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Chelsea youngsters show that they are up to the task

By Ajitesh Rasgotra

LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 20: Charly Musonda of Chelsea celebrates after scoring during the Carabao Cup Third Round match between Chelsea and Nottingham Forest at Stamford Bridge on September 19, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 20: Charly Musonda of Chelsea celebrates after scoring during the Carabao Cup Third Round match between Chelsea and Nottingham Forest at Stamford Bridge on September 19, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images) /
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Chelsea’s fringe and younger players were given an opportunity to impress against Nottingham Forest and they did not disappoint in a 5-1 victory.

The EFL Cup is the competition in which many managers opt to rest their key players. Antonio Conte followed the norm by making several changes to his team on Wednesday night. Fortunately, all of his reserve and younger players stepped up to the plate and delivered a convincing 5-1 victory for Chelsea.

With the Blues’ supposedly thin squad, this clash was a chance for some other players to prove that they are up to the task. The packed schedule and inevitable injuries mean that Conte will need to select fringe players as the season goes on. Based on Wednesday’s performance, neither the boss nor fans should have any concerns about that.

Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger have seemingly already earnt the manager’s trust. However, Kenedy, Charly Musonda Jr and Michy Batshuayi did much to further their case.

All three of them accounted for Chelsea’s five goals as the Blues coasted into the fourth round. Kenedy opened the scoring and Musonda grabbed goal number 3. Batshuayi then hit the back of the net twice in the second half to complete a hat trick.

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More importantly, though, they all impressed in their individual performances. They showed ability and potential in their respective positions and, despite the lower league opposition, indicated that they could perform well against superior teams.

Last season, Conte showed how ruthless he could be. When Diego Costa was unavailable, he often opted to play Eden Hazard up front as he simply did not have faith in Batshuayi. No matter how thin the squad is, Conte will find a way around selecting players he does not trust.

The likes of Musonda would be aware of this and hence knew the pressure was on them. They had to win convincingly and comfortably. They did that and now Chelsea’s squad looks rather larger than it did going into the contest.

The skill and maturity on display proved that these players are ready to step in should they be needed. This will likely be as substitutes, but when the games stack up around Christmas, Conte will be pleased that he could bring one of his youngsters into the starting eleven without jeopardising a result.

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It is only one game, though. Perhaps such excitement is premature. However, Musonda, Kenedy and Batshuayi are only confirming what most Chelsea fans initially thought – that they are indeed up to the task.

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