Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino is facing a growing list of unavailable players and is considering an intriguing tactical adjustment for the upcoming clash against Fulham.
With the increasing number of players unavailable for Pochettino’s squad, Chelsea may find themselves without a recognized striker when they face Fulham.
The absence of forward Nicolas Jackson, who received his fifth caution of the year last weekend and will consequently miss the Premier League match, has prompted Pochettino to contemplate a significant tactical shift.
Although Jackson is Chelsea’s sole natural No. 9, his disciplinary issues have left Pochettino frustrated. When asked about his options for a striker in light of Jackson’s absence.
When asked how much of a priority is addressing that in January, Pochettino said: “The good thing, the relationship is very good with the owners and the sporting directors. I think like I told before, when the transfer window was closed, I need to be involved, more involved now, in every single decision. I think we need to start identifying what we need for January.
“I think football is very dynamic, it’s the present always. Things can change until January. Now we need to work and try to recover [Christopher] Nkunku and of course Armando Broja and to try and provide the team more goals and to be more solid but of course, parallel to working to improvise to improve the team and the way we assess the team for the competition. But of course, we already start to work.”
Ben Chilwell and Reece James, the starting wing-backs, will also be absent on Monday.
Chilwell’s injury is ‘bad news,’ Pochettino ominously cautioned, and both players will undergo more medical exams.
James, another Chelsea defender, will also be out, and Malo Gusto will serve a suspension for his red card against Aston Villa.
Pochettino and Chelsea are now gearing up to face Fulham on Monday, October 2 at Craven Cottage.