Chelsea Duo Dubbed ‘World’s Best’ Struggle Through Tough Seasons
Reece James and Benoit Badiashile, Chelsea’s defensive duo, were once highly regarded as among the world’s best players in their positions. However, this season has seen both players struggle to live up to that reputation due to injuries and loss of form. James has been limited to only 390 minutes of Premier League action due to a persisting hamstring issue, which has also led to surgery.
As a result, he faces uncertainty in terms of his fitness for Euro 2024. Similarly, Badiashile has not been able to meet the high expectations placed upon him, despite initial praise from figures like Micah Richards. Even when he has played, he has struggled to find the form that led Chelsea to pay a significant sum for him.
This has been disappointing for the Chelsea head coach, who believed in Badiashile’s potential as one of the best full-backs in the world. There is high praise for James from his colleagues, with Trevoh Chalobah describing him as world-class and potentially the best in the world in his position. With both James and Badiashile facing setbacks, Chelsea’s defense has felt the impact, lacking quality in central defense while Badiashile has been sidelined.
Looking ahead, it is uncertain whether the season would have been vastly different had both players been available. The hope is that they can have uninterrupted seasons in the future and play crucial roles in the team’s success. Both players will likely be key in the transition to the Todd Boehly era at Chelsea.
