Reece James returns for this game but who’ll replace the Chelsea captain?
The Pride of London look at the potential impact of Chelsea losing their captain, when he will return and which Blues star will likely replace the defender.
James isn’t really in his full flow yet this campaign. Consequently he may not be missed as drastically as he could have once been.
When is the 23-year-old available again? After a one-match ban, he’ll be back for the Manchester United fixture on December 6.
Which Chelsea rightback, or a wildcard, will come in or switch roles in the Blues starting lineup to compensate for skipper Reece James’ absence?
First of all, slightly wild Spanish Marc Cucurella won’t be playing against Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday. And that is a blow, or a blessing in disguise, dependant on whether you rate Cucurella or not.
I think Mauricio Pochettino requires every Blue fit and able as well as competent, at present. Premier League margins are mighty fine so there is no room for mistakes like Thiago Silva’s glaring, goal-costing error versus Spurs this weekend. We have covered James’s rash behaviour. ‘Cucu’ was improving this season, quite a bit on occasion. Therefore I would rather not criticise him too heavily.
So, if the ex-Brighton man is not going to be used in an unorthodox right-side capacity due to suspension, who will step into James’s relatively large boots? Malo Gusto, again. In spite of whether you are a fan or not, he’s the probable candidate to assume rightback duties.
dark. Next. Newcastle 4-1 Chelsea: one Blues positive and a few negatives
Gusto has shown much promise, along with some immaturity. But the Frenchman won’t get much of a run in the side when James is available. This is the the former’s chance to thoroughly impress ‘Poch’. However, even though the ex-Lyon man was deemed fit for the Newcastle clash, he was not named among Chelsea’s substitutes. I would say that the Argentine doesn’t have any other particularly viable options.