oldgit

"In front of them" is right. Mudryk was disappointing in this game, as he had old man Young to contend with and should have eaten him for breakfast, but he kept making wrong decisions. Patterson coming on made his job harder. Broja hardly got a look in with their packed defence but he wasn't helped by the poor quality of ball into the area. Cucerella looked very lively and gave us width and pace. Palmer is much better employed in midfield. No complaints about Caceido, he's superb.

Dominated the game and weaved pretty patterns in midfield but piss poor finishing was our undoing. We needed a lot more runs into their penalty area, dragging defenders around, but when you have players lacking confidence, the easy option is the way to go. Everton are, at the moment, confident, disciplined in defence but limited in attack.

I'm the same Keith, especially after they beat the Geordies convincingly. I'm hoping Poch. will play Broja from the start. We must nulify their wingers and stop the crosses into the box where we've been useless lately.

Whoever plays tomorrow need to play without fear and show more guts and determination, than in our last two away games, because Everton will be alight because they've got a point to prove.

I only saw the second half but their second goal was a certainiy to arrive. Misplaced after misplaced pass out of defence and poor control by our forwards, gave them the impetus and confidence, I've had enough of Jackson, His first touch is poor and is as weak as a kitten holding the ball up. He's a forward that needs an airport runway to run into, but you only get that in the Premier League when you're up against 9 men, Broja's different class in my view.

I couldn't watch the last ten minutes Keith. Too much stress on the old ticker. Talking of old, I noticed that all the ' after timers' who love to be right when the game is finished, were out in force after the Newcastle game, letting it be known that they thought that Thiago was past it and should step aside. No sign of them and their 'wisdom' before the Spurs and City games and conspicuous by their absence after this game as well. I would be more impressed if these talking fish stuck to their guns and persisted in their beliefs, irrespective that he was flawless but they never do, because they can never be seen to be wrong.

Paulsen was very picky, handing out cards like confetti, instead of letting the game flow. Conor's red changed the whole complexion of the game for us because, up to that point, we were comfortable and handled their attacks well. Looking at our back four before the game, I was concerned that Colwill and Disasi would be run ragged by their nippy wingers, but they handled them OK. Caceido was definitely up for this game, steaming into tackles which bordered on reckless but he got away with it. Mudryk showed in patches what an immense talent he is in attack but was also willing to track back and help defensively.

Yeah, Haarland is built like a brick <deleted>e house and Cucerella is a midget by comparison, yet he goes down like a tart on a Saturday night. He ought to be on a West End stage. What a game though! The only fault I would have with us, is that, when we piled forward on the attack, we had too many men upfield which left a bloody great gap for them to run into and attack our back four and Sanchez . Still, it's not too often that a team puts four past City. There's no doubt that, after this and the Spurs games, our confidence is sky high. Sterling is a completely different player from the one sauntering around last season.

Did you see the whole game Keith? I had to get up early for a Melbourne Cup do, so I only caught the highlights.

We're on the up Keith. We got beat 4-1 by them last season! I was very disappointed with Mandueke. I expected him to take on the full back on his outside, but he just kept recycling the ball back to the defenders. The big difference between the two sides was their attacking threat. Jackson needs to learn very quickly that you need a mean streak in the Premier League. Disappointing to concede a goal yet again, from a cross to the far post. Too much ball watching going on.

I like Ivan Toney because, when the allegations of betting arose, he didn't let it affect his football and was still putting himself about until he was banned. It showed that he had a strong mentality and will keep himself in shape when he returns.. Same with Thomas Frank, if you want to go, bugger off and close the door on your way out.

Yeah Keith, Sanchez had a howler but that happens to everybody, even the best, sometimes. The BBC Sports website, who must have the most bland, non commital journalists on the planet, decided after Sanchez had won the Save of the Month competition and had put in some good performances, to put the question to the reader "Is Robert Sanchez Chelsea's best signing this summer?" Notice that the journalist is posing a question and not giving an opinion, perish the thought, but in a back handed way, expecting a positive response. Well, the response was overwhelmingly yes. Would the BBC had asked that question AFTER the Arsenal game? Would they f&^k. Why? Because these so called professionals since on the fence so much, their collective arse'ole must bleed. Me? He's without doubt a very good signing, considering that he came in after Kepa hot footed to Spain, thrown in at the deep end and has acquitted himself well in a short space of time.

Blimey, that's a blast from the past! He's still about in England.

Bloody annoying to let the lead slip that way, after the work rate and commitment the team put in for 70 minutes. Funnily enough, I thought we looked the most comfortable we had been throughout the match, just before their goal. They looked like they were shot and just wanted to get out of the place, until the Sanchez error. Then that gave them the renewed confidence to come forward. Loads of stand out performances for us too numerous to mention. The positives are that the squad is progressing under Poch and there's a togetherness now. The defence is solid and the midfield looking top notch. The attack is a work in progress but is getting there.

I was gobsmacked when he gave a yellow to Caceido. The ball wasn't even in play when he kicked it away. Why was Broja substituted? I thought he did well in the first half with a couple of runs and dribbles that reminded me of the great Peter Osgood....The King of Stamford Bridge.

Yeah, very stodgy first half with hardly any movement, nobody deserving any credit there. A large slice of luck for us at the end of the half. Sterling was alight in the second half, showing all his old pace and tenacity, while the confidence grew throughout the team, once we took the lead. Good movement and a better understanding in midfield the longer the game went on. The number of times Gallagher won the ball, when he looked like he had no chance, was remarkable!

A vital save by Sanchez to deny their sub. Distribution still a bit dodgy but still an impressive, confident 'keeper. That's the best I've seen Disasi play.

An important win against a well drilled, hard working Fulham team. The most impressive aspect of the game was the interlink play between Gallagher, Enzo and Caceido. Their understanding is really coming together now and, with Palmer drifting inside on occasions, that midfield looked solid. The back four also looked solid with Cucerella looking far more positive and aggressive. That's down to Poch. and his staff. After an indifferent start, Mudryk showed everybody what a talent he is with a stylish goal while Broja earned his by sheer hard work.

A big confidence booster for Jackson to get his goal. He reminds me of Drogba when he first came to the Bridge. Kept falling over like a dying swan, then he bulked up and the penny dropped and the rest, as they say, is history. Broja looked the part when he came on. You know Keith? That's only the second time this season where the opposition has hemmed us back in our own half for long periods, the other being Liverpool.

A fighting performance and a much needed win against a slick passing opponent. My stand out players were Cucurella and Maatsen, who did a great job in keeping Mitoma quiet. Others who can be proud of their efforts were Sanchez, a bit dodgy in parts but produced some vital stops, Corwill, Chilwell and Palmer who was everywhere. Mudryk worked hard, but he's got use his searing pace more and take on people on the outside, instead of ducking inside all the time.

Palmer came to Chelsea mainly because of Pocchetino's 'plan and vision of the future of the club'. He also knows Madueke and Colwill through the England Under 21 team so, they must have been waxing lyrical about Poch. as well. I like Palmer because he's strong on the ball, intelligent (a rare commodity with young players nowadays), finds space and can pick a pass. Guardiola was said to be distraught when he decided to go. Now, if Pocchetino would go, I don't think he would want to hang around too long either. Boehly is a typical brash, I do it my way, self made millionaire who think that he knows everything about anything. Enticing the best young talent in world football to our club, with 7 and 8 year contracts, was very clever. The problem is, he's impatient. He talked about the long term but, as soon as things start to go awry he panics. He can't be allowed to get involved in on field matters as he did with Potter. I've a feeling that Pocchetino laid the law down as a proviso for taking the job, hence the short contract as cover with an option to extend.

You watch Keith, when Hudson -Odoi scores his first goal for Forest. "Why did we sell him?" will scream the after-timing Tik Toker generation. Exactly the same happened when Lukaku, Giroud and Pulisic scored.

Yep, diabolical performance by the ref. I don't even think it was a red. Saying all this, we should have wrapped the game up with the three one- on-ones we had. What's wrong with chipping the goalkeeper instead of trying to roll it under his body? Clapham Common style finishing. A chance for Poch. to shuffle the pack against our 'role models' on Wednesday. Thiago won't play, neither will Jackson and Gusto. I would also rest Enzo because he hasn't looked half as effective since returning from the World Cup play offs. Play Colwill centrally in defence. Palmer should definitely start this game or/and against Fulham. He's been impressive.

100 per cent Boehly and Co.'s fault that we find ourselves in the mess we are in now. 3 months after taking over, they sack a manager, who had won the Champions League and the Club World Cup the previous season, because he was a "nightmare" to deal with (a diddums), then looked to the South to fashion the new generation, because 'Everything in Brighton is wonderful,' thereby ripping the asre out of the club. They've given Pocchetino a helluva job to turn things around. This IS a long term project and Pocchetino is exactly the right man for the job, even if it means languishing in the bottom half of the table for a few seasons. Patience and confidence are key now.

Yeah, the honeymoon period is over for these new players. Jackson needs to grow a pair and man up to the physicality of the Premier League. It's no good crying to the ref. when a defender gets aggressive. A couple of times that happened with others in the team, complaining instead of maintaining concentration and getting on with the game. Gusto needs to practice more on crossing the ball. All in all, another game and another opportunity missed where we should have got all three points.