Chelsea vs. Liverpool is not worth the risk for Hudson-Odoi and James

Callum Hudson-Odoi signed his extension and is back in full training. This is no reason to fast-track him into the XI against Liverpool, as caution and long-term focus should remain the rule.

After no less than 48 hyped rumours of portentous 48 hour windows, the in-the-know mill somehow missed the only 48 hours of any actual meaning en route to Callum Hudson-Odoi signing his five-year extension with Chelsea. So ends the long, needless, ultimately meaningless saga of will he or won’t he sign for Chelsea or take an offer from Bayern Munich. Now we just have to hope he does not spend the next few years flirting with Bayern a la Eden Hazard and Real Madrid.

With Hudson-Odoi mostly fit and thoroughly committed, many Chelsea watchers are putting him in contention for a place on bench or even a start on Sunday against Liverpool. Some of the same are adding Reece James to their hopeful-maybe list, as James is also progressing with his recovery.

Despite the excitement over seeing these two in Blue and the magnitude of a game against Liverpool, Frank Lampard should not let either of these enthusiasms influence his decision-making.

Sunday’s fixture may be more important to English football as a whole than it is to Chelsea. Liverpool have won all five games this season and have a five point lead atop the Premier League. Even with 33 matchdays remaining, this is worrisome. A Liverpool Champions League win is oddly tolerable compared to a Liverpool don’t make me type it. The hopes of football rest on some very young shoulders in Blue.

But for Chelsea, this is a game they are not expected to win and – to the extent players and managers can think this way – do not expect to win. When sketching out the must-win games and minimum projected point totals to secure a top-four finish, nothing can be made to ride on this fixture.

Many more games, many more important games and many more must-win games follow on from this one. Dropping three points in September to Liverpool is understandable and acceptable. Dropping three points at any stage to the Brighton’s and Aston Villa’s of the world are not. And later in the season, Chelsea may reach the reverse fixture with Liverpool with a solid chance of nicking one or three points.

Those possibilities hinge on Chelsea having their best players available for those other games, and that means the possibility of keeping them out this weekend.

Callum Hudson-Odoi and Reece James could surely help the Blues this weekend, but at what cost? Rushing players back is a recipe for setting them back. Just ask N’Golo Kante.

Kante is another player about whom Frank Lampard has to make one of these decisions. The balance is different around Kante (and Antonio Rudiger) than Hudson-Odoi and James. Neither Kante nor Rudiger suffered injuries as traumatic – literally traumatic – as the younger duo. While a premature return-to-play carries risks for any injury situation, the risks and consequences are greater with more severe injuries.

Second, Hudson-Odoi and James are much younger than Kante and Rudiger. While there is a certain amount of resilience in youth, their bodies are still developing. Players their age are always going to have a different profile of vulnerability and stress management that must be weighed against their youthful resilience, whereas those in their prime playing years like Kante and Rudiger are more stable and sturdy, notwithstanding their accumulation of injuries.

Finally, Chelsea are doing quite well offensively, at least in the Premier League. Callum Hudson-Odoi would certainly add to the attack, especially on the left in Mason Mount’s absence, but the Blues are not desperate up front.

The defence is a different story. Teams far below Liverpool’s level have had their way with Chelsea’s midfield and backline. The 3-4-3 has helped, but as currently assembled will only hold off Liverpool’s front three for so long. N’Golo Kante and Antonio Rudiger can keep Chelsea in the game, or at least keep the scoreline respectable. As we learned last season, there is no glory in being down 3-0 after 20 minutes and 6-0 at full time, no matter how you play.

Chelsea have a run of relatively easy, and therefore must-win games, after Liverpool. Those are prime opportunities for Callum Hudson-Odoi and Reece James to ease their way into the starting XI and for Frank Lampard to refashion the suit around their return.

Chelsea do not have much to lose on Sunday unless they take too many risks with their players. They will need Hudson-Odoi and James much more after this weekend, and should ensure they are ready for that.