Amongst those returning to Chelsea training over the next week from Qatar will be an extra group of Blues players. Conor Gallagher, Mason Mount and Raheem Sterling are all still in the World Cup - though Sterling is coming home for other reasons - but Graham Potter's arsenal of choices is about to grow.
He has already named a 25-man squad that will get some warm weather training ahead of the return of domestic action in just over three weeks. That group includes 12 academy stars as well as some that are currently injured, returning from injury and there will now be more reinforcements available.
Christian Pulisic is out of the World Cup, Kai Havertz was dumped out in the group and also on their way back are Senegal duo Kalidou Koulibaly and Edouard Mendy. The backline duo fell to defeat against England in the last-16 and failed to show the same level of defensive resilience that took them to the African Cup of Nations earlier this year.
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Senegal lost 2-0 to Netherlands in the group before beating Qatar 3-1, they scraped through to the knockouts after a 2-1 win over Ecuador but fell short against England. Considering Koulibaly's stature and Mendy's standing in the game since joining Chelsea, their failure to keep a clean sheet is surprising but demonstrates the struggle for Potter too.
The Blues saw their form fall off a cliff in the weeks leading up to the domestic break, losing four of the last five matches. Mendy had been dropped under Potter before Kepa Arrizabalaga's injury saw him return - he conceded in every match he played after that - and Koulibaly hasn't fully settled in England.
They haven't been able to pick up form in Qatar and will pose a problem for Potter, but Roy Keane could see the issues coming before England highlighted their frailties. He was critical of the Chelsea keeper before the game, saying: "You never underestimate a team but never overestimate them either. England have got a good starting XI and look strong on paper. You mentioned there, goalkeepers, Senegal, I think he [Mendy] is a weak link for them, not great."
Mendy's own form has been poor since he returned from AFCON and is now fighting for his place for the first time since moving to Stamford Bridge in 2020. Potter is the man now left to pick up the pieces left behind.
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