CHELSEA are already facing an injury crisis - and the start of the Premiership is still two weeks away.
Having slimmed down their squad to save cash, the Blues find themselves short of four key players.
Didier Drogba , Petr Cech , Alex and Yossi Benayoun will all miss the FA Community Shield match against Manchester United on Sunday week - and all four look likely to be sidelined for the start of their title defence at home to West Bromwich Albion six days later.
However, assistant boss Ray Wilkins says those Chelsea players not stuck in the treatment room are showing good shape for the time of year.
He said: “Things are going great. The lads have come back in reasonably good condition and that's the modern day professional. They work extremely hard to keep themselves in good shape.
“It's far easier to retain fitness than it is to regain it, so the lads have taken that on board and they look very good indeed.
“It is good to have the whole group back together, it has been rather patchy over the first couple of weeks but the first boys that came in worked so hard and the younger boys did well.”
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest Chelsea news.
