Mauricio Pochettino provides injury update on Reece James and hints at January business after loss at Everton
'He felt something in his hamstring.'
Mauricio Pochettino has revealed that Reece James has picked up a hamstring injury and also hinted that Chelsea will do business in the January transfer window after their 2-0 defeat at Everton on Sunday.
The west Londoners have lost back-to-back Premier League games and have fallen to 12th in the table in what has been a disappointing season so far.
Their loss at Goodison Park is the latest low point for Pochettino’s side, in a match which saw captain James limp off in the first half with injury.
James has already missed seven top-flight games this season due to injury and the England international is set for another spell on the sidelines.
‘He felt something in his hamstring,’ Pochettino told the BBC about James after the game.
‘It’s not so nice for him to suffer another injury. He is an important player.’
In his post-match press conference, Pochettino added: ‘For us [he] is an important player, one of the best footballers in the world.
‘Really disappointed. This type of circumstances has to change because [Malo] Gusto is still recovering.
‘The team was good even when Reece was out but [we are] disappointed in the end, when you believe you can build something with a player that should be really important for us.’
Meanwhile, Pochettino has hinted that Chelsea will look to bring in new players when the January transfer window opens.
‘We need to talk and to try to improve in the next transfer market,’ Pochettino added.
‘When the transfer window opens, we will see what we can do. I will not say if I [will] ask for more players or less players but it’s to see if the perception matches the reality. Maybe we need to improve our reality.’
Pochettino was left furious with his side’s performance against Everton and admits he is ‘really, really disappointed’.
‘Football is about scoring goals and we were not clinical in front of goal,’ the Argentine said. ‘I’m really, really disappointed.
‘We didn’t get the point we deserved. I think we were better but we didn’t get what we wanted.
‘This was a game to play and to win. It’s a problem we need to check. We need to analyse the reality.’
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