Reece James
Chelsea captain Reece James missed the opening 15 minutes of the Blues’ training session on Tuesday, fueling new fears about his fitness. The 26-year-old was absent from the media-open session at Cobham.
James has already been sidelined this month after hurting his knee in training on Friday. He missed Saturday’s 5-1 Premier League win over Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge. Xabi Alonso described it as a minor problem and added that the England international would be evaluated on a weekly basis.
The timing of the injury has been particularly cruel for the Blues and their skipper. James had just returned to training after missing the 3-0 Brentford defeat on September 18. Alonso had said he was fit to play on Friday, but the defender felt discomfort in his final practice before the Bournemouth clash.
Injuries have been a constant issue for the 26-year-old, with hamstring problems ruling him out for extended periods in recent seasons. Under Alonso, James has played almost exclusively in central midfield and has been integral to the Spaniard’s plans for the season.
The Blues will visit Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday, with James’s availability to face the Toffees hinging on his recovery.
Xabi Alonso Says Chelsea Signed Jordan Henderson “For Everything” After Bournemouth Brace
Xabi Alonso has said goals weren’t the main reason Chelsea signed Jordan Henderson. This comes after the midfielder scored twice and set up another in Saturday’s 5-1 rout of Bournemouth. The 36-year-old notably joined the Blues on a free transfer from Brentford in the summer.
Henderson opened the scoring in the opening two minutes of the contest before playing Morgan Rogers in. The former Liverpool captain then curled a beautiful free-kick into the top corner in the 70th minute to complete his brace and seal a comprehensive Blues victory.
Speaking to reporters after the rampant win at Stamford Bridge, Alonso said:
“We signed him for everything. If he’s able to score two beauties like today we are more than happy for him. But apart from the goals he’s done many good things.”
According to Opta, Henderson is the oldest-ever Chelsea player to record three or more goal involvements in a Premier League game. His vast knowledge of the game could be even more important in the coming weeks if James’ knee injury keeps the full-back out of the Everton fixture.