Another game, another red card and another defeat for Chelsea. That was the story of the weekend for the Blues. For the entirety of the first half, they had looked in control, had taken the lead and perhaps should have pushed for the second. A play just before the break summed it up though. Enzo Maresca's side had the ball in a good position on the flank with players in the box, but instead of crossing it in, they decided to pass it back to their own defence and go into the break with a 1-0 lead.
It did not matter much after Trevoh Chalobah was shown a red card soon after the break. The defender's poor run of form and luck continues. But with the injury problems at centre-back, it is likely that his position as a starter is pretty much set.
Brighton scored three goals in the second half, with Chelsea a man down. Maresca had decided to go defensive in hopes of holding onto the lead but could not.
By the end of the match, it turned into a feisty contest. And Moises Caicedo got involved in an incident, which might land him a retrospective ban, although it is somewhat unlikely. As reported by The Sun, former Premier League referee Mark Halsey said:
"Both clubs will be charged with failing to control their players. there's no doubt about that, but the FA will look at this and there may be retrospective action taken against Caicedo.
"But, as I say, looking at it, it does look as though it's inconclusive."
Chelsea superstar could be banned for actions vs Brighton
The last thing that Chelsea need right now is for Caicedo to pick up a ban. He is one of the few players that the Blues have, who can be called top quality.
Chelsea's recruitment team earned a lot of plaudits for the Club World Cup success but now it is time to question them as well. Why was a centre-back not signed in the summer? A lot of their problems have stemmed from Levi Colwill suffering an ACL injury in pre-season training and a suitable replacement not being brought in to take his place in the team. Maresca was clearly keen on it, so the decision was on the club.
Instead, they spent the budget they had on players who are nowhere near ready to contribute. Jamie Gittens looks like a bad signing. Jorrel Hato has not been exactly impressive either. And while Alejandro Garnacho has shown flashes, the manager does not view him as a starter yet.