The Chelsea players not on international duty have been working hard to prepare for the return of the Premier League.
Xabi Alonso in Chelsea training at Cobham.
Xabi Alonso in Chelsea training at Cobham.(Image: Chelsea FC)
View Image
On Monday, Xabi Alonso welcomed those not on international duty back to Cobham training ground to resume preparations for Chelsea's clash against Bournemouth. On Saturday, October 10, the Blues will look to return to winning ways when they face Marco Rose's side at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea slumped to 10th in the Premier League when they lost to Brentford, with only a point keeping them from dropping into the bottom half of the table. The Blues had enjoyed a promising start to the new season, defeating Fulham and Brighton.
But Chelsea stumbled when they surrendered an early lead against Arsenal. The Blues then drew to Hull City and lost at the hands of Keith Andrews' side, extending Alonso's winless streak in the English top flight to three games.
Fortunately for the Spaniard, who has recently welcomed many of his players back from holiday, he now has about two weeks to steady the ship and fine-tune some issues before leading Chelsea back into battle.
FOLLOW OUR CHELSEA FB PAGE! Latest Blues news, analysis and much more via our dedicated Facebook page
So, with that being said, football.london has looked at five things you may have missed from training at Cobham this week.
Chelsea star visits knee specialist
Joao Pedro was not spotted in training at Cobham this week. The 25-year-old striker suffered a knee injury during the second half of Chelsea's clash against Hull City, a week or so before the international break.
He landed rather awkwardly and collided with the goal frame following a contested header at the back post. Although Pedro managed to soldier on and score an equaliser, he later withdrew from the Brazil squad and missed the defeat to Brentford.
According to the Evening Standard, Pedro has been receiving treatment from a specialist in London in a desperate effort to overcome the problem. In-house medical staff have also been closely monitoring the Blues talisman.
Colwill recharges his batteries
The Chelsea players not on international duty were given a few days off to recharge their batteries. Levi Colwill, who has since returned to action at Cobham, enjoyed a warm-weather break with Myles Peart-Harris, with whom he played alongside for the Blues academy a few years ago.
Palestra rebuilds fitness
Marco Palestra has stepped up preparations for his competitive Chelsea debut. The 21-year-old defender, whom the Blues signed from Atalanta for £47m in the summer, suffered an injury in the build-up to the opening weekend of the new Premier League season.
He was one of the first names on the teamsheet throughout pre-season and looked set to be a key player for Alonso. The pace, power, and engine of Palestra could be exactly what Chelsea need after the international break.
Fofana appears to nurse new injury
Wesley Fofana appears to be nursing a new injury. Like Jordan Henderson, who's still recovering from a fractured arm, the 25-year-old defender was spotted wearing a bandage, covering his hand and wrist, but it didn't appear to impact his ability to play, which is promising.
Caicedo and Palmer also absent
Neither Moises Caicedo nor Cole Palmer was spotted in training at Cobham this week. The former has been nursing a knock, while the latter has been accompanied on holiday by a personal rehabilitation coach.