Chelsea should field its kids against Chesterfield in the FA Cup

The winter fixture list in English football is notoriously brutal. This brief period in the season usually sees Premier League clubs play up to three games per week, which makes for some interesting results amidst all the personnel changes at every club. The best of the best in the league—teams like Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea—usually fair pretty well due to their incredible squad depth. However, the impact of COVID-19 and a plethora of competitions have seen the aforementioned clubs play three games per week more often than not this campaign. One can only imagine how taxing 60-plus-game seasons are on the players.

For this reason, top managers often rest players any time they are presented with the opportunity. Look no further than the Blues’ Carabao Cup quarterfinal clash against Brentford for an example of this thought process. Thomas Tuchel handed debuts to a number of Chelsea youth stars in that contest when he named Xavier Simons, Jude Soonsup-Bell and Harvey Vale to the starting XI. All three youngsters performed extremely well given the circumstances. Given the fact that the kids held their own against a Premier League side just a few weeks ago, it’s time for Tuchel to consider the possibility of fielding a starting XI comprised of mostly youth players against Chesterfield.

Chelsea should field a squad largely consisting of its kids against Chesterfield in the FA Cup to give senior players a rest and prevent injuries

The first reason Tuchel should field an inexperienced youth side is because of the opponent. Make no mistake, this is no disrespect to Chesterfield, but a club like Chelsea should be able to dispose of the National League side with blindfolds on. The Spireites are a fine football side for their standards—evidenced by their standing atop the fifth tier of English football—but a non-league side is no match for the reigning Champions of Europe. The beauty of the FA Cup is that it gives these non-league athletes the opportunity to play in historic grounds such as Stamford Bridge. Furthermore, the financial profit will hugely benefit the club’s squad. It’s largely going to be a day to remember for Chesterfield, regardless of the result. The Spireites’ players are surely going to soak up the experience and have fun, all while hoping to capture some of the magic of the cup.

The second reason the home side should play its kids is to avoid injuries. The Blues have had a plethora of injuries throughout the course of the year. Players like Ben Chilwell, Reece James, Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner have already missed significant time due to major health setbacks. These issues have piled up and undoubtedly impacted Chelsea’s results over the last month. Factor in COVID-19 absences and Tuchel’s squad has been stretched insanely thin at certain points. There is no reason to risk another potential injury to a key first team player against Chesterfield with Manchester City and Spurs (x2) on the horizon. Tuchel would be silly to not name some first team reserves to the bench in case things go south with the kids, but there’s really no reason to start them. The risk greatly outweighs the reward in this case.

Lastly, this match is good experience for young players. The developmental squad has struggled this season compared to the high standard it sets for itself in PL2 lately, but the club’s youth are succeeding elsewhere. The U21 side managed to finish second and advance into the latter stages of the Papa John’s Trophy after going unbeaten in a group consisting of Exeter City, Bristol Rovers and Cheltenham Town. Playing with the first team and getting a few training sessions under Tuchel would be hugely beneficial to many of the players. It would also serve as a reminder that despite recent youth players departing the club, there is still a pathway into the senior squad.

There is really no downside to fielding a starting XI comprised of a plethora of youngsters. Tuchel needs to seriously consider this possibility as his first team prepares for some of the most important fixtures of their season. The schedule is relentless and the Blues simply cannot afford to risk any further injuries. The young stars at the club should be able to handle Chesterfield.

Who do you think should start against Chesterfield? Let us know in the comments or on Twitter!