Danny Drinkwater has had to get used to doing a lot of waiting over the past few months. Now he just wants to make up for lost time.
The England midfielder finally got to make his Chelsea debut on Wednesday and started putting one of the toughest periods of his career behind him.
His protracted transfer from Leicester to Chelsea this summer was bad enough as the two clubs did not agree a fee until the final hours of the window on August 31. After several weeks of uncertainty, which included Drinkwater handing in a transfer request to force a move, the £35million deal was finally done.
Unfortunately, though, there was no chance for him to make an impact as he soon sustained a calf injury in training. Even for someone as experienced as the 27-year-old, starting a new part of your career on the treatment table is unnerving.
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Equally frustrating was the fact that other midfielders at the club — N’Golo Kante, Tiemoue Bakayoko and Cesc Fabregas — have been absent through injury or suspension at one time or another. Drinkwater could have had a quick opportunity to shine. Instead, coach Antonio Conte had to move defender David Luiz forward to fill the void on a few occasions.
The dream move had actually proved to be anything but — until he walked out to face Everton on Wednesday.
“I don’t think [the last few months] could have gone any worse,” Drinkwater admitted to Chelsea TV after the game. “I have been trying to take the positives out of it. My calf feels good now but I was massively frustrated. The waiting game was killing me.
Debut: Danny Drinkwater acknowledges the fans (Getty Images)
“It’s been good to watch the team and it has helped me to settle in as well. It has given me a feel for how they actually play. But the sooner I can get more involved now, the better for me.”
For someone who has not played a competitive match for nearly six months, Drinkwater should be satisfied with the hour he spent on the pitch. After some careless touches to begin with, his confidence grew and he was able to maintain possession tidily
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