After a much-deserved week off for the majority of Chelsea's first-team players, the squad regrouped at Cobham today to begin their preparations for Saturday's FA Cup fourth-round tie against Plymouth and the forthcoming Club World Cup.
February is going to be another taxing month for the Blues, who are scheduled to play at least five games in 22 days across four different competitions. Fortunately, Thomas Tuchel's squad is largely refreshed and recharged.
While Thiago Silva and Christian Pulisic were called up for international duty by Brazil and the USA, respectively, and a handful of players undertook fitness or recovery work at Cobham, most took the chance to get away to warmer climates and switch off from the demanding 2021/22 campaign.
Tuchel and his coaching staff also enjoyed time off, something the German admitted was needed prior to Chelsea's Premier League win over Tottenham Hotspur.
"We have played since November; we play and play and play," he said. "We need to recharge the batteries and disconnect. This is my feeling."
Chelsea's players were not put through an overly strenuous workout on their return to training today.
football.london understands there was a relaxed feel to the session and a positive energy among the first-team group, which is almost back to full strength.
And here, we pick out four things we spotted in the training pictures released by Chelsea from this morning's work at Cobham.
Defensive duo involved...
Prior to the international break, Tuchel was working with limited options at centre-back, with Trevoh Chalobah ruled out with a hamstring injury and Andreas Christensen suffering from Covid.
Chalobah was fit enough to return to the substitutes' bench against Tottenham but, unsurprisingly after three weeks out, wasn't rushed back into the side.
It's understood the academy graduate undertook fitness work at Cobham during the break to ensure he is fully prepared for the second half of the campaign and he was involved with the first-team session today.
Christensen was back too and will be hoping to put a difficult two-month period behind him; due to a back injury and illness, the Dane, who is out of contract in the summer, has completed 90 minutes on just two occasions since the start of December.
But there's no James (yet)
It was against Brighton and Hove Albion on December 29 that Reece James hobbled off with an injury that was later diagnosed as a torn hamstring. Understandably, there was concern over how long the 22-year-old would be ruled out.
James was one of Chelsea's standout performers during the first half of the campaign. Used at wing-back, he had established himself as a goal threat as well as a creator. His absence was felt hard in January.
Fortunately for the Blues, James is making a faster-than-expected recovery. He was back out on the grass at Cobham to undertake some light jogging before the international break and has continued his recovery while the rest of the squad enjoyed their time off.
football.london understands James wasn't involved in the first-team session today but is continuing to make good progress with his recovery and should return later this month.
Chelsea's forgotten man is involved
The January transfer window was very quiet for Chelsea. No player was signed for Tuchel's first-team squad and no player departed from the group.
There was, however, the addition of a returning loanee: Kenedy. The Brazilian was recalled from his spell at Flamengo and was expected to depart for Spain.
However, with reinforcements at left wing-back needed and Chelsea unable to bring Emerson Palmieri back from his loan spell at Lyon, Kenedy has been kept around by Tuchel.
The Brazilian was involved today at Cobham and will be hopeful of making his first competitive Chelsea appearance in more than four years against Plymouth on Saturday.
