The injuries to players at Stamford Bridge this season do not justify what has been a very disappointing year,
but it is certainly a factor that cannot be completely ignored.
Blues manager Mauricio Pochettino is believed to have selected the team’s two best players in the same starting lineup only five times this season.
The advantage of a huge Premier League club like Chelsea is that they can build a strong team.
Therefore, it is unacceptable that Chelsea are currently 11th in the table, despite the unfortunate injury of a key player.
To be honest, this is a campaign with a lot of trauma from almost all sides, so the question is how to deal with it.
If I had to choose Chelsea’s two best players based solely on ability, I would vote for Reece James and Cole Palmer.
So it’s disappointing to learn that the English duo have only played together in just five games in all competitions this season.
Palmer has been fortunate to go through the year injury-free, growing in stature each week and performing at increasingly elite levels.
In contrast, club captain James has only made nine appearances in all competitions.
Journalist Bobby Vincent told X last month that Chelsea were reluctant to give specifics on when James would return.
We understand the reluctance around the 24-year-old James and the injuries that continue to occur during his career.
However, we believe that if he is healthy, he is an elite player, close to the world eleven.
As for 21-year-old striker Palmer, he is a future prodigy who continues to score, create and develop.
If reserve defender Maro Gusto continues to play, he may have to play around with his system and position,
but we’re keen to see a fully functioning Chelsea team with James and Palmer.
There has been a lot of negativity towards Chelsea after another tumultuous year,
but this is just a gentle reminder that there are some special talents within the squad.
