Here are your evening headlines for Sunday, October 4.
Is Timo Werner being wasted?
Four Premier League games, no goals. That isn’t exactly what Chelsea fans expected when the club signed Timo Werner this summer.
The German international arrived at Stamford Bridge off the back of a prolific campaign in Germany in which he struck 34 times in all competitions for RB Leipzig. But he did so playing as a centre forward, and often as part of a front two.
The 24-year-old did start through the middle for Chelsea against Brighton in pre-season, a game in which he scored, and again when the Blues kicked off their Premier League campaign at the Amex, a match in which Werner won a penalty.
Yet he has since been used out wide by Frank Lampard and has often been on the periphery of matches; that was again the case against Crystal Palace yesterday.
So the question must be asked, how do Chelsea get the best out of their summer signing? The answer to that is discussed in this piece .
Chelsea determined to land Rice
Chelsea haven't given up hope of signing West Ham United star Declan Rice before the transfer window closes.
The Blues have been heavily linked with a move for the versatile midfielder, who spent his formative years in the club’s academy before being released at 14 years old.
West Ham do not want to lose the England international and have, according to 90mins , placed a £90million price tag on Rice. Yet that has not put off Lampard who has asked the Blues to pay whatever it takes to land the 21-year-old.
The report claims, however, members of the Chelsea hierarchy are not entirely convinced by Rice, who has made more than 100 Premier League appearances for the Irons.
Blues fans spot Mendy’s birthday ‘gift’ for Kepa
Edouard Mendy made his Premier League debut for Chelsea in yesterday’s 4-0 win over Crystal Palace and helped the Blues keep their first clean sheet in the top flight this season.
The Senegal international, who joined from Rennes last month, replaced the beleaguered Kepa Arrizabalaga in the Chelsea goal and proved a reassuring presence behind Thiago Silva and Kurt Zouma.
Mendy’s Premier League bow happened to coincide with Kepa’s 26th birthday, and Blues supporters were quick to point out the birthday ‘gift’ sent to the Spaniard by the club’s new signing.
Despite Mendy's arrival at Stamford Bridge, Lampard hasn’t ruled out Kepa making a return to the starting XI in the future.
"I certainly won’t go along the point that he has played his last game for Chelsea," Lampard told reporters .
"I think it has been a difficult time for Kepa. It has been well documented, I know it and he knows it. But we should certainly not jump to that conclusion.”
