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Graham Potter has revealed how Chelsea are having to manage the players because of the injuries they are struggling with.
It has been a hectic start to the 2022/23 campaign for the Blues, with plenty of action in both the Premier League and in Europe.
After a slow start things have improved since Potter replaced Thomas Tuchel just seven games into the new season. The English head coach has taken charge of eight matches now and remains unbeaten in his time as boss.
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Chelsea had been on a streak of five wins, but in their last two games have resulted in draws, against Brentford and Manchester United respectively.
One of the factors that the two poorer performances last week could be put down to is the amount of injuries they are having to contend with. On top of N'Golo Kante being out since the second game of the season, in recent weeks the injuries have really spiked.
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Wesley Fofana and Reece James both picked up injuries in clashes against AC Milan in the Champions League. Adding to the defensive woes, Kalidou Koulibaly has also been battling a problem following the game against the Bees.
Potter revealed: "He just felt his knee at the back end of the Brentford match. We're not sure the extent yet but this one (game versus Manchester United) was too soon for him."
Koulibaly will also miss the Champions League clash against RB Salzburg on Tuesday night, with Potter added: "It's not too serious but this game was too soon for him. We're hoping to get him on the grass Wednesday or Thursday."
He also shared that Mateo Kovacic has been struggling with an injury throughout the season, explaining why the Croatian has not started the past two games.
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With it being such a busy part of the season, it has made it tricky for Potter when choosing who to select. The side he names has had to be cautiously picked so not to cause any further injuries.
Following the 1-1 draw with the Red Devils, Potter was asked whether the injuries that are piling up were a concern to him.
He responded: “We have to manage the players and deal with what we have.
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"Everyone is challenged at this part of the season, the schedule is relentless so it’s always a balance between sharing the load with the players because they are not robots.
"They have to deal with the schedule. The boys are in good place in terms of fighting for each other so that is a good start point.”
READ MORE: Pulisic reveals key change in Potter's Chelsea training methods compared to Tuchel's
It is certainly a challenging time for the 47-year-old, and with a pivotal clash against Red Bull Salzburg on Tuesday night in the Champions League he will have some thinking to do about the team he names.
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The World Cup is also rapidly approaching, so it will be in the back of the players minds that they won't want to be picking up any serious injuries either.
Topics: Chelsea, Graham Potter, Football
Sam Collins