James and Colwill Could Bolster Chelsea Ahead of Nottingham Forest Fixtures
Reece James and Levi Colwill could be back in Chelsea’s squad for nottingham forest fixtures on Monday afternoon, giving interim head coach Calum McFarlane a chance to add two defenders who have spent time out injured. The pair have both returned to training, but McFarlane said neither will be hurried back before they are ready to feature.
McFarlane's Friday update
McFarlane gave the update at Cobham on Friday and kept the focus on readiness rather than risk. “Reece is back in training, and Levi is back in training also,” he said, adding: “Both are looking good, which is really positive. We’re still a little way out from the game [on Monday], so we’ll see how they do in the next few training sessions but are looking promising.”
He followed that by stressing the workload ahead. “There are still a lot of games still to play, and we don't want to push too much, so we're just taking it day by day and, hopefully, they come through okay.”
James and Colwill's recovery
Colwill has been out since pre-season with a knee problem, while James has been dealing with a hamstring issue in more recent weeks. Colwill recently added match action with Chelsea's Under-21 side, a step that suggested his recovery was moving forward before this week's training return.
That leaves Monday afternoon at Stamford Bridge as the first chance for both men to be involved against Vitor Pereira's Nottingham Forest side. For Chelsea, the practical question is simple: if they come through the next few sessions cleanly, McFarlane has opened the door to a squad call.
Chelsea's squad picture
McFarlane also framed James as a major figure even while injured, saying: “Reece has been brilliant from the day I stepped up in January.” He added: “This time around, he's injured, so it's a little bit of a different role, but even though he's still young, he's massively experienced.”
He went further on the defender’s influence inside the group: “He's won major tournaments, he loves the club, and he cares about the club. He's driving and pushing standards every day. We have a leadership group here that he's a massive part of, and he's been a massive support to myself and all the staff involved on an interim basis.”
The immediate call for Chelsea is whether both defenders can handle the final training sessions without setback. If they do, McFarlane has already signaled they could be in the squad, and with a long run of games still to play, that would give Chelsea two more experienced options for the closing stretch.
