Tactics and Transfers: England are Chelsea without James and Chilwell

Then the former Leicester City man injured his hamstring and the CFC academy graduate did as well (showing the cost of the absurd fixture list to make way for Qatar in the first place) and that then killed off England’s chances and showed Chelsea exactly why Thomas the Terrific Tank Tuchel was so correct in the first place. The Blues lost three in a row in tepid, boring, spiritless fashion, choking and wheezing to the World Cup break like a boxer being saved by the referee’s bell.

Chelsea has brought in a backup for Ben Chilwell in Marc Cucurella. When the full squad is in flow and in health again one can only hope that Cucurella plays more as a wing-back than a combative, endearing but oddly mismatched center-back. The problem, however, still remains on the other side of the pitch with James – yet nothing much has been done about it. This is why I am so pro the addition of Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong.

Not since Roberto Carlos played left back, left-wing, and left forward for Brazil, Inter Milan and Real Madrid in his pomp has a wingback displayed such prodigious attacking talent and coupled it so seamlessly with defensive acumen, strength, wit, wisdom, and pure talent. Chelsea suffers mightily when their star defender is sidelined., similarly to Gareth Southgate’s side at the World Cup.

I dare say that with a summer tournament instead plus time to get their fitness back, England beat France with Reece James and Ben Chilwell in the side. It wouldn’t be a dedicated and yet equally nervy performance from Kyle Walker, Luke Shaw, Jordan Henderson, and John Stones against the might of Kylian Mbappe. It would have been our man James and he’d have pocketed him the way he always does the star of more glamorous continental sides who look down on us.

The rest could then go about playing bravely rather than in fear of allowing Mbappe to break through. The RB would have held the Frenchman as he has Rafael Leao, Rodrygo, Vinicius Jr before having a six-course meal and an aperitif out of Theo Hernandez and Adrien Rabiot as he has done before as well.

Ben Chilwell would have put the proverbial Kibosh on Ousmane Dembele just as resoundingly. Then the rest of the team, rather than being worried about being beaten, could have played to win as opposed to in fear of losing.