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The 2023-24 campaign has been a difficult one for Chelsea Football Club. The Blues have not been in their best shape despite the massive recruitments made during the summer transfer window. They have struggled to score goals and have managed just three wins from eight games across competitions.
Mauricio Pochettino's side started the season with a decent 1-1 draw against Liverpool. However, their performances have taken a downslide since then, and they are currently ranked 11th on the league table, coming up with a rare victory against Fulham last night (2 October).
Although not an excuse, injuries can be cited as one of the reasons why Chelsea are yet to deliver despite the immense talent on the club's roster. Injuries to key players to a large extent can affect a team's level of performance. As such, this article will look at three Chelsea players whose injuries have affected the club the most.
#3 Wesley Fofana
Wesley Fofana is one of the first-team players at Chelsea who is currently out of the squad with a long-term injury. The Frenchman tore his anterior cruciate ligament during the summer and did not partake in the club's pre-season activities.
Fofana is still recovering from surgery and his return date is unknown. Although he is just 22, the former Leicester City defender is one of the Blues' most reliable and experienced centre-backs. He alongside Thiago Silva and fellow countryman Benoit Badashile was supposed to be the first choice in the heart of defence for the manager.
However, Badashile has also been injured and this forced the club into roping in Axel Disasi as a replacement for Fofana during the summer. Injuries have hampered Fofana's stint at Chelsea, making it difficult for the young defender to justify his £70 million price tag.
Last term, a knee injury saw him miss out on 26 games making just 22 appearances across competitions for Chelsea. A very fit Fofana pairing alongside the experienced Thiago Silva would have been a formidable defensive partnership for Pochettino's setup.
#2 Reece James
Another player whose absence has greatly affected the team is club captain Reece James. Barring injuries, the English full-back is arguably Chelsea's most reliable and consistent player at the moment. He is also regarded as one of the best right-backs in the league as well as in Europe.
However, recurring injuries have been an issue for the 23-year-old and has made him miss out on 45 games in the last couple of seasons. James also missed out on the 2022 FIFA World Cup after suffering a knee injury just a few weeks before the Mundial.
A massive exodus this summer saw a number of top players exit Stamford Bridge and the Englishman was named club captain by Pochettino. Sadly, in his first game as club captain, the first league game of the season (vs Liverpool), he suffered yet another hamstring and had to be substituted midway into the second half.
James was arguably Chelsea's best player in their opening game of the season and his absence has been felt. His timely runs, switching from defence to attack, stifling out wingers from the flanks as well as initiating attacks into the final third in a high-octane league is a skill only a few fullbacks possess.
#1 Christopher Nkunku
The France international was one of Chelsea's major signings of the summer. Christopher Nkunku joined the club from RB Leipzig for a reported fee of £52 million. Nkunku is one of the most prolific attackers in Europe. Last term, despite missing out on a handful number of league games for Leipzig, he still managed 16 goals and won the league's Golden Boot.
The prospect of having a player who is versatile, a goal poacher, and proficient in the final third at Stamford Bridge excited fans. For a club that struggled to score goals in the 2022-23 season, Nkunku was looked upon to bolster the team with his goalscoring expertise.
He showed his attacking abilities during the club's preseason tour in the United States of America, scoring three goals in five games, and formed a good attacking partnership with Nicolas Jackson. However, in the last pre-season game against Borussia Dortmund, the Frenchman suffered a knee injury which has kept him out of the team to date.
His unavailability has greatly affected the team. Pochettino has been forced to switch from a desired 4-2-3-1 formation (with Nkunku as the attacking playmaker) to a conventional 4-3-3.
Chelsea has struggled to find the back of the net this season, which makes Nkunku who scored 58 goals in the last two seasons to be sorely missed.
