Carabao Cup: Chelsea’s manager speaks on James’ form vs Blackburn Rovers

Chelsea’s manager Mauricio Pochettino in a post-match discussed the importance of captain Reece James’ return to the tea after playing the first hour against Blackburn on Wednesday at Stamford Bridge.

Pochettino shared how they had to take time with James especially as he is just only returning from injury.

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The manager said: ‘We were talking throughout the game. The plan was to check at half-time how he felt and was. After the 50th minute he started to feel tired and we were checking in the second half. He was a little bit tired and we needed to be careful how we managed him.

‘At that moment we decided to change and protect him. It is important we are careful not to go back to play 90 minutes and take some risks. We cannot avoid 100 per cent the risk but the plan is to go in little by little.

‘It’s really important, especially if he’s your captain, that he can stay fit and can play and help the team. He’s an important player for us, an amazing player, for me he’s one of the best full-backs in the world. It’s unlucky that we only played with him 70 minutes against Liverpool in the first game and then and it was until today that he can play from the start.

‘Of course the temptation now is to say go and play 90 minutes but we need to be careful and little by little he is going to get fit and able to cope with the amount of games.’