Mauricio Pochettino (Photo by Sebastian Frej/MB Media/Getty Images)
Mauricio Pochettino says injuries have limited his Chelsea squad to just ’14 or 15′ players for the side’s clash against Bournemouth.
The Blues have been ravaged by injury problems so far this season, with Reece James, Christopher Nkunku, Wesley Fofana and Armando Broja among notable absentees.
Romeo Lavia suffered an ankle injury during the international break, which will see the midfielder wait at least six weeks before making his debut for the club.
Chelsea have made a poor start to the season by collecting just four points from their first four matches.
The club have spent £1.1bn over the last three transfer windows, but injuries have depleted the squad.
And Pochettino says he could be limited to just four outfield substitutes against the Cherries.
Lavia is Chelsea’s latest injury (Photo by Darren Walsh/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
‘With the circumstances, of course, I think it’s better for us because we have 11 or 12 players injured,’ said Pochettino.
‘And I think it shows with the squad at the moment. I think we only have 14 or 15 players. I think it’s important that we can recover the players and be competitive
Of course with the history of Chelsea, we need to be involved in European competition but that is not in my hands now, that is the reality.
‘In our hands now is to work and to try and be in there next season. For sure we are going to be in European competition next season.’
MORE : Mauricio Pochettino tells Chelsea players to be NAUGHTIER ahead of Bournemouth clash
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