Mauricio Pochettino admits Chelsea injury crisis is not simply 'bad luck'
- Chelsea have been plagued by injuries since well before Pochettino arrived this summer
- Blues have eight confirmed absentees ahead of Saturday's game against Arsenal
- Reece James could make his return despite earlier concerns
By Tom Gott
Chelsea head coach Mauricio Pochettino has confessed that the club cannot blame "bad luck" for their ongoing battle with injuries.
The Blues have been plagued by fitness problems since well before Mauricio Pochettino joined this summer and the boss is yet to figure out a solution, with Chelsea certain to be without no fewer than eight first-team players against Arsenal on Saturday.
It's a question which has been asked of the new BlueCo ownership, who made sweeping changes to the club's medical department upon their arrival, but Pochettino believes his team are making progress in their attempts to overcome the injury bug.
"It's not only bad luck," Pochettino said. "The profile of the players sometimes, the history...
"We could see when we arrived here, if you see every situation, it is not only bad luck. Sometimes there are too many factors that can influence. We are professionals and we are trying to find the best methods to bring the best platform to the players to be strong and feel good.
"I think it's only a matter of time because this organisation is new, the team is new, everything is new in this club. It's only about the players, getting to know each other, assessing the right way, and to help them to feel strong."
Chelsea remain without Marcus Bettinelli, Wesley Fofana, Trevoh Chalobah, Ben Chilwell, Romeo Lavia, Carney Chukwuemeka and Christopher Nkunku, while striker Armando Broja is back on the sidelines just weeks after a ten-month absence due to a knee injury.
"We need to assess Axel Disasi, we need to assess Nico Jackson, we need to assess also Reece [James]," Pochettino said ahead of the Arsenal game.
"Broja is out, he has irritated his knee, but not the knee that was a problem in the past.
"We have a few players that we need to assess to see if they can be available tomorrow, to play or on the bench or out of the list.
"Benoit Badiashile can maybe be available to be on the bench. Reece was training good the last few days. Now it is to talk with all of the medical staff to decide if he can be part of the squad.
"Enzo Fernandez trained yesterday, [Moises] Caicedo arrived yesterday afternoon and was checking with the doctor and was in a very good state. Today trained with us and I think they are ready."
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