Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino has nine-man injury crisis as details emerge

Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino has nine-man injury crisis as details emerge Chelsea’s chaotic start to the season has descended into further unrest for Mauricio Pochettino with the news that Romeo Lavia could be on the sidelines for the rest of the month. After the frantic transfer window, the Blues manager had been hoping to use the international break to sort through his overblown squad and whip them into coherent shape for the campaign ahead. But while those left at Cobham have mainly made steady progress on the road to recovery, Lavia has suffered a further setback in his bid to kick-start his Chelsea career after signing from Southampton for £58m in August. Chelsea’s next five games come against Bournemouth, Villa, Brighton, Fulham and Burnley, a run that Pochettino would hope to maximise after the stuttering start to a campaign that has left them languishing in 12th place in the early table. It means an ever-anxious daily roll-call down Pochettino’s list of casualties, although there is some light at the end of the tunnel. ROMEO LAVIA – back Tottenham (a), November 4 The 19-year-old had been left out of the Belgium camp to recover from the injury he has been carrying all pres-season. Then on Thursday, he managed to turn his ankle and scans the following day suggest it could be another six weeks before a muscle tear allows him finally to pull on a blue shirt. BENOIT BADIASHILE – back Bournemouth (a), September 17. It is better news for Badiashile, who has quietly been able to put the finishing touches on his rehabilitation from a hamstring injury picked up right at the end of the last campaign. He was finally pictured on club channels training back on the grass with the rest of the squad left working at the training ground on Monday in a positive update on his progress. His fitness build-up has gone without incident and he is expected to be available for the match day squad for the trip to Bournemouth on Sunday. SUBSCRIBE Invalid email We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info REECE JAMES – back Brighton (h), September 27 There is immense frustration that so soon after the England international was named the new club captain his season has been held up with a hamstring injury. While England have been playing Ukrainie and Scotland he has been updating his followers with the message that he will be ‘back to it soon’ having been just a spectator in the stands before the international break for the game against Luton when he sat with the club’s owner Todd Boehly, fellow recoverer Lavia and club legend John Terry. Pochettino was very cagey when he first picked up the problem, suggesting it would be ‘not a few days, a few weeks maybe’ and that may take James until the end of the month rather than being in contention for an immediate return this week. ‘We are going to assess him day by day and he is going to come back stronger than he was,” Pochettino added. MYKHAILO MUDRYK – back Bournemouth (a), September 17. The Ukrainian winger showed English fans the first glimpses of what he can really do on an emotional night against the Three Lions in Poland on Saturday. But after an absorbing battle against Kyle Walker for most of the match, he appeared to limp off clutching his calf towards the end. With Ukraine playing again tonight against Italy it should give a clue as to how serious the problem is or whether it was just a touch of cramp. Pochettino will be hoping the worst case is a rest at the weekend to get him back 100 per cent. ARMANDO BROJA – back Bournemouth (a), September 17. Technically, the striker is finally back training after damaging his ACL in December but he is likely to be blooded back into the squad slowly to gain some match action before he is fully pressing Nicolas Jackson for a place in the starting line-up. He has been training with the senior squad, but Pochettino is still urging patience. ‘He’s close but sometimes you are close but the last step is difficult after the injury he suffered,’ he said. “That is why we are assessing the squad and all of the things that happen.’ TREVOH CHALOBAH – back Bournemouth (a), September 17. Fitness concerns after twice having to be substituted out of the club’s pre-season tour of the USA did nothing for his hopes of a move and has also ruled him out of any meaningful action this season. All the club are saying about his progress is that he is ‘continuing to undergo his rehabilitation programme’ – a dismal process that means he may technically be fit for the resumption but appears a very long way from the manager’s plans. CARNEY CHUKWUEMEKA – back Arsenal (h), October 21 He left the London Stadium on crutches after scoring against West Ham before the international in what had been a promising start to the season. The prognosis at the time was, “it is not an issue that will take months, maybe weeks.’ With two lots of international breaks, he may avoid missing too many Chelsea games with an eye on a return after the next hiatus. “A little bit unlucky but I think he can become stronger because he feeling the way he needs to work and compete,’ Pochettino said. ‘He is young and for sure he will be much better when we start again.” That confidence rebuilding process, however, may take a bit more time.