Tomorrow night’s Carabao Cup tie at home gives Chelsea the perfect chance to rotate and rest some of their key stars.
The Blues have hit a strong patch of form under Enzo Maresca, and will be looking to hand some opportunities to players who are not getting many minutes against Barrow at Stamford Bridge.
A number of Chelsea players are yet to start a game this season, with the brilliance of some of their first team buddies making them too difficult to drop right now.
Marc Cucurella is one of those who has started every game so far in the league, with him seeming crucial to Maresca’s system.
For this reason, Ben Chilwell has been very much surplus to requirements up to now, with there being a real effort made to sell him in January.
Enzo Maresca will name Ben Chilwell in Chelsea squad tomorrow night
While he is yet to be involved as of yet this season, Maresca confirmed he was looking to hand the England international some minutes tomorrow night.
He told Football London: “They [the likes of Chilwell, Chukwuemeka, George and Acheampong] are going to be the ones who will be in the squad [vs Barrow]. Some we will see if they start, but if not they will all be on the bench and hopefully we can give them some [minutes].”
With fixtures set to come thick and fast in the coming weeks as the Conference League also gets underway, having quality squad depth match fit is going to be essential.
Renato Veiga also pushing for minutes at left-back
It would also now seem pointless not to utilise Chilwell when the opportunity arises, given that a move away is now off the cards until at least January.
There is certainly attacking talent that the Blues can get the best out of with the former vice-captain, although there will still be an appetite to get minutes to summer signing Renato Veiga in Cucurella’s absence.
Receive a digest of our best Chelsea content each week direct to your mailbox
