Chelsea's Cautious Approach to Levi Colwill's Return

Calum McFarlane has hailed Levi Colwill as “great for English football” – but warned Chelsea will not gamble with a defender who has only just dragged himself back from the darkest spell of his young career.

Colwill’s season was effectively wrecked before it had even begun. One pre-season training session, one serious anterior cruciate ligament injury, and the 23-year-old was suddenly staring at an entire campaign from the treatment room rather than the Stamford Bridge pitch.

Months of rehab, doubt and repetition followed. Then, earlier this month, the door finally opened.

Colwill returned as a half-time substitute in the 3-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest, a low-key reintroduction on a bruising afternoon for Chelsea. The scoreline did not flatter Forest, but Colwill’s composure stood out. Enough, at least, for McFarlane to trust him with something far bigger.

He started at Anfield against Liverpool. Then he started again at Wembley in the FA Cup final against Manchester City.

Two of the most intense stages English football can offer. Two matches in which Colwill looked like he had never been away.

Those performances have fuelled a growing debate around the England set-up. With Thomas Tuchel due to name his 26-man World Cup squad on Friday, Colwill’s name has begun to surface as a late outsider – a left-footed centre-back, calm under pressure, suddenly back in the frame.

McFarlane, though, is determined to keep the brakes on.

“We need to be careful with Levi. He's obviously had a very serious injury,” he said on Monday. “He's performed well in those two games. We'll see how he looks today, we'll see how he reports and we'll make a decision on that one.”

That measured tone sounded like a clear hint that Chelsea may resist the temptation to start Colwill again when Tottenham visit Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night. Three high-intensity games in such quick succession, straight off the back of an ACL lay-off, would be a bold roll of the dice.

McFarlane’s admiration for the defender is obvious, but so is his caution.

“It's been great to have Levi back, great for English football as well. You've got a really talented, really high potential player here,” he said. “Injuries are a part of it and he's shown really good mental strength and character to come through that and perform away at Anfield and in the FA Cup final as well.

“I'm really, really excited about him and he's done a lot for the team, not just on the pitch but off the pitch as well. It's been a brilliant two games for him and hopefully he can finish the season strong.”

That is the balance Chelsea are trying to strike now. The urge to ride Colwill’s momentum, to lean on his left foot and leadership, set against the reality of a knee that has only just survived its first serious examinations.

The club know what they have: a defender with the temperament to walk into Anfield and Wembley after a year out and look at home. England know it too.

The question, as the World Cup squad announcement looms and Tottenham roll into town, is how much more Chelsea dare ask of him before this season finally runs out of road.