Chelsea’s captain, Reece James, has been grappling with a hamstring injury that has kept him out of action since the season opener against Liverpool. Although he made a brief return in the match against Arsenal, coming off the bench, he’s not yet ready to start, as confirmed by Chelsea’s head coach, Pochettino.
Pochettino revealed, “No, he is still not ready to start. He is doing well. He is really close. At the moment, tomorrow (Saturday) he will be on the bench.”
In James’ absence, Malo Gusto has been covering for the England international and is expected to start as the right-back in the upcoming west London derby against Brentford.
Also, Chelsea will be without Armando Broja due to a minor knee problem. Other absentees include Trevoh Chalobah, Ben Chilwell, Carney Chukwuemeka, Wesley Fofana, Romeo Lavia, and Christopher Nkunku.
Pochettino praised Brentford manager, Thomas Frank ahead of weekend game. He then emphasized the team’s need for a strong performance at home, “We need to project that we are solid and consistent in front of our fans.”
Chelsea has had a challenging start to the season, but Pochettino remains optimistic about the team’s progress, “We are Chelsea, and we know our responsibility is massive and about winning,” he added.
Regarding penalty takers, Pochettino revealed it’s generally up to the players to decide. He commended Cole Palmer’s performance from the spot against Arsenal and stated, “The most important is to be confident and to show the right attitude.”
Finally he expressed his discontent with Chelsea’s fixture against Wolves on Christmas Eve, as it coincides with his anniversary with his wife and a significant night for Argentine people.