Victor Moses suspended, to miss first match of new Premier League season

In case you have forgotten or have managed to successfully repress the memory like Leonard in “Memento”, Victor Moses was sent off in last season’s final match, the FA Cup final against Arsenal, which Chelsea ended up losing 2-1. Moses’s dismissal was far from the only reason for the loss of course, but the way it happened with an extremely silly second yellow coupled with his overall poor performance on the day left many with a bitter aftertaste to what was otherwise a rather excellent season both collectively and individually for the converted winger.

But while results and points and goals and trophies get reset to zero at the start of a new season, suspensions do carry over. Which means that Moses will have to serve a one-match ban to start the season.

For a minute, there was hope that contrary to assumptions, he could serve it during the Community Shield, but it turns out the The FA themselves had put the wrong date on their website for when his suspension will be over. They’ve now corrected their mistake and Moses in fact will have to serve his suspension during the first match of the season proper, on August 12. The Community Shield, after all, is just a glorified friendly. (And, as we remember, Branislav Ivanović's red card did not carry over to the season that one time against Manchester City and he ended up scoring a goal, even, on Matchday 1.)

So, with Moses out, Chelsea’s glaring lack of wing-back cover becomes even more blinding. Could a right wing-back be this week’s teased mystery signing? Or are we about to start the season with Fikayo Tomori or a poorly utilized César Azpilicueta lining up one of the key positions in the 3-4-3 system?

Signing a good backup or rotational option for Moses (who faded strongly in the second-half of last season, albeit while also battling a toe injury that required surgery in the summer) and Alonso (who started slowly and is showing signs of doing the same already this season) is of paramount importance, if that wasn’t obvious or harped on enough before.