Why this looks to be the best international break ever for Chelsea

We hate international breaks because it means a pause to club action – but this one may be a little different.

There’s no denying, it comes at a perfect time for Chelsea. They’re in desperate need of a break following so many injuries and this gives it to them.

Both the overworked and the freshly returned to fitness get a chance for recovery.

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A generic group photo of Chelsea. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Of course some regular first team players are gone – Enzo Fernandez, Pedro Neto and Marc Cucurella are all with their national teams. Then you have Estevao Willian and Malo Gusto from the second string.

Meanwhile the final list of relevant players who haven’t been called up is as follows:

Robert Sánchez, Reece James, Benoit Badiashile, Trevoh Chalobah, Wesley Fofana, Tosin Adarabioyo, Jorrel Hato, Moises Caicedo, Dario Essugo, Andrey Santos, Romeo Lavia, Cole Palmer, Alejandro Garnacho, Facundo Buonanotte, Joao Pedro, Liam Delap.

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That’s a much bigger list of players than we usually get at Cobham in an international break, in part thanks to the injuries that have been tearing through the squad since the summer.

But many of those guys are in a perfect spot to miss an international fortnight. They’re returning to full fitness, or in need of a break. Either way, this comes at a perfect time for them. From that group we can see Sanchez, James, Badiashile, Fofana, Caicedo, Lavia, Palmer, Garnacho and Joao Pedro all starting our next game. That’s nine of a potential eleven starters, plus Chalobah, Tosin and Santos on the cusp of the same status.

We should be back stronger than ever against Nottingham Forest in two weeks, even considering it’s an early kick off.