The Pride of London describe the latest Chelsea injury news. The updates consist of information on Kepa Arrizabalaga, Kalidou Koulibaly, Reece James and Wesley Fofana.
Blues head coach Graham Potter must move on from the Premier League embarrassment at his former club Brighton & Hove Albion last weekend. And sooner rather than later. To be fair to the Englishman, he comes across as an absolute pragmatist, so that shouldn’t be any problem.
However, for all the good achieved by Potter, issues do exist in the team in general. PoL will assess those in more detail in the upcoming article entitled ‘three things Chelsea got wrong against Brighton’.
And it is not just the attackers and midfield who could be doing better. Clearly absent personnel is hurting the Blues side, especially in defence with Wesley Fofana, Kalidou Koulibaly and Reece James out injured.
First of all, Koulibaly; he didn’t manage to cement a place in the starting lineup under the 47-year-old prior to getting sidelined. The Senegalese has missed the previous trio of CFC clashes with a ‘minor issue’. Though the gaffer suggests that the imposing centreback might perhaps return for the Champions League match against Dinamo Zagreb on Wednesday evening.
With respect to both James and Fofana, the club released a statement stating that the pair would “continue their rehabilitation programmes this week in Dubai.” Meanwhile Kepa, who was replaced by Edouard Mendy at halftime during the Seagulls fixture, was suffering with a foot problem. No further details were really given on the Spaniard; It seems likely Mendy will start midweek.
Back to the Champions League for Chelsea
Obviously the Blues have already progressed to the first 2022/23 UCL Knockout Round following a fairly dramatic Group Stage. Victory versus RB Salzburg did the job for the west London team. Incidentally, the two goals in Austria from Mateo Kovacic and Kai Havertz were sublime.
Dinamo are the next visitors to Stamford Bridge this season, on November 2, as previously stated. Although the Blues side will be out for revenge for their 1-0 humbling in Croatia earlier in the glittering European competition, Potter is expected rest many star players versus Purgeri (the Citizens) ahead of the Arsenal game in the EPL.
This natural prioritising means a host of young starlets may receive opportunities, even, possibly, debuts in the elite tournament. I’ll be looking out for Carney Chukwuemeka and Omari Hutchinson.