“I can’t start him yet”- Pochettino confirms 23-year old Chelsea star can’t start against Brighton
In the forthcoming game against Brighton, Mauricio Pochettino hinted that a few of his Chelsea players could not be able to start.
Chelsea is vying for a place in Europe, particularly the Europa League, with two games remaining in the season. If other outcomes go their way, they can still achieve this goal. Since obtaining European qualification is apparently the club’s owners’ minimal expectation, Pochettino views it as imperative.
However, a number of injuries, especially to his first-choice defense, have seriously hindered Pochettino’s attempts.
Reece James, one of the key players who has been sidelined for much of the season, made a notable comeback in his first appearance of 2024 against Nottingham Forest. In just a few minutes on the field, he delivered a perfect cross to Nicolas Jackson, contributing to their comeback victory.
Pochettino Still Can’t Start Reece James
Despite his impressive performance, Pochettino has hinted that Reece James might not yet be ready to start the next game.
“The players that arrived from injury need time and we don’t have time,” Pochettino explained. “We need to start games with players that can play the 90 minutes. That is the problem we have. The boys are not really 100 percent to cope from the beginning at the moment.”
Pochettino added, “He [James] is training really well. Now we need to control the game time. We want him to finish the season really well. We want him to play a little bit more than last game.”
Fortunately for Pochettino, he can also rely on Malo Gusto, who has been impressive in his own right this season. As Chelsea battles for European qualification, having multiple capable players available will be crucial for Pochettino’s strategic planning and overall team performance.