‘He can’t start yet”… Mauricio Pochettino says 23-year old Chelsea star can’t start vs Brighton
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Mauricio Pochettino has suggested that some of his Chelsea players might not be available to start in the upcoming match against Brighton.
With just two games left in the season, Chelsea is pushing to secure a spot in Europe, specifically aiming for the Europa League. This objective remains within reach if other results work in their favor. For Pochettino, securing European qualification is crucial, as it is reportedly a minimum expectation from the club’s owners.
However, Pochettino’s efforts have been severely hampered by numerous injuries, particularly within his first-choice defense. 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.
