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Please gamble responsibly. Hello and thanks for hitting the download button on straight out of Cobham, the Chelsea FC Focus podcast from The Athletic.

The first team may be on their winter break, but there's still plenty of blues news on which to get the views of my panel.

On this week's episode, we look ahead to that Mammoth Monday meeting with Manchester United,

talk Ruben Loftus Cheek and Andy Myers, and meet another Coltero.

It's a stack show, basically, so let's get going.

It's a very warm welcome inside our coven or should that be cupboard of Chelsea

chat.

I'm Matt Davis Adams.

I'm joined by a pair of blues brainiacs who've got the Chelsea Alphabet

Covered from Aspiliqueta to Zola.

With me today, a full-time writer for the athletic, but at best a part-time pod podcaster. Nice to see you, Simon Johnson. Good-day. I've made it this week. Yeah. How was your trip to Dubai? Not as warm as one would think, given how pale I look. No, no, it was public transport issues last week, but now I'm fully here and ready to contribute my wisdom and we're

looking forward to it with Simon it's Mr 100% how you doing Liam to me I'm good I'm good I'm the

James Milner of this podcast I'm very very happy to be that although I guess you've been here every week

haven't you yeah sort of contractually obliged but I mean we all are in a way okay to date, we're on the comeback trail. So last week saw a long-awaited return to action for Ruben Loftus Sheek. The midfielder, who's been out since May after suffering a serious Achilles injury in the United States, played an hour in a behind-closed-doors game against Brentford B last week. Chaps, you teamed up with our friend, Don Fyfield, to report on Ruben's return.

Give us a decent. Doors game against Brentford B last week. Chaps, you teamed up with our friend,

Don Fifeield, to report on Rubin's return. Give us the details, Liam, for anyone who missed the piece. It's been in the workings for a while, hadn't it? Yeah, so Frank Lampard hinted

...