Chelsea handed massive double injury boost ahead of Nottingham clash
Chelsea are close to getting James and Colwill back as the Nottingham Forest clash approaches
Chelsea could be getting two of their biggest stars back just in time for Monday’s game against Nottingham Forest. Interim boss Calum McFarlane confirmed that captain Reece James and defender Levi Colwill are back in training and moving in the right direction.
James has been out since he did his hamstring in mid-March, a rough patch where Chelsea lost four straight games and Liam Rosenior lost his job. Colwill’s road back has been even longer. The 23-year-old tore his ACL during the first week of pre-season and hasn’t played since that Club World Cup win over PSG back in July 2024. McFarlane told reporters on Friday that both are looking promising, but the club are being careful with them since there are still plenty of games left on the schedule.
When he’s fit, James changes the way Chelsea play from right back. His ability to push forward, whip in crosses, and keep things tight defensively makes him one of the best in the league.
Before his injury, Colwill had established himself as the leader of the defence. With Chelsea currently sitting eighth and fighting for a European spot, they couldn’t have picked a better time to return.
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Do Chelsea actually need to rush these two back, or is patience the better play?
The reality is that while Chelsea need that quality on the pitch, it shouldn’t come at the expense of their long-term fitness. James’s track record over the last three seasons is a bit of a red flag; his body seems to struggle when the workload gets too heavy, and those recurring hamstring issues are becoming a real concern.
Seeing Colwill return from an ACL tear in ten months is great, but coming back from that kind of injury always carries a bit of mental and physical risk in those first few weeks. Chelsea’s top-four bid is urgent, but throwing them straight into a high-stakes game against a Forest side that just made the Europa League semis feels like a massive gamble.
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McFarlane’s day-by-day approach is the right call. If Chelsea handle this properly and ease them back in, these two could be the difference-makers in the final stretch without risking another breakdown before next season even starts.
