A mundane win over Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League in early November was drawing to a close when Ben Chilwell’s small supply of luck ran out. His punishment for attempting one last sprint was to feel the pain shooting up his left hamstring and, as he lay on the turf in front of the West Stand at Stamford Bridge, receiving treatment from the physios and listening to some consoling words from Mason Mount, the Chelsea defender struggled to keep the emotions at bay.
There were tears in Chilwell’s eyes when he got back to his feet and hobbled off. All those lonely hours in the treatment room at Cobham; all they added up to was more heartbreak. Barely a year had passed since Chilwell had been in a similar situation. A damaged anterior cruciate ligament injury, sustained towards the end of Chelsea’s 4-0 win over Juventus in the Champions League in November 2021, was behind him. He was fit again and pushing for a place in England’s squad for the World Cup. Another injury felt cruel.
But it was unavoidable. Chilwell had been in and out since the start of the season, the coaching staff keen to protect him, but his body gave up again. The timing could hardly have been worse. Gareth Southgate was a week from naming his World Cup squad and Chilwell, who had hoped to compete with Luke Shaw for a place on the left side of England’s defence, knew there was no chance he was going to Qatar.
The frustration was also vast for Chelsea. They were top of the league when Chilwell was injured against Juve. Thomas Tuchel’s system had flourished with Chilwell surging down the left and Reece James dominating the right. Assessing his two key wing-backs, Tuchel would often describe them as being more like No 10s than defenders. “It’s a very important position in the system we play,” the German said. “A very important part of the position is to create a goal threat.”
Graham Potter is finding out why Chilwell and James are so important. Potter has tried to use a back four since replacing Tuchel last September but he is beginning to accept that Chelsea’s squad is geared towards a three-man defence. It suits Kalidou Koulibaly, who likes playing in the central role. It protects an occasionally one-paced midfield. And, most important, it releases Chilwell and James from defensive responsibilities.
Fast, energetic wing-backs are vital in a team short of reliable goalscorers. James is an overwhelming blend of power and technical ability, though Chilwell was the more eye-catching when Chelsea reached the last eight of the Champions League by defeating Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday.
The 26-year-old was back to his best. Chilwell did not require surgery on his hamstring and he has not let the disappointment of missing out on the World Cup affect him. His rehabilitation went well, he has looked sharp since returning to action last month, and his performances in Chelsea’s past two games have played a big part in the doubts over Potter’s future quietening.
The mood is much more upbeat before Chelsea’s visit to Leicester on Saturday afternoon. Chilwell is unlikely to receive a pleasant reception from the crowd when he returns to his old club, but will he care? The important thing is he is playing again, especially as Southgate will on Thursday name his squad for England’s Euro 2024 qualifiers against Italy and Ukraine. England need quality competition for Shaw. It did not cross Southgate’s mind to call up Ryan Sessegnon, Rico Henry or Kyle Walker-Peters when Chilwell was ruled out of the World Cup. The right-footed Kieran Trippier would have played on the left if Shaw had been unavailable.
That is obviously an unsatisfactory compromise and Southgate will be pleased to see Chilwell playing well. He has made five consecutive starts and is making his presence felt in attack. He was excellent when Chelsea beat Leeds last Saturday, driving into dangerous positions, delivering threatening set pieces, crossing and eventually making the winning goal for Wesley Fofana.
It continued against Dortmund. Chilwell wasted a good chance in the first half but he made the opening goal for Raheem Sterling, delivered the cross that earned Chelsea their decisive penalty, and defended well late on.
Potter, who will surely rebuff any attempts by Manchester City to sign Chilwell this summer, will be pleased. Eyebrows were raised last summer when Chelsea bought Marc Cucurella from Brighton for £62m. Why did they need such an expensive left-back when they had Chilwell? How would they fit into the same side?
The answer came against Dortmund, with Cucurella excelling at left centre-back. “I would not do this [play him at left centre-back] with Chilly,” Tuchel once said. “In terms of character, he’s not a guy who can play in the back three. He takes a little more risk. He feels a little more free to arrive in offensive positions.”
The injuries have not dimmed Chilwell’s sense of adventure. Chelsea will hope that he times his next run to perfection.
