Joao Pedro Injury Blow Leaves Chelsea Short for Liverpool Cup Clash
Chelsea will head to Anfield without Joao Pedro, and that matters. Xabi Alonso has confirmed the forward is facing a spell on the sidelines with a thigh injury, ruling him out of the Carabao Cup meeting with Liverpool.
The Brazilian was missing from the squad against Tottenham after suffering the problem in training the previous day. Chelsea looked blunt in his absence and paid for it in a 2-0 defeat. That is now becoming a pattern. They have also lost to Brentford without him, and there is a clear drop in threat when he is unavailable.
Alonso had initially said, “At the moment has some liquid, so we have to do some tests to know how big the injury is. It’s disappointing, but we need to carry on.” The picture is now clearer, and it is not encouraging. As the Chelsea manager put it, “He has an injury of his thigh and he is going to be out for a few weeks. Let’s see how many. We don’t want to predict on that, but he is not ready for the next games.”
Photo: IMAGO
Carabao Cup test arrives at wrong time
Missing a striker before a trip to Liverpool is bad timing. Missing one who has already exposed the limits of your alternatives is worse. Morgan Rogers filled in through the middle against Spurs and had little impact. Chelsea lacked presence, sharpness and penalty-box danger.
That does not mean Alonso is short of options. He confirmed Emmanuel Emegha, Danny Welbeck and Estevao will all be in the matchday squad. There are bodies available, and that is the point he wants to make. “Yeah, for sure. This is why you build a squad. For sure, some players are important but this can happen.”
Chelsea squad depth now under scrutiny
Fine in theory. Harder in practice. Squad depth gets praised until a key player goes down and the replacement attack produces very little. Chelsea now have to prove they can function without Joao Pedro, starting in a difficult Carabao Cup tie at Anfield.
Liverpool will see opportunity. Chelsea will see a problem that needs solving quickly.
