Chelsea’s backup GK’s: Will Willy Caballero or Eduardo play in 2017/18?

Chelsea’s first signing of the summer is eagerly awaiting the EFL Cup draw, since that will likely be his first start. How much will Willy Caballero and Eduardo appear in Chelsea’s squad – let alone lineup – this season?

There is not much preview or anything to look for in Eduardo’s 2017/18. He took the designated spot of “old third choice keeper that will never play,” and somehow impressed Chelsea enough to get another year.

Or the Blues simply ran out of old keepers willing to get a tan in the stands every week. Either way, Chelsea have Eduardo back for a second season of what is sure to be exactly zero minutes of playing time.

On the other hand, they managed to replace Asmir Begovic with a solid option in Willy Caballero. So Chelsea went from having the best backup goalkeeper to stealing Manchester City’s best keeper (which admittedly is a bar so low one could trip over it).

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Pep Guardiola opted for Caballero too late into the season and was unlikely to trust him full time anyways. So Chelsea swooped in for a solid backup and an extra leader in the dressing room as City went back into the market for a keeper. A win-win for all involved.

The only prospects for Eduardo are which team he plays for in training. A third-choice goalkeeper is the lowest common denominator on any squad and is really only there to make up numbers. Chelsea spent the last several years filling it with a veteran on a last pay day as opposed to a youth keeper missing out on playing time. Much like Marco Amelia before him, the only real incentive is a possible coaching role upon retirement.

He and Chelsea will send the occasional reminder that, yes, he is in fact a Chelsea player. This will manifest itself in him oddly turning up in promotional videos alongside the big names as well as the occasional picture of him in training on social media.

Caballero’s prospects look much better. He was solid in every game he ever played for the Citizens. He is unlikely to play in the league or against top-tier cup competition, but if the Blues are playing lesser opponents he will take the starts. At most he can expect 10 games, which is already more than he managed in most of his seasons in Manchester.

For Caballero, the open question is where Conte will draw the line for starting him. Conte did not trust Begovic in the cups when the competition was in the top half of the Premier League table. Many managers will give all cup games to one keeper except for the most elite opponents, so where exactly Caballero plays a part will be interesting.

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Would he be trusted between the sticks against the likes of Basel? Or Benfica? Or will Conte give him full trust and give him a run against the likes of Barcelona? Time will tell exactly where Conte draws the line.