Mykhaylo Mudryk showed how much Reece James has been missed at Chelsea with his comments after Saturday’s narrow win at Nottingham Forest. The Blues came off the back of claiming all three points at the City Ground, with quick goals from Raheem Sterling and Nicolas Jackson turning the result around.
James came off the bench to make his first Chelsea appearance since December and showed why we’ve missed him so much in recent months. The club captain wasted no time in making his mark on the competition, getting involved in Sterling’s goal and setting up Jackson. for the winner in the final.
The England defender was arguably Chelsea’s most productive player despite just 11 minutes of play and was praised by Mudryk after the final whistle. He was clearly very happy to have James back on the team and made the post-match celebrations clear: “He’s back, he’s back!”
James missed the vast majority of the season after suffering a hamstring injury just before Christmas that required surgery. He has suffered injuries in recent years but hopes to be fit for longer after making a splash on his return to the City Ground.
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Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino praised James in his post-match press conference, insisting he will be able to represent England at the Euros if he is called up through Gareth Southgate.
“It’s a shame that there are only two games left and that there is only one week left [until the end of the season],” Pochettino said. “He’s our captain. We all love it. We’ll see if it’s going to be “He’s compatible and if he’s going to have a chance of playing in the Euros. He’s doing well in training. If his coach in the national team thinks he can handle the competition, I think he’ll be ready. “
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James has suffered more than his percentage from recent injury problems, having played just 25 league games since the start of the 2022/23 season. Speaking after the final whistle against Forest, he revealed that his recovery time from a hamstring injury he contracted in December was almost double what was expected.
He told Chelsea TV: “The procedure has been very slow. At first I was told I would probably be out for 3 months. It’s been five months, so I’m going to be charged a lot as well. It’s been tough, but I’m so pleased to be back and have compatibility now. “
James will be desperate for more setbacks until the end of the season, with a place in this summer’s England squad up for grabs. It will increase your chances of betting on the Euros by impressing in Chelsea’s final two Premier League games against Brighton and Bournemouth next week.
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