Split image - Marco Palestra of Chelsea and Pedro Neto of Chelsea
Split image - Marco Palestra of Chelsea and Pedro Neto of Chelsea
Photo by Yan Dobronosov/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images
Photo by Yan Dobronosov/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images
Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Photo by Chris Lee - Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Photo by Chris Lee - Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC via Getty Images
Xabi Alonso has already had to deal with plenty of injuries since he became Chelsea manager, and now it has emerged that one player is currently playing with a problem.
Cole Palmer and Joao Pedro withdrew from representing England and Brazil during the break, joining Reece James, Marco Palestra and Moises Caicedo in remaining at Cobham throughout the last month.
Chelsea are just three days away from returning to action, and Xabi Alonso needs his key players as fit as possible. Chelsea face a tough test against Bournemouth, albeit a Bournemouth side without Alex Scott.
READ MORE:Zinedine Zidane heaps praise on Chelsea midfielder after watching him this week
The Chelsea player is training with an injury; he remains available
Last season, Cole Palmer played with an injury, and it severely affected his form. The England international struggled, with Alan Shearer describing his situation as “horrible”. Now, another has the same problem.
Chelsea needed this break BADLY… but with so many players racking up minutes for their countries, did it actually help them or could it have made things worse? 🤔
Let us know your reasoning! 👇
Some games, I think it’s pointless. At home against low blocks, I’d rather see Estevao in a four-man attack than an extra centre-back in a five-man defence.
Yes for a reset , for recovery also because the season is a long one
philchristie1955
With regard to the defence, any decent team has a solid and regular one who mostly play week in, week out. I think it has to be Colwill and Lacroix and I would prefer Josh or Reece ahead of Fofana
Indeed, according to Football London, Wesley Fofana has a hand or wrist problem. The former Leicester City ace has been spotted wearing bandages and strapping while continuing to train during the break.
Chelsea posted some images on their website from training this week, and alongside promoted teen star Harrison Bettoni was Fofana. The star was spotted driving forward with the ball, seemingly unaffected.
Fofana is likely to start for Chelsea against Bournemouth
The France international might not be at the top of his game, and hasn’t been for a while since his £70m move from Leicester. But he has started the last four games for Chelsea under manager Xabi Alonso.
That is despite the early-season form of Josh Acheampong. While Fofana is fit and Alonso continues to use a 3-4-2-1 system, Fofana looks like he will be first choice on the right of this three-man defence.
Come Saturday, Fofana will surely start – regardless of how severe his hand or wrist injury is. It looks as if Chelsea will also have Palmer, James and Caicedo available, but Pedro looks likely to miss out.