Mauricio Pochettino is hoping to continue welcoming back Chelsea players for the end of the season as his team now chase qualification for the Europa League. The Blues have put it almost entirely in their own hands to secure some form of European football despite months of mid-table struggles.
A run of “two-and-a-half games” of “beautiful football” against Aston Villa, Tottenham, and West Ham, has left the club on the brink of meeting minimum expectations from the owners. Just weeks on from being demolished 5-0 at the hands of Arsenal and Pochettino’s future at the club being widely questioned, things are looking up for the boss.
He went from being without 14 players for the 2-0 win over Spurs just over a week ago to naming some long-term absentees in the squad against West Ham on Saturday. The 5-0 victory at Stamford Bridge coupled with Manchester United’s 4-0 defeat to Crystal Palace has left them in a strong position to get into Europe.
Now, ahead of a trip to relegation-threatened Forest, Pochettino has more good news. “We need to assess today some players that maybe can be involved tomorrow in the game,” he explained on Friday at Cobham. “But yes, happy because it’s true that we are in the last week and we are going to be in the last week of the season with nearly all of the players fit and available. It’s good to see the future and be more optimistic.”
As well as Axel Disasi, Malo Gusto, and Raheem Sterling all returning to the bench against the Hammers, Levi Colwill and Christopher Nkunku were named in the squad for the first time in over two months. Gusto, Nkunku, and Disasi all got onto the pitch as well.
Whether any of those will be deemed as fit to play at the City Ground is another question though. Chelsea have tended to play safe with their recovery, especially having been stung by players coming back to action too quickly in the past.
Either way, from 14 players the injury list is now down to just six, and even then there is a chance that Reece James plays his first game in 2024. Pochettino is now waiting on the final checks for his captain. “We need to see today but maybe he can be available to be in the squad.”
James has been in training with his teammates for the past few weeks but has been behind Nkunku in recovery having undergone surgery in December. “The most important thing is that he is going to be there with us,” the 52-year-old continued on Chelsea’s right-back.
“Always to have your captain is a massive boost for any team. Then because we have an amazing relationship and he is an amazing player.
“I know it is not easy always to come from a long-term injury. The most important thing is that he can be available and be a part of the squad and then if he can play five, 10, 15, 20 [minutes] or half an hour, it is going to be amazing. It is unlucky it is only the last week and we have three games. It is important for good feelings and for him it is going to be amazing to be involved.”
Chelsea face Brighton at the Amex Stadium in midweek before finishing off at home to Bournemouth, the last opportunities for James to salvage something from another disappointing campaign. The hope is that others will also be able to join him in ending on a positive note.
Lesley Ugochukwu is also in team training as he approaches a possible return after five months out. Robert Sanchez is not so fortunate and remains sidelined, only in partial training on an ongoing problem so far unexplained, Ben Chilwell and Carney Chukwuemeka are both described as “continuing to undergo his rehabilitation programme”
The pair are unlikely to feature between now and May 19, it seems, having had a season of setbacks. Enzo Fernandez, Wesley Fofana, and Romeo Lavia are all out for the rest of the season with just 30 minutes and one appearance for the latter duo.
