- James banned for Villa tunnel incident
- Pochettino draws line under issue
- Blues captain in line for Arsenal return
WHAT HAPPENED? James picked up a hamstring injury on the opening day of the season against Liverpool but was hit by a one-match ban for 'abusive words' towards officials during Chelsea's loss to Aston Villa in September. The subsequent ban was served during the Blues' trip to Burnley, a match in which James' deputy Malo Gusto was also suspended. Though it was widely assumed James was not fit for that game, Pochettino yesterday hinted that his captain may have been in contention when reflecting upon the incident.
WHAT THEY SAID: “It’s part of the business,” said Pochettino. “He was upset about the situation and then you need to understand that he is so committed to this project from the beginning. He feels really bad because he cannot help the team.
“He made a mistake, we all make them and he was really sorry about it. I think he’s not going to repeat the situation.
"Even myself at Burnley I got a yellow card at half-time and I’m 51 years old. Sometimes a young guy can make a mistake, he was frustrated because he could not help the team.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Speaking about how soon James might return ahead of facing a stern test at home to Arsenal on Saturday, Pochettino added: “It [James’s hamstring] is much better. He is progressing well, still not at his best, 100 percent. But maybe to help the team at some point …. maybe, he is close to be there.”
Next Match
IN THREE PHOTOS:
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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA AND JAMES? James' return is a welcome boost for Chelsea. The right-back spot has been symptomatic of their disjointed season so far, with Pochettino forced to find solutions, including using left-back Marc Cucurella to fill the spot. With his captain and others on the way back from injury, Pochettino will hope Chelsea's results will continue to improve.