Chelsea have arrived and already had their first training session at a midseason camp in United Arab Emirates. The Blues are currently working without a host of first team stars as the World Cup knockout stages start in Qatar, with several players already on the plane home.
Graham Potter will be focused on the 25-man squad that is currently available to him, though, with 11 players in the group yet to make their debuts. Chelsea face Aston Villa in a friendly on December 11, and the next match is expected to be the domestic return against Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge on December 17.
With the World Cup causing a host of unknowns to be factored in by sides this winter - including fatigue, injury and varying player emotions - Potter has nearly two weeks of training with his squad in the bank since the break started. These players may well be key to the foundation for post-World Cup matches.
READ MORE: Why Raheem Sterling didn't play for England vs Senegal in World Cup round of 16 clash
In Potter's longest period without a game as Blues boss he is now able to set about disseminating his footballing ideas to his men, even if a large part of main senior squad isn't yet there to benefit from it. After one day in Abu Dhabi for Potter, here's what football.london noticed in the pictures from training.
Reece James is back
In a major boost, Chelsea's star man is back in the fold. James has been out since injuring his knee against AC Milan in October and was left out of Gareth Southgate's 26-man World Cup squad due to the feeling he wouldn't be able to return to action in time.
Given that England play France in the quarter finals on Saturday, James may well not have recovered quickly enough had he been risked, as football.london understand there is precaution being taken over his participation in training, with tentative plans in place for him.
Carney Chukwuemeka, who has made his debut, did return to training having missed the final weeks of the first half of the season with his own injury.
Potter struggled to balance his side after losing James on the right and will be banking on his fitness in the New Year as Chelsea set about reviving their top four challenge, as well as competing in Europe once more.
For now though, he's back out on the pitch with his teammates, sporting a wild purple haircut too.
11 new faces
On the 11th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me... 11 new faces.
Potter's squad is dominated by those that are yet to play for the club at senior level, with nearly a dozen awaiting an official debut in the friendly later this week. 12 players are from the club's academy, with James, Trevoh Chalobah and Armando Broja the most experienced amongst them - 18-year-old Lewis Hall is also a new first-team player following his league debut last month.
Outside of that, summer signings Cesare Casadei and Omari Hutchinson are involved - the latter has also taken steps towards getting a first appearance and being involved under Potter in matchday squads. There are an extra nine Cobham players yet to feature. They are Eddie Beach, Dion Rankine, Bashir Humphreys, Ben Elliot, Malik Mothersille, Charlie Webster, Josh Brooking, Alfie Gilchrist and Mason Burstow.
No sign of Chilwell
Outside of James, other injured players that weren't pictured include Ben Chilwell, Wesley Fofana and Ruben Loftus-Cheek.
Chilwell was ruled out of the World Cup after a hamstring problem in the penultimate game before the break; Fofana hasn't returned since his own knee issue against AC Milan in October, and Loftus-Cheek is undergoing treatment having not taken part in training over the past week, football.london has learnt.
The trio are all key players for Potter, with Loftus-Cheek playing some of his best football in a Chelsea shirt this season across several positions.
Some setting
With a stunning scene behind them - the same as it was just over one year ago for the Club World Cup - Chelsea are experiencing conditions unavailable too them in Surrey.
Cobham is lovely, but in December the heat and weather isn't the nice setting that many would like to prepare themselves in. As an effective mini pre-season, this is a good place to set-up, distance themselves from the ghosts of poor recent form, and get set for the return of Premier League football later this month.
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