Nkunku starts, Sterling dropped? - Chelsea dream attack vs Newcastle with Mauricio Pochettino hope
Five months into his Chelsea tenure and Mauricio Pochettino is yet to name his strongest team possible. Although at times he will have been able to select the best possible combination of 11 players there have always been obstacles in his way, often numerous and plentiful ones.
As 2023 heads into the final month the sense is growing that he is coming closer and closer to a point of an ideal XI finally being ready.Reece James is back having missed over two months with injury, Armando Broja is now in the squad more often than not, even just as back-up, and Benoit Badiashile has shown his face.
There is still a way to go before the best fully fit team on paper is up for selection -that might include Wesley Fofana who is still a long way from recovery despite taking some huge positive steps, literally — but the general direction is better than it has been. Following the resumption of domestic action after the September internationals, for example, Pochettino was without 12 players for the 0-0 draw with Bournemouth.
As Chelsea head to the north east with the aim of closing the gap to Newcastle — who have taken on the mantle of being the most injury-hit side in the league by a mile — they look ready to pick the best side so far. James has had 10 days off since once more having his afternoon bravely cut short despite the game state of the 4-4 ding-dong battle with Manchester City, Badiashile has had some extra recovery time with the plan to get him a first league start of the season soon and Thiago Silva went away for a relax in Brazil.
There are existing issues that cannot be solved just yet no matter how good modern medicine and sports physiotherapy are but time is a good healer and time is doing its work. Both Christopher
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