‘They make it all work’: Paul Merson says two vital Chelsea players are the glue for them

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Paul Merson claims Reece James and Ben Chilwell are the two players that “make it all work” at Chelsea.

Unfortunately, it very much feels like deja vu at Stamford Bridge this season.

The Blues were hampered massively by injuries to full-back pairing James and Chilwell during the previous campaign, something that’s happened again this year.

It’s been confirmed that James, 23, will be out for the next month after suffering another knee problem this week. The right-back must be extremely frustrated after only just returning against Bournemouth from an injury.

As for 26-year-old Chilwell, he’s not played since the start of November because of his own injury. The left-back is expected back early January from a thigh problem.

Reece James and Ben Chilwell

Paul Merson believes Chelsea are at a real disadvantage right now without both James and Chilwell, who are the glue in the current side.

He ranks the pair as two of the side’s key individuals.

“Two of their most important players are injured. The two wing backs, Reece James and Ben Chilwell, are the ones who make it all work for Chelsea, and they’re both missing,” Merson wrote for the Daily Star.

It’s blatantly obvious how much this Blues side relies on the full-backs/wing-backs, especially when the forward line goes through dry spells.

A James-Chilwell combination in full flow has proven in the past how effective it can be, but it’s worrying that injuries are interrupting both players.

With Marc Cucurella starting to settle now at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea do have good competition and a like-for-like replacement during Chilwell’s absence.

However, Graham Potter’s squad really needs another modern right-back to cover for James.

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