SwedishEntity

Was a strange game let me tell you... it was obvious five minutes into the game that Luton - currently at least - are a midtable Championship team. Our midfield looked miles from last season and gave the ball away frequently and sometimes provided limited options for our defenders, but there was just no way Luton could punish it. They had some fantastic counter-attack opportunities and got the ball up quickly but there was zero end product in terms of passing and finishing. Their right back was good but other than that their defense looked very wonky and end result could have been 8-2 or something. Most shrugable 4-1 win... feeling afterwards was just "ok, but how would we do against a PL team?" I'm confident your boys could score two goals against this lot. Says it all really.

Struggling to tell if we're as good as last season or if Luton are just utterly horsesh*t.

It was very cheap yes, and you and the rest of the big 6 get plenty of those. Now a slightly cheap one for Luton as well, though more fairly given. Luton aren't picking many points away this season, I'll tell you that. Feels a bit like a pre-season friendly this one.

I think Rob Sanchez will calm you down a bit. But the bloke has not played a game - not even a friendly - for six months.

I dunno. I'd give Aubameyang that title.

Oh. I'm used to that when a player wants away, we send them to you and get the GDP of a small African country in return, whereas Lukaku was sent on one year holiday in Italy instead.

Damn you've noticed he's playing for us... Lets say £30m?

Thick move if there ever was one. Taking your best goal scorer and loaning him to a club that wouldn't be able to afford him. Are there Chelsea fans who genuinely think you wouldn't have scored more goals with Lukaku last season?

Maybe but I think his vision and technique is not good enough to play in a congested area like the central midfield. I moaned a fair bi on the Brighton board about Cucurella's attacking capacity. People gave responses like "duh, don't you see? Statistically he has created the most chances for us!" - which was perhaps the case, but simply because his main attacking contribution was to pass the ball to Trossard who would then have a go at goal. Yes, City wanted him for £40m or something, but once the price got higher they said "nah, feck it". I think they knew he was a limited but intense and flexible player who could do the job that was given to Sergio Gomez instead, as a backup LB also capable of playing LCB in a back three. I don't think they intended to have him as a starter.

This is a good point. Ornstein and some others said, early, that "Brighton wants £100m". But that was just assumptions. From previous negotiations, such as the Ben White to Arsenal-one, we know Brighton's modus operandi in transfer sales: there is no fee. You put a bid in, Tony Bloom nods or shakes his head. You put another bid in... same thing. If you had started on £100m, he would have smiled and shook his head. It was sensible to start at a lower fee despite knowing you'd never get him for £65m or whatever the first bid was. I do think, however, that you could probably have gotten him a little bit cheaper than you'll get him now if you had hurried up a bit and tried the £100m bid a couple of weeks ago. Partially because of this, I think a "Chelsea-Brighton conspiracy" is more likely than the "Liverpool-Brighton conspiracy" some are speculating about. Not only because Paul Barber and Todd Boehly are really close, but also because Chelsea get to beat a big 6 rival to a signing while being able to pay up above £100m without looking completely mugged. The whole thing is a great PR success for Chelsea and Brighton, and utterly sh*t for Liverpool. Most likely there's no conspiracy at all, but to me there is no f**king way Klopp (and his club) secretly agreed with Brighton to look like idiots just to make Chelsea spend another £15-20m.

Marc was good but not fantastic for most of that season. His effort and funny hair etc. covered up that he couldn't really cross the ball, shot or use his right foot. He'd also quite frequently get caught out in attack. For the last 8 games, GP made a tactical swap (and introducing Caicedo) which made Cucurella play as a roaming LCB rather than a LB or LWB. Caicedo providing additional cover (before that it had only been Bissouma) made Cucurellas role as a "free-roaming LCB" easier: less thinking, more go-get-the-f**king-ball. A lot of those last eight games were wins or draws - but most also had another thing in common: they were against top teams. Just like his best games for Getafe, such as him single-handedly destroying A**x, were against far stronger teams, because his strengths are really in his ability to tackle and intercept rather than as a "playing LB/LWB". But I think the biggest reason for his fall from grace was the tonsilitis infection that hospitalised him not long after signing for Chelsea. When elite athletes lose 10% of their body weight due to some very nasty infection, it is difficult to recover. Its a rapid body change that could lead to temporary or permanent (like in the case with my fellow Swede John Guidetti, whose body never quite recovered from getting some infection at the end of his Feyenoord loan) change in physical capacity. Regardless of severity, it definitely has some impact if you're a fairly lightweight player and you lose 5 kilos in a week or two. I hope he can recover and I could see him being a decent squad player for Chelsea, but his main skills just aren't made for a top team. He only looks "fun", in reality he is more of a destroyer than a modern wing-back.

Two seasons ago he helped a team with the 19th highest payroll in the PL to a 9th position and last season took the team with the 18-20th highest payroll to a 6th place in the league. Strangely, the largest change happened in attack. GP's Brighton were struggling for a long while to score goals but once Caicedo entered the team, the boys started to score for fun and this has remained the case when RDZ took over. While not producing many goals or assist himself, his ability to either win the ball or receive a pass from defenders, turn around - even when heavily pressured - and find the opening pass or the most sensible solution... it is certainly something extra. The boy retains a 100% focus/concentration throughout the game, and mistakes are incredibly rare. I've seen better ball winners, better playmakers, better dribblers, tactically better, physically stronger... but to at the age of 21 be a 8 out of 10 in all those categories... it is unique.

Pretty happy about it. Just like I'll be happy if we can avoid Tyler Adams. Kudus is a good player, no doubt, but I'm a bit fascinated why all these big (or good) clubs are allegedly looking for him, because he really hasn't shown that much in A**x. Another warning sign for me is that he's from the Right To Dream academy, known among other things for systematical age manipulation. Bloke may well be 26-27.

I mean, given that Arsenal paid a £100m for a glorified version of Gareth Barry... £115m to get the next Kante/Makelele (but with the playmaking and ball carrying of Edgar Davids) for the next 10-15 years really isn't a bad deal, all things considered. The only thing that could stop him is injuries, and he doesn't seem very prone to those although you never know what a year or two in Chelsea could change in that regard.

hE iS A gamE changeR iN A similaR fashioN aS kantE actuallY. looK aT potterS brightoN witH anD withouT caicedO. looK aT rdzs brightoN wheN caicedO waS unavailablE oR haD tO bE subbeD ofF. mosT timeS, nighT anD daY. i'M A massivE potteR faN anD A hugE faN oF robertO aS welL, buT nonE oF theM - oR cucurellA - woulD havE reacheD thosE topS withouT thE helP froM caicedO. thE boY iS worlD clasS.

Good if true. Get it done. Good for Brighton. And very good for you as well. You're finally signing someone who makes a lot of difference. It is a cataclysmic signing for you.

If it is between Chelsea, Liverpool and Brighton, his choice is Chelsea. If it is between Brighton and Liverpool... choice is most likely Liverpool. He was disgruntled in January as well, refusing to train. Quick exchange of blowjobs with RDZ and everything was fine again. Sure, RDZ has not helped Brighton today by opening his mouth a bit wide (not the first time), but I think only two things are certain: Tony Bloom won't accept £100m after accepting £110m, and Caicedo won't sacrifice his career just because he isn't getting his move. Either someone pay the £110m (or whatever it may be) or Caicedo, somewhat disgruntled but giving his all on the pitch until he gets that move, sticks around.

Because you've tried all summer not to pay what Brighton want and it has not worked out well? Don't mind it personally. If you want to play another round with Tony Bloom rather than putting those £11m on the table, you do you.

That will eventually happen. Too bad it would be because of asking a valid question, however. If these are "strategic games", saying that "Chelsea wants Liverpool to remove their bid" is like me asking my opponent in chess to remove their king. Great if it works but the opponent is likely to say "no, I don't think so". You'll have to have a better strategic plan I think. Like paying up.

Any reason Liverpool or Brighton would give a sh*t about what you want?

Why though? Rob Sanchez was a top 10 PL goalie in his first two seasons. Arguably a top 5 in the second one. Does that match your ambition? Perhaps not in the long run. Is it much of a downgrade from Kepa? Not much, if any. I think in his best moments, Kepa is a bit better but Sanchez is less prone to f**k up (though that has happened on occasion, as with any keeper). If you can get a good bid for Kepa, take it and run because the opportunity to sell him won't come around often.

Would be fairly impressive if you manage to buy two DMCs the same night, but you also have to wonder why you decided to wait until just before the PL start if you were going to spend that £150-170m anyway. Surely would have better to get it done in June or something?

Surely if that is the case, it means you've given up on Moises and he'll join Liverpool, presumably. But might still be time to put that £100m+Colwill offer on the table...

When it comes to the fans, I think you're right - a lot of people percieve Chelsea as the main rivals now. And Roberto De Zerbi is a bit of a crowd pleaser and won't mind f**king around with Chelsea verbally. But higher up, I think relations are good. Todd Boehly and (powerful) Brighton CEO Paul Barber know each other since before and frequently sit together at fancy schmancy events. And while Marc Cucurella may have failed so far, he could still turn out great. Graham Potter could also have turned out great if given more time. Rob Sanchez might be a success. A lot of money were spent on these and so far you have had pretty much no return from these signings. It is easy to forget though that there's also lesser known deals, such as Zak Sturge and alleged mega-talent Shim Mhueka, moving to Chelsea, and without much friction. Having a first crack at players from a very good academy could prove worth more than any money you've spent so far. Ignoring that Chelsea and Brighton fans don't really like each others clubs right now, I think business relations are fine (or better).

Can't send a player on loan to a PL club the same summer you sign him. I don't think Brighton want Adams actually. Not very good and probably better paid than most current Brighton players.