Chelsea is dealt another crushing blow by the worthy opponent known as the international break as Ben Chilwell left England’s match with a knock.
The international break strikes again. We all knew Chelsea couldn’t get through the stoppage without an unfortunate occurrence because that’s just the way the cookie crumbles. After a few injuries to key players last break, the Blues could find themselves in a bit of a pickle heading into next weekend’s Premier League duel with Newcastle.
Left back Ben Chilwell has struggled with injuries over the last two seasons. He finds himself back in the training room after exiting England’s latest match against Belgium near the end of the first half. Chilwell was subbed off in the 38′ after he came up limping. It was reported after the match he came off with a back problem. If there’s a positive takeaway, it’s the fact he was able to walk—well, limp—off under his own power. Hopefully the injury is nothing too serious as the options behind the young fullback are not ideal.
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It’s hard not to immediately point to last year’s emergency left back as the man behind Chilwell on the depth chart this season. Cesar Azpilicueta has seen less time on the pitch than he’s used to due to the emergence of Reece James as a two-way star. Azpilicueta spent a sizable chunk of last season starting on the left as Frank Lampard attempted to sort out the issues. Further, he played there early in his Blues career when Branislav Ivanovic occupied the right back spot.
Azpilicueta may not be the best attacking threat when on the left, but he’s a rock defensively. That’s all the Blues will ask out of him as they should have enough firepower up front to overcome Newcastle without the forward presence of a fullback. Azpilicueta has spent his international break training at Cobham, as well, so he’d presumably be fresh and ready to go whenever his name is called. There’s no debate about Chelsea’s best left back, nor is there a fuss about who is the best No. 2.
On the other side of things lies the outcasts. Emerson seems to be the preferred option amongst the two right now due to his flexibility. The Italian is capable of playing along the back line or even on the wings. Against Barnsley, Emerson was shifted around the pitch as Lampard took advantage of his speed and work rate. He played quite well then, but returned to his former self against Tottenham as Chelsea came crashing out of the league cup due to the left back’s error. He’s always been a decent left back who makes costly mistakes every once and awhile.
There are rumors swirling he’s pushing for a move back to Italy due to his lack of play time. Even with that chatter making rounds in the football world, Lampard still probably prefers him to Marcos Alonso. While we’re on the topic of mistakes, it’s time to have a chat about a certain Spanish left back. Alonso thrived in Antonio Conte’s wing-back system, but has largely failed to live up to the small expectations required of a conventional fullback. Alonso’s temper tantrum at West Brom was the final nail in the coffin of his Chelsea career and it’s unlikely we see him on the pitch any time soon, if ever again. Of the three, he’s last in the pecking order and for good reason.
Ideally, Chilwell is able to come back in time for the match. He’s been well worth the £50 million Chelsea paid for him back in the summer. It’s easy to see why Lampard admires him so much. Chilwell has helped ease the pressure at the back, assisting the Blues’ defensive unit en route to five clean sheets in the last six matches. The former Leicester City man has also played a huge part in reinventing the attack. He’s scored twice and racked up three assists across his 10 games for Chelsea thus far, which is an incredible return for a defender. He’s a country mile ahead of any other left back on the team, so fingers crossed this latest injury is nothing serious.
If Chilwell is unfit to start against Newcastle, who do you think the best option is at left back? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!