Although Chelsea is thin in the fullback department, the West Ham match showed the Blues would be fine for the time being.
Monday was supposed to be a big night for Ben Chilwell. The birthday boy—turning just 24—took the pitch against West Ham looking for a clean sheet and a win to get Chelsea back on track. While the Blues were able to secure both of those things on the evening, the Englishman wasn’t able to play much of a part in either as an ankle tweak saw him come off inside 10 minutes. Chilwell was replaced by Emerson, who saw out the rest of the contest at left back.
Chilwell’s injury is the second to a starting Chelsea fullback over the last week. Reece James was kept out of the West Ham bout as he recovers from an aggravation he suffered against Wolves. Fear not though, Cesar Azpilicueta and Emerson performed excellently against the Hammers throughout the entirety of the match. The duo showed they can hold down the fort for the short-term, but problems may arise as the Blues go deeper into the season.
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A six-day break between the match at Molineux and the home tie against West Ham allowed for some much-needed rest, especially from those suffering from knocks. It definitely did James the world of good as his status for the upcoming matches is upgraded to questionable, according to Frank Lampard, rather than out. Obviously a return for the young English fullback would be ideal as it opens up Azpilicueta to provide cover on both sides. However, if it means risking the long-term health of James, it’d be smarter to keep him on the sideline for a few more league contests.
As for Chilwell, Lampard said his status for the Arsenal match on Boxing Day is doubtful. He’ll have a scan soon to reveal just how serious an injury it is. The left back depth is a bit more hazy than that on the right though. Chilwell is the undisputed No. 1—as opposed to the James/Azpilicueta battle being just that, a battle—and there is a significant drop in quality behind him. That being said, Emerson stepped into action with some big shoes to fill and he did not disappoint. The Brazilian-born Italian international’s progression this season has been evident and he’s the clear-cut choice to play second fiddle to the former Leicester City man.
In all likelihood it’ll be the same duo that wrapped up the West Ham game on the pitch together again at Arsenal. Blues fans should be comfortable with Emerson and Azpilicueta playing at left and right back respectively, at least for the short-term. This statement rings even more true considering Chelsea is traveling to the Emirates, where the Gunners have struggled to score goals all season, for Boxing Day. Both fullbacks have performed admirably in some important meetings throughout the season, including—but not limited to—today. The concern is there for the long-term, however, and it’s legitimate.
After the showdown with Arsenal, the Blues get one full day of rest before they get back on the horse again to face Aston Villa. The game will be Chelsea’s third in the span of a week. Emerson has hardly played that many minutes all season and it’s unknown how he’ll perform with such a short turnaround. The same goes for Azpilicueta for some degree, as well. The Spaniard is a seasoned veteran, but age takes its toll on the body and the 31-year-old needs a bit more time to recover than his younger colleagues. Toss in the Man City match-up just a few days after and you’ve got a proper recipe for disaster.
Emerson and Azpilicueta are going to be sufficient for the Blues during the next match or two, there’s no doubt about it. However, the amount of time Chelsea can keep its head above water without proper defensive depth is something that should be questioned. Here’s to hoping both Chilwell and James make speedy recoveries so they can join in on the Christmas fixture fun.