Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor announced that forward Lauren James will miss a minimum of the next five games due to a hamstring injury. The absence puts the 25-year-old’s availability in question for England’s upcoming World Cup qualifying play-off fixtures against Ukraine in December.
Upcoming Fixtures Missed and Team Impact
James will be absent for upcoming fixtures, starting with Everton’s visit to Stamford Bridge on Saturday and a vital clash against reigning champions Manchester City the following weekend. The injury occurred when she was forced off in distress during the 35th minute of Chelsea’s 6-0 victory over Charlton Athletic. Following a scan that revealed the hamstring problem, Bompastor told BBC Sport that James will not be seen until the end of the current block of matches.
Despite losing a key player, Bompastor expressed confidence in finding tactical solutions within the squad. As reported by BBC Sport, the manager highlighted that statistics show the team is capable of scoring through various players, noting that every player on the pitch registered a shot on goal during the recent match against Charlton. Meanwhile, Chelsea sits at the top of the Women’s Super League table, having secured victories both with and without James in the lineup this season.
In addition to the injury update, Chelsea received a boost with the return of midfielder Lexi Potter, who recently made her England debut last month and missed the recent trip to Charlton.
