Injury palaver: Not yet unhuru for Reece James
Chelsea star Reece James is set for another spell on the sidelines after limping off against Everton, with the full-back already missing almost a full season due to hamstring injuries in the last four years.
The Blues captain has had bad luck with injuries over the past 12 months and was forced off after 27 minutes of the Blues’ 2-0 defeat at Goodison Park on Sunday.
Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino has admitted frustration that his captain “cannot help the team” amid a series of injury problems.
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‘Reece felt something in his hamstring. He is surely injured, but we don’t know how serious it is,” Pochettino said after the match.
“Of course for us he is an important player, one of the best full-backs in the world. It’s really disappointing because after 15 or 20 minutes we were playing well and I think these types of circumstances make us change, because of course Malo Gusto is recovering from his injury.
“We hadn’t conceded many chances and then you have to move things around to make some changes. Even when Reece left, the team was pressing and playing well.
“But we are disappointed because when you think you can build something and a player like him, who should be really important for us, can’t help the team.”
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“We’ll go back and evaluate again in the next few days what’s going on with his hamstring.”
James has already missed seven Premier League games this season with a hamstring injury, as well as two of the club’s Carabao Cup ties.
The Blues have been trying to get him back to full fitness and the 24-year-old is yet to complete 90 minutes this season.
According Transfer marketJames has missed 35 games due to hamstring injuries in the 2021-22 campaign.
The latest setback could extend the streak to more than one season of lost games in the last four years.
James also missed another 28 games due to muscle problems, illnesses and two knee injuries, the latter ruling him out of 18 games in the 2022-23 season.
Reece James’s injury problems since 2020-21(Source: Transfermarkt)
Injury dates lost games
thigh injury August 13 – October 6, 2023 9
thigh injury April – May 31, 2023 7
Sick March 9 – 15, 2023 1
thigh injury March 1-5, 2023 1
knee injury December 27 – January 31, 2023 7
knee injury October 13 – December 12, 2022 9
thigh injury April 21 – 28, 2022 2
Muscle injury March 3 – 21, 2022 5
Physical aptitude February 14 – 24, 2022 2
thigh injury December 27, 2021 – February 14, 2022 eleven
tendon sprain December 24, 2020 – January 18, 2021 5
Ankle injury December 14 – December 28, 2020 4
Southgate, who watched James suffer his latest injury at Goodison Park, admitted the defender’s place in his Euro squad was a risk.