- James limped off with another hamstring injury in Chelsea’s 2-0 loss at Everton
- Chelsea’s captain will see an expert to determine the next course of action
- Mauricio Pochettino looks bewildered! Serial winners are the SIXTH best team in London – It’s All Kicking Off
Chelsea captain Reece James is facing a long lay-off as he prepares to see a hamstring specialist today as Mauricio Pochettino faces an anxious wait to discover the extent of his captain’s injury.
James, who has a history of hamstring problems, limped off during the Blues’ 2-0 loss at Everton on Sunday.
James is expected to see an expert on Tuesday to determine the next course of action regarding his latest rehabilitation spell.
Part of the visit will see James’s injured hamstring scanned for a full diagnosis on the his latest setback.
But because the defender has a history of hamstring problems there is an understanding his recovery may not be completely straightforward – and Mail Sport understands he faces a lengthy period on the sidelines.
Chelsea captain Reece James will see a hamstring specialist after his latest injury setback
James was forced off in the first half of Chelsea’s 2-0 defeat against Everton on Sunday
Having played in the opening game against Liverpool, James missed two months of the season with his previous hamstring injury.
He’s made eight Premier League appearances so far this season.
Injuries have prevented James from having a consistent run of matches, with the full-back last playing five consecutive full games in the Premier League between the end of the 2021-22 campaign and the start of last season.
Pochettino has admitted his frustration that their captain ‘can’t help the team’ amid a string of injury issues.
‘Reece felt something in his hamstring. For sure he’s injured, but we don’t know how serious it is,’ Pochettino said post-match.
‘Of course for us he is an important player, one of the best full-backs in the world. It is really disappointing because after 15 or 20 minutes we were playing well and I think this type of circumstance makes us change, because of course Malo Gusto is recovering from his injury.
‘We hadn’t given away many chances and then you need to move things to make some changes. Even when Reece went off the team was pushing and playing well.
‘But we are disappointed because when you believe you can build something and a player like him who should be really important for us can’t help the team.
| Injury | Dates | Games missed |
|---|---|---|
| Hamstring injury | Aug 13 – Oct 6, 2023 | 9 |
| Hamstring injury | Apr – May 31, 2023 | 7 |
| Ill | Mar 9 – 15, 2023 | 1 |
| Hamstring injury | Mar 1-5, 2023 | 1 |
| Knee injury | Dec 27 – Jan 31, 2023 | 7 |
| Knee injury | Oct 13 – Dec 12, 2022 | 9 |
| Hamstring injury | Apr 21 – 28, 2022 | 2 |
| Muscle injury | Mar 3 – 21, 2022 | 5 |
| Fitness | Feb 14 – 24, 2022 | 2 |
| Hamstring injury | Dec 27, 2021 – Feb 14, 2022 | 11 |
| Hamstring strain | Dec 24, 2020 – Jan 18, 2021 | 5 |
| Ankle injury | Dec 14 – Dec 28, 2020 | 4 |
‘We go back and assess again in the next few days what is going on with his hamstring.’
According to Transfermarkt, James has now missed 35 matches due to hamstring injuries from the 2021-22 campaign.
The latest setback could stretch the run to over a season’s worth of matches missed over the past four years.
James has also missed a further 28 matches through muscle issues, illness and two knee injuries, with the latter ruling him out for 18 matches in the 2022-23 season.
The Chelsea skipper reportedly led the team on a Christmas night out hours after the defeat to Everton.
The night out had originally been scheduled as a Christmas celebration, however, the evening changed into a much-needed bonding session following the defeat.
