Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino explained why he gave the captain's armband to Reece James instead of the likes of Thiago Silva.
James received the captain's armband after longtime captain Cesar Azpilicueta left the club in the summer. Many thought Pochettino would opt for veteran defender Silva, but the Argentine opted for the younger James.
Ahead of Chelsea's game against West Ham United on Sunday, Pochettino said: 'For many different reasons, I'm not just looking at the present, but also on the future. It's a good situation because James is ready to captain. Of course other players are good choices, but I have to think about the future, like Thiago, who is 38 years old, almost 39 years old. In fact, in a way, he is the same captain as James and Chilwell, and they help each other and achieve each other. ”
Although the honour was given to James, it seems likely that the Chelsea captain will not really be involved for a while. He lasted just over an hour in the opener against Liverpool and later news broke that he suffered a hamstring injury. It's the latest injury issue plaguing the 23-year-old's career.