Chelsea: Lampard will be criticized for experienced XI and that’s OK

Frank Lampard has already expressed his plan to field an experienced side against Barnsley. He’ll get some heat for it, but that’s alright.

Chelsea kicks off its Carabao Cup campaign on Wednesday against second division side Barnsley. The League Cup—especially in its early stages—is often viewed by supporters as an opportunity to see the best of the club’s academy shine under the bright lights of Stamford Bridge. Countless young stars have put on big performances in this competition throughout the years, with a few of those names featuring in the current first team under second year manager Frank Lampard.

However, the opportunities will be few and far between for the youngsters against Barnsley. Lampard confirmed in his pre-match press conference that his side will be an experienced one. As per every other selection Lampard seemingly makes these days, this one is surely going to send so-called fans into an absolute frenzy—and that’s OK.

He’s recently come under fire from the darkest trenches of social media. Accounts with names resembling JorginhoSZN or HudsonOdoiEra—you know the ones—have criticized the manager for not fielding prospects who these “fans” have watched for a grand total of about 10 minutes; all of which on YouTube.

At the end of the day, the only people Lampard should worry about impressing are Roman Abramovich and the board members. All important parties involved, along with a majority of true Blues supporters, seem thrilled with the job Lampard is doing. Therefore, criticism of his tactics, personnel choices and anything in between is essentially null and void, especially from individuals who use this alleged analysis to garner attention.

Now, with that spiel out of the way, it’s time to discuss his team selection.  Lampard has noted there are a few players who will be at his disposal for the first time this season in the Carabao Cup third round. New signings Ben Chilwell and Thiago Silva will feature for the Blues as Willy Caballero takes command between the sticks. It’s also possible players like Ross Barkley, Olivier Giroud and Cesar Azpilicueta get a run out as Lampard aims to achieve full fitness for his squad before the weekend bout against West Brom.

The Blues played just one preseason match before the opener against Brighton. Further, Chelsea’s summer spending spree resulted in a ton of new faces around the Cobham Training Ground. An international break hindered Lampard’s ability to integrate the new faces—hence why a lot of the experienced players have gotten starting time to kick off the season. The Barnsley match provides players like Chilwell and Silva with the opportunity to get used to working with their teammates in meaningful situations.

While early League Cup games can often be seen as a breeze, Lampard’s got his team ready to face anything that Barnsley puts ahead of them. Regardless, the most important aspect of this match will be making sure the boys are fully fit to face the compact schedule ahead of them. Everybody’s favorite academy players may not feature, but opportunities will present themselves down the road. For now, fitness is the focus.

Who are some players you’re excited to see feature in the match against Barnsley? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!