PAOK 0-1 Chelsea - 5 Talking Points and Tactical Analysis

#3 New manager but same old policy?

Sarri refused to introduce Ruben Loftus-Cheek during the game

All of Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Ethan Ampadu and Callum Hudson-Odoi were named in the squad that traveled to Thessaloniki ahead of Chelsea's Europa League clash but none of them played a part against PAOK. It is quite understandable that Ampadu and Hudson-Odoi are probably there for the involvement with the first team rather than being actual options in games like, these but that's not really the case with Loftus-Cheek.

The 22-year-old, who impressed for England during the World Cup in Russia, decided to opt against forcing a way out of the club in the summer, in search of regular first team football, when he decided to fight for a place under the new manager at Stamford Bridge. However, Loftus-Cheek remained on the bench as an unused substitute during Chelsea's Europa League opener against PAOK and it only feels like his patience could run thin come January.

It was evident from Sarri's team selection that he rated PAOK as a genuine challenge and rightfully so, considering Chelsea were away from home, and it is still only their first game of a potentially long European campaign.

But at the same time it is hard to ignore the fact that warming the bench is not what the doctor would ideally order for a player of Loftus-Cheek's calibre at this stage of his career, where he should be getting enough minutes under his belt to develop further and fulfill his glaring potential.