Ben Chilwell injury weeks before World Cup mars Chelsea win but Denis Zakaria earns Graham Potter’s trust
Chilwell #Chilwell
Chelsea’s first meeting with Dinamo Zagreb triggered the departure of Thomas Tuchel but two months later, the return restored the sense of progress under Graham Potter after Saturday’s defeat at Brighton had provided the new manager with a painful reality check.
However, victory came at the cost of what appeared to be a hamstring injury to left-back Ben Chilwell who was carried from the pitch at the final whistle.
With qualification to the last 16 of the Champions League as group winners already assured, an unconvincing start gave way to a comfortable win that provides a welcome lift ahead of Sunday’s visit of Arsenal.
The fact that Chelsea‘s recovery after falling behind was built on Raheem Sterling’s first goal since mid-September and continued with a debut goal for Denis Zakaria only added to the sense this was a satisfactory evening for Potter and his players.
By Katherine Lucas, i sports journalist
Denis Zakaria was very much a Thomas Tuchel signing and in that sense, he has been a casualty of the German’s early season sacking. Graham Potter has only ever named him on the bench, but he was finally handed his debut on Wednesday night.
It took just half an hour for the ball to drop to him near the edge of the area as the midfielder hit it towards Sadegh Moharrami, who could not keep it off the line.
Potter had told the media that he had been “training well” and admitted he was “disappointed not to play like anybody” would be since his deadline day arrival on loan from Juventus.
Chelsea have a £26m option to buy included in that deal and up until their final group stage match, there was no reason to believe they would exercise it. That thinking may have altered now, especially with N’Golo Kante’s ongoing injury problems affording him more opportunities between now and the World Cup.
In fact it is fast becoming a problem position for Chelsea, with both Kante and Jorginho out of contract in the summer of 2023. Potter does not necessarily believe Zakaria can be the answer, and the club reportedly held talks with the player over ending his loan move in January to ensure he could be given minutes elsewhere.
One game and one goal may change that.
Chilwell’s injury cast a shadow over the victory, though, and inevitably casts doubt over the player’s ability to make England’s World Cup squad.
“Horrible sight for Ben Chilwell,” said former Chelsea and England midfielder Joe Cole on BT Sport. “I feel his pain. I had problems at the back end of my career. It’s heart-breaking. As soon as it happens all you can think about is that it is so close to a World Cup.
“If it’s a hamstring injury usually the least you can hope for is 2-3 weeks before you get back onto the pitch. It’s really tough. I really feel for him.”
Glenn Hoddle added: “I feel for [Ben Chilwell], dreadfully. Sometimes with a hamstring you get a little warning sign. That’s when you put your hand up.
“That one just went. His face went and as he touches the ball he grimaces and looks in real pain. It looks like a nasty one. I don’t understand why they haven’t carried him off.
“That’s such a blow. I am gutted for him.”
For Sterling though, there was a sense of relief. The England forward’s form has come under intense scrutiny in recent weeks, particularly when, as on Saturday, he has been employed in an unfamiliar wing-back role.
Restored to a front three, his well taken goal marked his first since he scored in Potter’s first game in charge and the player’s reaction to scoring underlined the significance of the goal.