Levi Colwill’s return from injury was one of the few positives to be taken from our defeat to Nottingham Forest, and interim head coach Calum McFarlane is hopeful the centre-back can make a further impact in our four remaining fixtures.
Having played an integral role for Chelsea last season, helping us win both the UEFA Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup, the current campaign has proved far more challenging for the 23-year-old due to a knee ligament injury.
That was sustained on the opening day of pre-season training and, in the eight months since, Colwill has undertaken long and gruelling rehabilitation work at Cobham. Yet after rejoining full team training last month and featuring twice for our Under-21s, he was named in the match-day squad against Forest yesterday.
And before the second half got underway, Colwill was introduced from the substitutes' bench for what was his first Chelsea appearance since the Club World Cup final victory over Paris Saint-Germain last July.
'Not necessarily, but he was ready for minutes,' explained McFarlane when asked if the alteration was planned. 'We thought it was the right time based on how we felt the second half was going to go – we felt that he could help us.’
It was, unfortunately, not a winning return to action for our Academy graduate, as Forest went on to complete a 3-1 victory and leave Stamford Bridge with all three points.
However, McFarlane was pleased to reintroduce Colwill to action and is hopeful the Chelsea defender will have an impact in the games remaining this season, which include an FA Cup final against Manchester City at Wembley on 16 May.
‘It’s one of the only positives [from the Nottingham Forest game],' said McFarlane. 'It’s great to have Levi back and we know what he brings to this team. We’re hoping he can help us moving forward.'