Terry, Essien help make up numbers at Chelsea training; Fabregas continues recovery

The vast majority of the Chelsea first-team squad are off having international adventures at the moment, but for the remaining handful left at the club, the work does not stop. It’s not an ideal situation, as Sarri has complained, but the Blues are not alone in this predicament among the top six.

So, this week the likes of David Luiz, Victor Moses, Ross Barkley, Gary Cahill, Danny Drinkwater, Lucas Piazon, Pedro, John Terry, and Michael Essien are all getting extra attention from the coaching staff. Wait a minute, where did those last two names come from?

Hiding behind the football is the Chelsea Captain, Leader, Legend, working with Michael Essien and U18s assistant coach (and former Chelsea left back) Jon Harley. Whether JT’s involvement with the youth teams is with a view towards his coaching badges or, like Essien, just to keep fit as he prepares for his next career move remains to be seen. Terry has been linked recently with a move to Portugal’s Sporting Lisbon.

Also joining the players outside on the training pitches has been Cesc Fabregas, who’s been out for a month with a supposedly non-concerning near-knee injury.

Cesc began light running and fitness exercises earlier this week, and while he has not joined the main group yet, he should do so next week, one imagines.

The players will now have a rare weekend off. The work resumes on Monday, with the rest of the squad filtering back to Cobham over the course of the week as they finish their international commitments.