Tag: Reece James

Reece James will miss the World Cup in a major blow to England

The right back had started the season in fantastic form with Chelsea

England right back Reece James has confirmed that he will miss the World Cup due to a knee injury he suffered last month in a Champions League match with Chelsea.

Following a diagnosis that said he’d be out for eight weeks, James always appeared to be a longshot for the England roster but the right back held out some hope of a quick recovery.

But amid reports that Gareth Southgate had left James off his 26-man squad, the 22-year-old came out himself and confirmed he would not be heading to Qatar.

On his Twitter account, James said: ”Devastated. The minute I injured my knee, I knew the turnaround to make the World Cup would be tight, but I always felt it was possible. I’ve worked harder than I ever thought I could to give myself the best chance of going and I truly believed I could help the team. I appreciate there was risk on both sides but it was one I was willing to take. Good luck to the boys. I’ll be back soon. Stay safe & sending love.”

The injury is a blow for England, which will be looking to qualify out of Group B along with the United States, Wales and Iran. James had started the season well with Chelsea and looked likely to start for the Three Lions at the World Cup.

With James out, Kyle Walker would appear to be the likely starting right back but the Man City defender is working his way back from groin surgery and his status is unknown.

James is the second Chelsea fullback to be ruled out of England’s World Cup squad recently, as Ben Chilwell was also diagnosed with a serious hamstring injury over the weekend.

England will begin the World Cup on November 21 against Iran before a highly anticipated showdown with the USMNT four days later on Black Friday.

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England right back Reece James will (probably) miss the World Cup

Graham Potter wasn’t ready to fully rule him out, but it doesn’t look good for James

The news is in on Reece James’ knee injury and it’s not good for Chelsea — and especially for England.

James suffered the injury in a midweek Champions League win at AC Milan and after seeing a specialist, the in-form right back appears set to be sidelined for eight weeks.

“Following the knee injury sustained in our away match against AC Milan, Reece has received treatment from the Chelsea medical department and visited a specialist this weekend,” a Chelsea statement read.

“After consultation between all parties, Reece will now undergo a rehabilitation program and is expected to be out for eight weeks.”

James was the presumed starting right back for England at the World Cup, which makes the knee injury especially ill-timed for the 22-year-old.

Eight weeks from James’ diagnosis would be in the middle of the quarterfinal stage. England’s World Cup opener against Iran is now just five weeks away.

Speaking after Chelsea’s win against Aston Villa on Sunday, head coach Graham Potter wouldn’t go as far as ruling James out for the World Cup, but admitted the defender’s chances didn’t look great.

“In terms of his involvement in the World Cup, I don’t know,” Potter said. “It will depend on how he recovers. He will give everything. I’m sure he will. But he is in a brace for four weeks and that slows everything down.”

Asked directly if James could be ruled out for the World Cup, Potter responded: “It wouldn’t be my place to predict what’s going to happen. He will be in a brace for four weeks. That’s all I know … Our job is just to help him in the short term now and get him back.”

The injury to James is especially troubling for England because his logical replacement Kyle Walker has just undergone a groin operation and is in doubt for the World Cup.

That leaves England, which will face Iran, the USMNT and Wales in Group B, looking at potential alternatives that include Kieran Trippier, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Ben White.

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England’s right back situation is looking dicey ahead of the World Cup

England’s right back picture is extremely murky as the clock ticks down toward Qatar

England has been spoiled for choice at right back in recent years. But as the World Cup nears, the Three Lions are facing something of a crisis at a position that has been a strength for so long.

The latest, and perhaps biggest blow came when Reece James limped out of Chelsea’s midweek Champions League win at AC Milan with a knee injury.

Multiple reports have suggested that James, who has been in outstanding form for club and country, could be set for an operation that would see him miss the World Cup.

“He’s due to see a specialist over the weekend, so until we get that information there’s not too much else I can add unfortunately,” Chelsea head coach Graham Potter said at a press conference on Friday. “The rest would be speculation. We will wait and see. We need to check the discomfort and see a specialist.”

With James out, Kyle Walker would be the logical replacement but the Manchester City man has just undergone a groin operation of his own and is in doubt for the World Cup.

Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold has become a polarizing figure due to the extreme discrepancy between his exceptional attacking prowess and defending that can leave much to be desired. He is also injured at the moment, though he’s only expected to miss two weeks with an ankle problem picked up last weekend.

That brings us to Kieran Trippier. The Newcastle right back was a key figure at the 2018 World Cup and Euro 2020, but has only played in two of England’s eight matches this year.

Outside of Trippier, Arsenal’s Ben White, normally a center back who has been playing right back for the Gunners this year, could be in line for a late recall, which has been endorsed by his club coach.

“Ben would be very comfortable playing on the right side of a back three as well as in the middle or as a fullback,” Mikel Arteta said this week.

“If you ask me if he is ready to make that step [to England], then the answer is yes because he is a very confident boy.”

To be sure, it’s a champagne problem for Gareth Southgate to be forced into calling in the starting right back for the Premier League’s top team this year. But it’s still a headache for a manager who wasn’t expecting this much uncertainty a month out from Qatar at a position that’s been such a strength.

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