Chip20

Do any clubs loan their promising players to other clubs simply because it is a nice thing to do? Surely it is nearly always so they can benefit in some way, shape or form. I don't see how Chelsea doing it is more abhorrent than other clubs.

Spell it out to him on your twelve fingers, Ken Hairy!!

We'll not know until the end of the season. The end.

This is a really useful tip! I never new this and, without this prompt, wouldn't have even entertained the idea it might work. Thank you.

Like several others, my heart will always tell me we have a chance but my head doesn't quite share the optimism. This is partly because we have too small a sample to draw on. We won't have any real idea until we see how each of the new players fares against established Premier League performers. I am excited by some of our signings but I've rarely actually seen them play. Are they really better than their counterparts in our team from two years ago or do they just look good in highlights reels and in leagues people like me don't watch so much? I'm hopeless at telling how 'good' a player is in isolation so I have no idea how our new lads are likely to perform. I'm excited that we have spent a lot, but remember we took two steps back (Buendia and Skipp) before we could even start to move forwards. Only time will tell whether our new boys function as well or better than those two. I'm one who doesn't get too upbeat nor disheartened. It is all out of my control and my only influence is whatever I can occasionally contribute to crowd noise. I just love to watch it all unfold. To end on a more positive note; I am really excited to see how Tzolis performs this season, regardless of whether we stay up or go down. And if we do go down, I reckon we'll bloody a few more noses along than way than we did last time.

'beating Norwich will relegate us!'.

I get what you are saying, OP, and share your concern to an extent. Yes, we have some players with PL experience, but most of that experience is getting relegated from it rather than experience of what it takes to stay in it. As others have mentioned already, though, proven PL operators are probably mainly out of our reach. Nobody proven comes cheap or wants to give up a stable team for a likely relegation fight. I am, though, both surprised and impressed with what the Club have brought in this summer and really excited to see how the rest of the season unfolds. OTBC!

I'm sad we didn't get to see more of him. Seems a lovely guy and I am sure we would have survived that season had he not got crocked when he did. Best of luck to him in his future endeavours.

I thought the answer was going to be "Sheikh Mansour" or something.

Harsh! I bet you're no oil painting yourself (!)

There may not have been much in the way of positives today but I still want to give it 10 - 12 games before getting too down-hearted. For perspective, last season Man City put five past Burnley, Everton, Southampton and West Brom. They also put four past Palace, Wolves, Newcastle and Liverpool. Some pretty established EPL defences and teams there, most of which are still in this division. Yes there were some worryingly familiar flags of concern today, but also some well-discussed mitigating factors to bear in mind.

Here's hoping you do!!

Groan (!)

Chuckle. Without a colon/semicolon it sounds as though you are telling us to do something with the playground for fools. I'm just not sure what 'twattering' actually entails...

Is that an instruction?