Enzo Maresca has just spoke to the press ahead of Chelsea’s Carabao Cup game against Lincoln, and the coach had some rather disappointing news.
There’s going to be major rotation of the team, and this first game in the League Cup is often when youngsters get a chance.
Maresca denies he will play lots of youngsters
But when asked if he would be using academy players to fill the gaps, Maresca warned fans to not get too excited:
“Even if these are the games that worry me most, because you can slip very easily in these kind of games,” the ever cautious Maresca said.
“Football is full of these kind of games and I am very worried about that. But for sure we have probably some few players from the academy like we always have done.”
He’s clearly managing expectations here, but even the most result obsessed manager is going to have to get some academy players in there somewhere. He will use as many of the current second XI as possible, but injuries and fatigue mean there are inevitably going to be some youngsters called up.
Academy stars most likely in midfield
In midfield, Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo need a rest, while Dario Essugo and Romeo Lavia aren’t fit. That means we’re most likely to see youngsters brought in there. Andrey Santos can play, and we expect to see a little Sam Rak-Sakyi (who Maresca used a couple of times in the Conference League last season), plus Reggie Walsh later in the game (the teenager has been highly praised by the manager before).
Beyond that, we’re not sure – maybe some Shim Mheuka minutes later on up front, after Marc Guiu gets his first run out since his return from Sunderland?
This only play guiu when they play a team which isn’t strong enough . Guiu should been playing against big and elite team to test him and part of his development . He should be mentor well same to Santos , gitten and others . But this manager is questionable…. His system and tactics aren’t strong , he feels like he is in league one . He doesn’t know how to materialize the strength of his player’s . He plays them in their weakest positions . Please play Acheampong as a RB than gusto regularly . Acheampong and Santos even estavio should start regularly . Please play Neto behind the Striker and play buonanotte regularly because his proven player. Garnacho deserve to start too . This manager is Mickey mouse .