- The Blues must stand by their club captain as he faces yet another challenge in his injury-plagued career.
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Reece James injury woe Chelsea GFXGOAL
Krishan Davis
Dec 01, 2024 08:00+01:00
Reece James’ latest injury is a HUGE setback – but Chelsea risk their soul by cutting losses on Cobham’s crown jewel
Opinion
R. James
Chelsea
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E. Maresca
Premier League
The Blues must stand by their club captain as he faces yet another challenge in his injury-plagued career
Reece James can’t catch a break. Just four games after his much-anticipated return from yet another hamstring injury, the Chelsea captain finds himself sidelined again as his year was brought to an abrupt end.
This is the seventh separate hamstring problem James has suffered since the 2021-22 campaign, and although the outlook isn’t too pessimistic this time around, this latest setback has raised questions over the 24-year-old’s long-term future at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea have shown an emotionless readiness to cut loose their academy graduates in recent years, but James is deserving of their patience. It is undoubtedly a gamble, but if the Blues stand by him they can reap the rewards.
GOALSTUDIO
Reece James injury woe Chelsea GFXGOAL
Krishan Davis
Dec 01, 2024 08:00+01:00
Reece James’ latest injury is a HUGE setback – but Chelsea risk their soul by cutting losses on Cobham’s crown jewel
Opinion
R. James
Chelsea
FEATURES
E. Maresca
Premier League
The Blues must stand by their club captain as he faces yet another challenge in his injury-plagued career
Reece James can’t catch a break. Just four games after his much-anticipated return from yet another hamstring injury, the Chelsea captain finds himself sidelined again as his year was brought to an abrupt end.
This is the seventh separate hamstring problem James has suffered since the 2021-22 campaign, and although the outlook isn’t too pessimistic this time around, this latest setback has raised questions over the 24-year-old’s long-term future at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea have shown an emotionless readiness to cut loose their academy graduates in recent years, but James is deserving of their patience. It is undoubtedly a gamble, but if the Blues stand by him they can reap the rewards.
JAMES 2024 HANDOVER
Chelsea had handled James with extreme care after he missed vast swathes of last season as recurrent hamstring issues eventually forced him to undergo surgery, but he managed just four appearances before being frustratingly sidelined again. He has now missed 56 games since being named club captain in 2023.
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Reece James injury woe Chelsea GFXGOAL
Krishan Davis
Dec 01, 2024 08:00+01:00
Reece James’ latest injury is a HUGE setback – but Chelsea risk their soul by cutting losses on Cobham’s crown jewel
Opinion
R. James
Chelsea
FEATURES
E. Maresca
Premier League
The Blues must stand by their club captain as he faces yet another challenge in his injury-plagued career
Reece James can’t catch a break. Just four games after his much-anticipated return from yet another hamstring injury, the Chelsea captain finds himself sidelined again as his year was brought to an abrupt end.
This is the seventh separate hamstring problem James has suffered since the 2021-22 campaign, and although the outlook isn’t too pessimistic this time around, this latest setback has raised questions over the 24-year-old’s long-term future at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea have shown an emotionless readiness to cut loose their academy graduates in recent years, but James is deserving of their patience. It is undoubtedly a gamble, but if the Blues stand by him they can reap the rewards.
Article continues below
Chelsea FC v Wrexham – Pre-Season FriendlyGetty Images Sport
James’ 2024 over
Chelsea had handled James with extreme care after he missed vast swathes of last season as recurrent hamstring issues eventually forced him to undergo surgery, but he managed just four appearances before being frustratingly sidelined again. He has now missed 56 games since being named club captain in 2023.
The defender felt something “small” in training in the lead-up to the clash with Leicester last weekend, and although the prognosis has not been made public, it seems almost certain that his 2024 is over.
It is another hamstring issue on his right side, though it has been reported that it is not as serious as first feared and, notably, not a recurrence of the problem that was supposed to have been remedied by surgery.
In the grand scheme of things, then, a month out is arguably the best-case scenario given what James has already been through. Nevertheless, this feels like a crushing blow for a player who was only just feeling his way back.
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‘He has to fight’
James had made three encouraging starts in a row post-October international break against Liverpool, Newcastle and Manchester United, despite somewhat playing within himself and lacking his trademark explosiveness.
His head coach, Enzo Maresca, is convinced he had been playing with the fear of another issue arising, which the Italian tactician believes is inevitable in James’ line of work.
“We cannot say because we do not know how long the recovery time is,” Maresca said. “He is getting better day by day. We are waiting for him.
“We do not know exactly so we will not say how many days he needs. It is something he has to fight in terms of it’s normal, when you get injured, you become afraid, it’s normal on that. At the same time, it is his profession. You can get injured.”
The defender felt something “small” in training in the lead-up to the clash with Leicester last weekend, and although the prognosis has not been made public, it seems almost certain that his 2024 is over.
It is another hamstring issue on his right side, though it has been reported that it is not as serious as first feared and, notably, not a recurrence of the problem that was supposed to have been remedied by surgery.
In the grand scheme of things, then, a month out is arguably the best-case scenario given what James has already been through. Nevertheless, this feels like a crushing blow for a player who was only just feeling his way back.
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Reece James injury woe Chelsea GFXGOAL
Krishan Davis
Dec 01, 2024 08:00+01:00
Reece James’ latest injury is a HUGE setback – but Chelsea risk their soul by cutting losses on Cobham’s crown jewel
Opinion
R. James
Chelsea
FEATURES
E. Maresca
Premier League
The Blues must stand by their club captain as he faces yet another challenge in his injury-plagued career
Reece James can’t catch a break. Just four games after his much-anticipated return from yet another hamstring injury, the Chelsea captain finds himself sidelined again as his year was brought to an abrupt end.
This is the seventh separate hamstring problem James has suffered since the 2021-22 campaign, and although the outlook isn’t too pessimistic this time around, this latest setback has raised questions over the 24-year-old’s long-term future at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea have shown an emotionless readiness to cut loose their academy graduates in recent years, but James is deserving of their patience. It is undoubtedly a gamble, but if the Blues stand by him they can reap the rewards.
Article continues below
Chelsea FC v Wrexham – Pre-Season FriendlyGetty Images Sport
James’ 2024 over
Chelsea had handled James with extreme care after he missed vast swathes of last season as recurrent hamstring issues eventually forced him to undergo surgery, but he managed just four appearances before being frustratingly sidelined again. He has now missed 56 games since being named club captain in 2023.
The defender felt something “small” in training in the lead-up to the clash with Leicester last weekend, and although the prognosis has not been made public, it seems almost certain that his 2024 is over.
It is another hamstring issue on his right side, though it has been reported that it is not as serious as first feared and, notably, not a recurrence of the problem that was supposed to have been remedied by surgery.
In the grand scheme of things, then, a month out is arguably the best-case scenario given what James has already been through. Nevertheless, this feels like a crushing blow for a player who was only just feeling his way back.
Advertisement
Next Match
Premier League
SOU
Southampton
4 Dec 2024
20:30
CHE
Chelsea
Match preview
FBL-ENG-PR-LIVERPOOL-CHELSEAAFP
‘He has to fight’
James had made three encouraging starts in a row post-October international break against Liverpool, Newcastle and Manchester United, despite somewhat playing within himself and lacking his trademark explosiveness.
His head coach, Enzo Maresca, is convinced he had been playing with the fear of another issue arising, which the Italian tactician believes is inevitable in James’ line of work.
“We cannot say because we do not know how long the recovery time is,” Maresca said. “He is getting better day by day. We are waiting for him.
“We do not know exactly so we will not say how many days he needs. It is something he has to fight in terms of it’s normal, when you get injured, you become afraid, it’s normal on that. At the same time, it is his profession. You can get injured.”
Chelsea FC v Newcastle United FC – Premier LeagueGetty Images Sport
Chelsea ease the pressure
According to The Telegraph, Chelsea are intent on not putting pressure on James and once again letting him return at his own pace, as was the case post-surgery and in the aftermath of the setback he suffered in pre-season.
That is said to be the thinking behind not setting a defined timeframe on his comeback this time around, with the player mentally impacted by this latest setback.
Maresca is clearly trying to divert attention: “We don’t have doubt that when he played from the start or from the bench, he always helped us,” he said this week.
“Now, he’s injured. I think the best thing we can do, as the staff, and you, don’t talk too much about Reece. The more we speak about Reece, the more pressure we put on them. The more you ask, the more I answer, the more we put pressure on him.”
Reece James Chelsea 2024-25Getty
Patience… but for how long?
Chelsea are not a club known for showing patience, a trend that began under Roman Abramovich and has continued under the Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital ownership, as both players and managers are cast aside with disregard.
However, academy product and club captain James rightly has their grace, for the time being at least; it has been reported that the Blues have no intention of giving up on their captain as he goes through more injury hell, with the plan to give him as much time and support as he requires.
But how long will that goodwill last among the club’s decision-makers if the 24-year-old’s troubles persist into the second half of the season?
The England international signed a long-term, £250,000-per-week contract in 2022 that has so far not proved to be a good investment, and Financial Fair Play will surely become a consideration if he is still not regularly available.
The squad’s development as a group will also be hindered if their captain is constantly absent, meaning the club might be forced into the market in search of a new right-back. Maresca had already admitted James can’t play twice a week, raising questions over whether he can meet the demands of an elite club.
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