PETR CECH is preparing to come out of retirement and represent Chelsea's development squad in a London derby against Tottenham this evening.
Meanwhile the Blues senior team have found out they face a horror tie against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.
Get all the latest transfer news, updates and gossip from Stamford Bridge.
- Jake Lambourne
MASON’S ANALYSIS
Mason Mount has spoken of his disappointment at the club's defeat against Everton.
He said: “Everton are a tough team, they make it very hard. We know we didn’t start well enough, we didn’t start like we have been playing recently and then we got punished.
“From 1-0 down it is a difficult game, so we have to look at how we started and correct that for the next game.
“These things happen sometimes, but we want to be pushing for number one and we can’t start like that. We know that.
“We have to look at where we went wrong and really try to correct it for the next game because the games come thick and fast and it’s another away game so we need to ready for that.”
- Jake Lambourne
SPEAKING FRANKLY
Frank Lampard reckons Chelsea could not have had it harder than with Atletico Madrid in the Champions League knockout stages.
He said: “I think most people will say it’s the toughest draw that we could have had when you go on current form in La Liga, European experience, quality of team and play.
“But all draws are difficult in the Champions League. We have to have belief in ourselves when that game comes round. We’re going to have to beat these sort of teams if you’re going to win the Champions League, so it is what it is.
“Any draw would be tough but if you look, they’re top of La Liga. I watched them knock Liverpool out last year, who are obviously a great team and have that experience and quality in the squad.
“I think most people who certainly have said they are one of the toughest teams we could have drawn on paper. But we’ll have to turn up and do our job and be confident we can beat them.”
- Jake Lambourne
OUT ON A LAM
Frank Lampard will have little room to manoeuvre as he seeks to refresh his misfiring attack for the clash with Wolves.
Chelsea have failed to score from open play for two games in a row and have a number of injuries to contend with.
Callum Hudson-Odoi, Hakim Ziyech and Christian Pulisic are all set to miss the Molineux match-up on Tuesday.
A hamstring injury kept the American out of the defeat at Everton with his two wide colleagues set for longer spells on the sideline.
All three have leg muscle injuries with both Hudson-Odoi and Ziyech likely out until the turn of the year.
That could keep Kai Havertz in the line-up despite his disappointing showing at Goodison Park.
- Jake Lambourne
NO PAIN, NO SPAIN
Will Chelsea be able to pull off another inspired victory in Spain against Atletico?
- Jake Lambourne
COLE SHOULDER
Joe Cole has stated that Frank Lampard was right to downplay Chelsea's chances of winning the Premier League.
He told talkSPORT: “Chelsea are somewhere in the middle.
“The way the league is set up, no one is running away with it – this is a bump in the mood road for Chelsea and there will be a bump in the road for Liverpool, for Tottenham, but he is still right to dampen the mood a little bit.
“I saw Jurgen Klopp named them (Chelsea) title contenders in his press conference last week, but I think Jurgen has been a bit smart. Chelsea will have days like this.”
- Jake Lambourne
COSTLY DRAW
Diego Costa will certainly be out for blood when he returns to Stamford Bridge.
- Jake Lambourne
LU WOULDN'T DARE
Former Chelsea centre-back David Luiz has denied reports of a rift between himself and Mikel Arteta amid Arsenal's nightmare run of form.
According to football.london, a dressing room revolt is brewing over Arteta's handling of the team.
Luiz's relationship with the manager was described as having 'soured' – leading to the pair allegedly not talking to each other for several weeks.
Yet the Brazilian's representatives quickly rebutted the suggestion.
A statement read: “David Luiz strongly denies this story about him and Arteta and insists he has a good relationship with Arteta and wishes nothing but success.”
- Jake Lambourne
MAD FOR IT
Chelsea have been drawn against Atletico Madrid!
What a tough tie that is for Frank Lampard's side.
- Jake Lambourne
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE DRAW
A reminder that the Champions League draw is underway!
Click HERE to follow.
Who will Chelsea get…
- Jake Lambourne
ROUD NOT TO
Former Leeds United player Noel Whelan think Chelsea forward Olivier Giroud is a signing the Whites should look at making.
Speaking to BBC Radio Leeds, he said: “I think we would really thrive with a player like that [Giroud] who is dominating the air.
“We saw how dangerous he was for Chelsea and when he goes abroad and plays for France, and he nearly was available, but Frank kept him on and he is probably thinking what a good job he did keeping him on.
“But that kind of physicality we need.”
- Jake Lambourne
FEELING BLUE
Former Chelsea striker Tony Cascarino was not shy of criticising the performances of Timo Werner and Kai Havertz on Saturday.
Speaking on talkSPORT, he said: “Timo Werner is struggling and hasn’t scored in six now. I saw him against Rennes and I thought he was really poor.
“Look, he is devastatingly quick and he has got a goal record, and I expect him to get one at Chelsea.
“Kai Havertz found it really difficult yesterday, he was on the fringe of the game. He is another really talented player.
“At times, it felt like they were playing with nine men. I don’t mean that they weren’t putting any effort in, but they just didn’t make anything happen. With that, Giroud didn’t get any service.”
- Jake Lambourne
TO BE FRANK
Chelsea boss Frank Lampard has said he’s mystified by Jurgen Klopp’s claim his squad is the strongest in the Premier League.
Lampard said: “I keep reading how we had the strongest squad in the league. I don’t understand it.
“Teams around us have won titles and have strikers who score 30 goals every year, players who have won the Champions League.
“We have some players who have won titles but also have some who are new to the Premier League and are young. We are a work in progress and nights like tonight can happen.
“I don’t like them but they can happen.”
- Jake Lambourne
READ ALABA-T IT
Real Madrid are leading the race to sign Chelsea target David Alaba, according to Marca.
The Bayern Munich defender’s contract at the Allianz Arena expires at the end of the season and he will be free to negotiate pre-contract terms with clubs around Europe from January.
But Marca reports the Spanish giants have stolen a lead in the race to sign Alaba, in a blow to Frank Lampard’s Blues.
Paris Saint-Germain are also interested in the 28-year-old, who could yet sign a new contract with Bayern if they can reach an agreement on the Austrian’s salary.
- Jake Lambourne
HAV SOME OF THAT
Frank Lampard has stated Kai Havertz still needs time to adapt following his poor display against Everton.
He said: “In the modern day there is going to be criticism for every player of every club who loses a game.
“We should be patient with Havertz from the Chelsea end because he is a top-quality talent who has come into this league.
“In the modern day there is going to be criticism for every player of every club who loses a game,” he said.
“We should be patient with Havertz from the Chelsea end because he is a top-quality talent who has come into this league.”
- sstreet
Chelsea will learn their Champions League opponents today as the draw takes place at 11am.
The Blues topped their group to claim a seeded spot in the draw but will still be smarting following a 1-0 Premier League defeat to Everton.
However, the weekend didn't turn out to be the disaster it could have been for their title hopes after Tottenham and Liverpool drew at Crystal Palace and Fulham respectively.
Meanwhile Petr Cech makes his return for the Blues as he takes his place in the development squad for their game against Spurs tonight.
And Marina Granovskaia will reportedly do everything in her power to sign Declan Rice in January.
Granovskaia is hoping Chelsea can raise funds for a move for Rice with the sales of Antonio Rudiger and Kepa Arrizabalaga.
However, goalkeeper Kepa is one of a number of players the Sunday Express claims Chelsea are struggling to sell.
Kepa, Marcos Alonso, Andreas Christensen, Danny Drinkwater and Baba Rahman are all on the chopping block at Stamford Bridge.
The Blues could also turn their attention to David Alaba if the Bayern Munich star proves a cheaper option.
Source: Read Full Article