Kenedy, Charly Musonda ready for key roles in Chelsea’s Premier League side

Kenedy and Charly Musonda erased any lingering doubts about their talent, readiness or eagerness to step up into Chelsea’s Premier League side. They are ready to provide necessary depth in two areas where the Blues are worryingly weak.

Kenedy and Charly Musonda carried vastly different expectations and pressures going into Chelsea’s cup tie with Nottingham Forest. Kenedy was on a mission of rehabilitation. He needed to salvage his personal reputation with the club – separate from his footballing ability – after the pre-season social media incident in China. That Antonio Conte actively sought a replacement for him throughout the transfer window only added to the steepness of his task. Conte’s only alternative to playing Kenedy was playing Marcos Alonso 90 minutes at a time, seven times in 21 days.

Charly Musonda, on the other hand, was stepping into a moment he had dreamed of for five years. Tuesday night was his reward for his time at the Academy, on loan, in the development team and training with the first-team. He wanted this to be the first game of the rest of his career, but had plenty of room for enjoyment and exuberance.

By the end of the first half against Nottingham, they had each accomplished much of their respective missions. They both scored, they were both loving life as full Blues at Stamford Bridge and they were both playing like experienced young first-team footballers.

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Their performances came when Chelsea needed them most. The Blues were able to reinforce the weaker of their two wing-backs by signing Davide Zappacosta. But they closed the transfer window with no reinforcements for Marcos Alonso. Alonso has been dominant this season, but Antonio Conte had no ready answer should injury befall the Spaniard.

Kenedy laid to rest any questions about his commitment and professionalism. He has the raw abilities and skills to be a world-class wing-back. He showed how much he has dedicated himself to learning from Antonio Conte in Tuesday’s cup tie.

Kenedy played like an experienced wing-back, a long-time student of the position. To do so in his first appearance demonstrates how much he has done in training. Much like Cesc Fabregas last season, he fought through his exile and overcame it on the first opportunity.

Many injuries have already befallen Chelsea’s wingers. Eden Hazard started – and went the full 90 – for the first time this season on Tuesday. Pedro is out with injury for the second time already this season. Willian has remained healthy, but has been inconsistent on the pitch.

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Chelsea’s shallowness at winger showed how dependent the club had become on their top three, and the lack of a succession plan at the position. Willian is 29 and Pedro is 30. Chelsea did not pursue any young wingers in the last transfer window. The other forwards in the transfer mix were also cresting their prime years.

Until Tuesday, the Blues lacked short-term depth and a long-term strategy on the wing. Musonda’s performance against Nottingham showed that, while he still needs to develop physically and tactically, Antonio Conte can turn to him as necessary. He will be a regular in cup games and is a new option as a substitute in the Premier League. Conte can replace an inconsistent Willian or Pedro, or preserve Eden Hazard, by sending Musonda on for the final 20 minutes of a top-flight game.

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Antonio Conte showed last year that he is the best manager for going into battle with the army he has. This summer’s transfer window left him short in key areas. Over the coming months, he will still have moments where he will rue the signings Chelsea missed. Kenedy and Charly Musonda, though, will go a long way to minimizing those scowls and giving their coach the depth the board did not provide.