During today’s press conference, Mauricio Pochettino shared concerning injury updates, particularly regarding Christopher Nkunku. However, amidst the setbacks, there was a silver lining as he provided uplifting news about two injured players set to rejoin the squad tomorrow: Ben Chilwell and Ben Badiashile.
Pochettino conveyed, “Good news about Chilwell and Badiashile, and we need to assess Carney Chukwuemeka to determine his availability. However, Chilwell and Badiashile will undoubtedly be part of the squad tomorrow.” While the expectation is not for them to start, considering it poses an unnecessary risk, the possibility of their impactful appearances off the bench remains open.
The primary goal now is to bring these players up to speed in the upcoming couple of games and then maintain their fitness for the rest of the season. Despite being potentially the best players in their respective positions, the challenge lies in overcoming the substantial time they’ve missed over the past year, making it a gradual process to reach their optimal performance levels. Notably, their return provides crucial depth for Pochettino, transforming his defensive decisions from a limited selection of fit players to a scenario where he finally has genuine choices to make.