Athletic journalist on the real reason Chelsea have left out their captain and best player tonight | OneFootball

Chelsea’s team to face Arsenal in the EFL Cup semi final second leg tonight is out, and there’s one very notable absence. Captain Reece James is not in the squad at all.

Injury? Illness? No.

Sources explain James’ shocking absence

Simon Johnson’s Tweet about the decision to rest Reece James.

According to Simon Johnson of the Athletic, it’s just a decision because of recent minutes played.

But James only played 10 minutes against West Ham at the weekend. This is a cup semi final second leg against our second leg. What are we resting our best player for, if not for this game?

We suspect we know just what this tells us – that getting into the Champions League matters more to the club than winning trophies. The replies to Johnson’s Tweet tell you everything about how fans feel about that decision.

UPDATE: Liam Rosenior has now told Sky that both James and Pedro Neto failed “fitness tests” before this game, but should be ready to play by Sunday. Do you believe that? It implies they have actual injuries. To us it sounds like an excuse for the fact that Rosenior has been told to rest them for the weekend.

The good news is that Estevao has returned to the bench after returning to Brazil over the weekend on compassionate leave. Cole Palmer, still working his way to fitness, is also there. That means plenty of firepower to bring on later in this game if we’re still chasing a goal.

In other news…

David Datro Fofana has completed a loan move to Strasbourg, a risk without doubt given his patchy loan history.

Liam Rosenior’s starting team against West Ham conceded two goals and could have been four down at half time. Jamie Carragher took a look at why they struggled and how Liam Rosenior changed things.