Chelsea dealt a huge injury blow with superstar sidelined again

Chelsea’s 4-0 win over Burnley felt like a turning point in its season. The Blues have traditionally struggled against the Clarets—regardless of their respective positions in the table—especially at Turf Moor. Factor in the buzz the players have in their ears at all times regarding Roman Abramovich’s sale of the club, fatigue and recent uninspiring results and this just played into Burnley’s favor. The 0-0 draw at halftime had an ominous feeling about it. This wasn’t good considering Chelsea needed to take all three points home to remain comfortable in its third place spot in the Premier League standings.

Reece James, who recently returned to the starting XI after a lengthy stint out of the team, wasn’t having any of it. The right wingback found the back of the net with a spectacular solo goal just two minutes into the second half. He went on to tally an assist, as well, as he inspired the Blues’ drubbing of a historically stubborn opponent. Not all good things can last though, as Chelsea has found out in a similar way that Liverpool did last season. Just three games into his return, James has been sidelined once again with an unrelated muscle injury.

Chelsea dealt huge injury blow with Reece James sidelined once again with issue

James’ injury was not revealed until Wednesday morning before the Blues’ trip to Carrow Road on Thursday. He and Ben Chilwell were the only two absentees in training ahead of the clash against Norwich City. James will now undergo tests to determine the severity of his injury, which is on the opposite leg of the one that had sidelined him since late December. The 22-year-old was visibly uncomfortable following a nasty challenge from Clarets striker Wout Weghorst. He came off the pitch just 10 minutes later with Chelsea going 4-0 ahead shortly before his departure.

As noted above, James has been an integral part of the Blues’ attack during the course of the campaign. He and Chilwell’s long-term injuries undoubtedly impacted the way Chelsea played, and it’s no secret that Thomas Tuchel’s men had a hard time coping without their starting wingbacks in the starting XI during the last few months. James alone has 13 goal contributions (six goals and seven assists) in just 26 appearances this season. His five goals and six assists in the Premier League put him joint-third and joint-top amongst his colleagues in those respective categories. These numbers accurately depict how important the wingback is to his side when fit.

In addition to hurting the attack, a potentially serious injury to James leaves a significant hole in defense. Cesar Azpilicueta was able to cover for the English international for the most part during his few months out earlier in the campaign, but part of the reason James was rushed back in the first place is the uncertainty of Azpilicueta’s health. The Spaniard was substituted early in the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool, which meant James had to play longer than anybody wanted during his return to action. Azpilicueta’s fitness raises a lot of questions about the position going forward, especially seeing as Tuchel doesn’t seem to trust Callum Hudson-Odoi in that role after recent outings. Christian Pulisic can play right wingback, but he’s a much more impactful winger.

In the end, Chelsea needs to do what is best for James’ long-term health. There is no sense in risking a return to the pitch fully fit at the beginning of next year just to include him in a few games toward the back half of this season.

The Blues aren’t completely out of options in the meantime either. Tuchel occasionally switched up the defensive structure during the winter period to accommodate for the lack of options out wide. He lined Chelsea up in numerous four-at-the-back formations with four centerbacks. This tactical tinkering allowed the Blues to let either “fullback” charge forward to join the attack when in possession, leaving three experienced centerhalves back to cover and not losing much defensive stability. Furthermore, the 4-1-4-1 looked to also have a bit of success during its short-lived run as Tuchel’s preferred set-up. All of this just goes to show that while James’ injury is a huge blow to Chelsea, the Blues still have a number of options that allow them to make it work without him.

What do you make of the recent news regarding James’ health? Let us know your thoughts in the comments or on Twitter!