we made, including Estevao, although Quenda was decent for his age), but we'll have to give him a few games to adapt. Shame not to have Cucu there in this current setup. All in all, a lot of cause for optimism, even if it's still threatening to be undermined by a couple of crucial weak links. I don't get the impression Alonso will mess about with that stuff, so we'll see what happens in the next few weeks.

25 Aug 2026 17:41:07
Agree with you EdW in terms of concern about the bench... though I did think Enzo helped steady the ship a bit when he came on with short passes and giving us a little bit more possession. Trouble is, he is likely leaving, and can we replace him in time if he does with the quality needed?

Also think Palestra is a v good prospect.

I.

The problem is that we do still rely, it seems, on lots and lots of youngsters. Caicedo, when fit, obviously makes a huge difference, and perhaps Henderson will be used off the bench a bit in terms of a calm head. Cucurella is a huge loss and would have been even better than previously under Alonso as manager.

24 Aug 2026 22:04:26
Great win and that front 3 is special. But, get rid of Sanchez please.

24 Aug 2026 22:50:21
We are all in agreement with your post, EbW.

24 Aug 2026 22:00:36
3am kick off to start our season, and much like the boys I need a few weeks to get up to standard. I actually slept through my alarm until 3:50 so missed the entire first half. Will be rewatching it. From what I saw of the second half, it is so nice to have the real Cole Palmer back, boy is he smooth on the ball at his best.

Was surprised to see Lavia starting but also very pleased for him.

Morgan seemed absolutely shattered by the time he came off. Enzo did little to help us control the game when he came on and we look very open when balls are played over the top. Seems Sanchez cost us both goals but there's nothing new there and we are a top keeper away from really challenging.

Ecstatic to start the season with 3 points.

24 Aug 2026 22:52:23
Glad waking up was worth it, Melbourne, and you will enjoy watching our attacking moves first half.

24 Aug 2026 23:34:16
We look very fluid on the break, JBS! One of the joys of China is getting access to all 5 top leagues and European games for $50USD a year, with replays on demand (although replays are always with Chinese commentators).

All we asked for last year was to play with some effort and pride in the badge.

Great to see the lads put in a shift! Cole seems ready to take off again, and his link up with Joao and Morgan should become lethal.

Some shaky moments in defence, which isn't helped by knowing you have Sanchez behind you waiting to give up goals.

24 Aug 2026 21:59:20
Front three amazing, particularly Palmer. Lavia and Josh very good, and Lacroix very solid debut.

Obviously, Sanchez errors could have been costly, but, and it’s a small but, I don’t think Colwill was at his best for their second. Colwill could also been sent off, in my opinion, for a second yellow.

Three points and a lot learned. So, not a bad start to the season.

24 Aug 2026 21:18:27
Got to laugh, the third goal goes in and commentator says ‘if they play smart now and Sanchez doesn’t throw one in it should be there game. Lol he is the worse keeper going. If he starts again, I would be getting rid of someone.

24 Aug 2026 22:00:25
Out of that game surely there must be some positive comments.

24 Aug 2026 22:04:53
With a decent keeper, we win that game 3 0. Has to be replaced by Penders, or we need to buy.

24 Aug 2026 22:05:05
We've still got Ben Roberts who recommended him, I think. Laughable.

24 Aug 2026 22:05:51
Three full years of this. Three.

24 Aug 2026 22:16:21
I assume Penders will play midweek, but I think he starts Sanchez again against Brighton. Scary.

24 Aug 2026 22:31:06
Positives were the attacking moves we put together first half, with interchanges between JP, MR and a rejuvenated CP... though he had to come off second half. Also, Lavia pretty good, though subbed for Enzo F with about 20 m8ns to go. But we really missed Caicedo, and if EF leaves, and perhaps even if he doesn't, we may need another defensive midfielder anyway, given Lavia's frailty.

Rogers looked very good for most of the first half, but then tired and doesn't offer much defensively... even Palmer a fair bit better tonight in that respect.

Lacrpix had an ok debut, and we generally kept our shape pretty well, but we still look shaky defensively, made much worse by the fact that Sanchez looks so nervous so much of the time, and his positioning and distribution are generally so poor. Could have been majorly at fault for four goals, not just the two, with the first showing even his supposed shot stopping strength not exactly present. Costa please... and when watching Sanchez I don't mean a coffee!

24 Aug 2026 23:07:03
JBS, I would love Costa but in my opinion it ain't gonna happen because it would be a block for Penders.

24 Aug 2026 20:53:30
Also hope this vein of refereeing continues throughout the season. Letting it be a more physical game again in the games I've seen so far. Whisper it, but VAR has been much better deployed so far – think that Colwill yellow would have had five mins of debate as to whether Bassey would have had a run at goal, and the Lavia challenge might have been looked at in seasons past too.

Early days of course, and there's still a lot of time for them to return to old habits. What have you thought of the reffing so far this season Ed001 (p. s. been some time, happy new season and hope you're well mate! )

{Ed001's Note - Mixed. The use of VAR is better but the refs are abysmal.

24 Aug 2026 21:59:16
Yeah, but the refs have always been pretty cr*p. At least there's less of a secondary layer of it to get furious about. ;)

{Ed001's Note - very true.}

24 Aug 2026 22:05:33
Ref was crap.

24 Aug 2026 20:51:02
Our front three look scary good with Palmer on a different level. Josh playing well and Lavia looking very solid.
Colwill lucky not to pick up a second yellow. Downside Sanchez howler.

24 Aug 2026 20:50:35
We'll be a fun team for the neutrals this season if we keep on like this and don't change the keeper. Look half decent going forward to put it mildly. What has Alonso done to Gusto? He played a ridiculous through-ball to set up Pedro in preseason, and playing like an actual decent footballer again this evening.

24 Aug 2026 22:09:51
EdW, it can't have been Gusto. He was ok tonight. Let's hope he can get back to the form of a year ago. Wing back should suit him.

24 Aug 2026 22:14:05
Looks like I spoke too soon on Gusto. Really faded into the second half and abysmal by the end.