Chelsea’s continued absence of key players is a major contributing factor to their Premier League struggle for points.

The Blues’ troubles with injuries have been a constant theme throughout the last year. Mauricio Pochettino’s squad is missing several high-caliber players right now, and their absence has really been felt in the new campaign.

The situation was made worse because club captain Reece James has continued to deal with injury issues after suffering a setback following the season’s opening game.

It was stated in mid-August that the English defender will be out for “a few weeks” with a hamstring injury sustained during practice.

What did Mauricio Pochettino say of James’ injury in August?

Mauricio Pochettino acknowledged the news then, but he expressed confidence in his captain’s ability to bounce back even stronger: “It’s a hamstring. It’s not a few days, a few weeks maybe.

“I think it’s a sad moment because he’s our captain; he was so excited to be the captain, full of energy. We are going to assess him day by day. He is going to come back stronger than he was.”

After undergoing evaluations for his injuries, the England international jumped immediately into rehabilitation.

When will player return from sidelines?

The injury was the latest setback for the English national, who struggled through just 16 games in the Premier League last year. James’s October knee injury meant he couldn’t be included on England’s World Cup 2022 roster.

Later, in his first game back in December, the injury flared up again, and he was out for another four weeks. The 23-year-old was also out for the last seven games of last season with a hamstring injury, contributing to his side’s 12th-place finish.

Now Chelsea have stated that Reece James will return from his injury following the September international break. The player may even suit up for the Blues in their September 17 match against Bournemouth on the road.

Photo credit: IMAGO / Pro Sports Images