ENGLAND DEFENDER BEN Chilwell’s World Cup hopes could be in danger after he suffered a hamstring injury in the closing stages of Chelsea’s 2-1 win over Dinamo Zagreb in the Champions League.
Blues boss Graham Potter admitted to concern over the left-back after he pulled up just minutes before the final whistle at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea had come from behind thanks to goals from Raheem Sterling and debutant Denis Zakaria after Bruno Petkovic had put the Croatian side ahead, but Chilwell’s injury marred the evening.
Potter, who told BT Sport it was a hamstring problem, added in his post-match press conference: “(It’s) not great. Obviously when he pulls up like that it’s a concern so we need to scan, but it doesn’t look positive at the moment.
“It’s a blow for us on an otherwise positive evening I think. It’s a blow to see him pull up like that, it’s not a great sight.
“So fingers crossed when we get the scan it isn’t bad, it can be not severe, but we have to have fingers crossed at the moment. But clearly we’re disappointed.”
Chilwell, who was later pictured leaving the ground on crutches, did not start during his side’s 4-1 thrashing at Brighton at the weekend and the club was managing his workload after he battled back from a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Potter believes the setback could harm the defender’s hopes of being a part of Gareth Southgate’s World Cup squad – with England playing their first game of the tournament in Qatar against Iran on November 21.
“I think you’d have to say so (that it is a concern for the World Cup),” Potter said.
“Obviously I don’t want to say any more than that but when a player pulls up like he did, and he felt it, so it’s never positive.
“He didn’t play at the weekend. There was a thought that he could play tonight and have enough time to recover for the weekend.
“So we’ve tried to manage him, he’s never played the three games in a week, he’s had to have the build up, it’s been good for him.
“That’s what makes it very frustrating. It’s a blow for us and a blow for him and sadly he won’t be the only one who’s affected like that in this period because October was incredibly challenging, the games that we had to play, but it is what it is.”
Zagreb manager Ante Cacic was proud of his players, despite their exit from Europe after they finished bottom of the group, having gone into the game needing a win and a defeat for Salzburg to reach the Europa League play-offs.
“I think it’s realistic the end result and fourth place in our group – the reputation of all the other teams is very high. Chelsea and Milan always play in these competitions,” he said.
“I think Dinamo had very brave performances all throughout this competition.
“Our players are proud and they should be proud of how they played throughout this competition.”
The maul tries would not have been so easily scored if Klyne had been playing. He is invaluable to Munster an absolute brick wall in defence.
Didn’t look good now. Should never have Glasgow come away with bonus point. As for Jager, there’s a reason he’s at munster and not at La Rochelle or Toulouse. Let’s not get carried away with this guy folks.
@Ray Ridge: is it that he has ambitions of playing international rugby? Or that he values player welfare?
@Ray Ridge: easy does it Ray. He might not tech the heights of your interprovincial career or international prospects but give him a little time before cutting the legs from him.
@David O’Flynn: Time?? 6 years at the Crusaders and failed to make it as an all black. I doubt a year or two at munster will make a difference. No harm or offence.
@Ray Ridge: Was that last sentence a pun there Ray? This lads father is Harm Jager.
Harm Jager is a Dutch strength and conditioning coach who worked (works?) in Ireland but I can’t remember who for, Football? Rugby?
I remember him in connection with Niall Quinn I think.
@Ray Ridge: Neither did Aki, JGP or Lowe make it to the ABs but they made it into the Irish side.
You seem to be very quick to judge. Judge as you wish to be judged is a good philosophy, irrespective of any religious connotations.
They seemed to try and drop it (lineout) a few times, but Loughman wasn’t able to pull the man down and so gave away momentum and never got behind it, and they only contested once (from 5m). Jager seems a little off the fitness level but looks like a bouncer at Mullingars 3 best nightclub which is exactly what’s needed. Hope he goes well. No need for that reverse scrum penalty for one of the maul tries.
I have to agree with Matt Williams article last week about how the proliferation of maul tries. I agree it is ruining the game. They have to think of a way of Dix our aging it and encouraging the running option.
@John dunne: discouraging!
@John dunne: Ugh. Matt Williams is awful, Ray Ridge is even better.
Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see the match but it is a great result. The fact that there’s areas to improve upon means Munster will get even stronger. The return match with Leinster will be a tough one, I can’t see Munster losing it.
Remember, Glasgow have a very strong team this year, so no mean result overall! That’s in spite of their BP, which needs to be looked at in terms of the overall scoring by Munster. If Munster had lost, yeah I’d complain but it’s a great score to put on a strong team.