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The good, the bad and the ugly for Chelsea during the int’l break

By Gabe Henderson

TIRANA, ALBANIA - MARCH 28: Mason Mount ion England runs through the Albania defence during the FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar qualifying match between Albania and England at the Qemal Stafa Stadium on March 28, 2021 in Tirana, Albania. Sporting stadiums around Europe remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors (Photo by MB Media/Getty Images)
TIRANA, ALBANIA - MARCH 28: Mason Mount ion England runs through the Albania defence during the FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar qualifying match between Albania and England at the Qemal Stafa Stadium on March 28, 2021 in Tirana, Albania. Sporting stadiums around Europe remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors (Photo by MB Media/Getty Images) /
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TIRANA, ALBANIA – MARCH 28: Mason Mount ion England runs through the Albania defence during the FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar qualifying match between Albania and England at the Qemal Stafa Stadium on March 28, 2021 in Tirana, Albania. Sporting stadiums around Europe remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors (Photo by MB Media/Getty Images)
TIRANA, ALBANIA – MARCH 28: Mason Mount ion England runs through the Albania defence during the FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar qualifying match between Albania and England at the Qemal Stafa Stadium on March 28, 2021 in Tirana, Albania. Sporting stadiums around Europe remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors (Photo by MB Media/Getty Images) /

The good

Lastly, there is a bit of good that comes out of this dreaded international stoppage.

As briefly touched on earlier, Mount was in scintillating form for England during the two matches he took part in. The midfielder registered the most chances in a World Cup qualifier (eight) since Xavi in 2008. While that stat is impressive on its own, it’s even more unbelievable considering he did it in just 45 minutes. He also scored a wonderful goal in England’s contest against Albania to secure a 2-0 victory. Mount wasn’t the only Chelsea player to shine either. Reece James and Ben Chilwell both earned starts for the Three Lions against San Marino. Each registered an assist in the first half.

Elsewhere, Christian Pulisic used the international break to get back into shape. The American has struggled with injuries this season and it’s resulted in him never quite reaching the levels of last season. He joined his international camp and played in his first match for the United States since 2019. The 22-year-old played just one half in the US’ 4-1 victory over Jamaica, but scored to give Gregg Berhalter’s side a 2-1 win over Northern Ireland. Pulisic isn’t back to his old self just yet, he’s getting there though—just in time.

While many of the Blues’ brightest stars were off tearing it up with their countries, there were a few individuals who stayed behind at Cobham and have gotten a few weeks of special instruction under their belts. Chelsea did not provide an official list, but we can infer that the following players stayed behind with Tuchel and his team: Cesar Azpilicueta, Edouard Mendy, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Willy Caballero, Marcos Alonso, Billy Gilmour and Tino Anjorin. In addition, Jorginho, Tammy Abraham and Thiago Silva remained in London to continue recovery.

The good news in all of that is both Abraham and Silva are back in training. Each has been sidelined for quite some time and played minimal roles under Tuchel’s tutelage. Their replacements have stepped up during their absences, so the return of both individuals can only be a positive thing for the Blues. It could not come at a better time with the UCL quarterfinal, FA Cup semifinal and home stretch of the Premier League all coming up within a matter of weeks.

Next. Chelsea run-in needs quick start after international break. dark

What are some of the positive and negative things you noticed during the latest international break? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!

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