Chelsea to hold warm weather training camp in Abu Dhabi during World Cup — report

A midseason World Cup remains probably the worst idea from FIFA in a good long while, but in Chelsea’s case, its timing is almost serendipitous. With injuries galore, morale low, and prospects murky, a monthlong break to reset, recharge, and restart could be just what the doctor ordered. Literally.

Head coach Graham Potter already joked that he would “try to escape the beauty of November weather in the UK” for something nicer and warmer, to recenter himself after a hectic few months. And according to the Telegraph, we will also do something similar as a team, with those who will not be involved in the World Cup set for a warm weather training camp in Abu Dhabi sometime in December, complete with at least one friendly match — either against local opposition, or perhaps another club from Europe doing the same.

In a way, it will be like a proper midseason break, though without the full squad — then again, given injuries and such, we might not be as well represented at the World Cup as we might have thought not so long ago.

Hopefully those who have to stay behind can indeed put the time off to good use, and we emerge a much more cohesive outfit from all this silliness.