Chelsea defender Reece James is set to be absent for tonight’s Premier League encounter against Brentford on September 18. The full-back was also excluded from Thomas Tuchel’s latest England squad for the upcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures due to his ongoing physical fitness concerns.
James sat out of training sessions throughout the week leading up to the visit to the GTech Community Stadium. Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso recently addressed the situation regarding James’ absence and his potential involvement in the game. Thomas Tuchel further clarified the reasoning behind omitting the defender from the international roster, citing the injury as the primary factor.
In the wake of James’ injury, Real Madrid’s Trent Alexander-Arnold has received an unexpected international call-up. This marks his return to the Three Lions setup after a 15-month hiatus, having missed the squad that secured a third-place finish at the 2026 FIFA World Cup held in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. James, who had been a member of that World Cup squad, has featured in all six of Chelsea’s matches this season, including four league appearances following the team’s 2-2 home draw against Hull City.
Chelsea enters this period without the burden of European football after concluding the previous Premier League campaign in 10th place. While they have successfully advanced through the opening two rounds of the EFL Cup, their defensive stability has been inconsistent, with their only clean sheet this season recorded in a 2-0 victory over Luton Town last month.
Despite James’ exclusion, Chelsea will still see representation in the England squad through Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers. Palmer, who was notably omitted from Tuchel’s World Cup roster, earned his recall following a productive start to the 2026-27 season. Rogers has also been included after providing the assist for Anthony Gordon’s goal during the 2-1 semi-final loss to Argentina.
Since his high-profile £117 million transfer from Aston Villa, Rogers has become an immediate impact player at Stamford Bridge. He has recorded three goals and four assists across his first six competitive appearances for the club. The report also notes that tuchel had said about James’ omission (as per Due on The Ball ). The report also notes that chelsea dealt blow as key player could miss Brentford clash as national team coach confirms injury.
