Mauricio Pochettino has confirmed which goalkeeper will start for Chelsea in
tomorrow’s Carabao Cup second round tie against AFC Wimbledon, with our head
coach also revealing several Academy players will feature in the matchday
squad.
We begin our journey in this season’s League Cup at an earlier stage than
usual because of our lack of involvement in Europe. With so many players out
injured and another Premier League game less than 72 hours away, Pochettino
is somewhat hampered by who he can pick tomorrow, as he explained at his
pre-match media conference.
‘It’s true the circumstances aren’t the best at the moment because we have
many injuries and we need to deal after with Saturday’s game against
Nottingham Forest,’ said Pochettino.
‘We are going to try to put the best team out to be sure we are going to
perform in the way we want, but we have some players we need to avoid the
risk and give some rest.
‘We are going to use four or five young guys from the Academy, 16- or
17-year-olds,’ continued the head coach.
‘It’s not because it’s our philosophy at the moment, I need to clarify
that. I can not be a populist or a hypocrite. It’s because we need young
guys to bring to the first team because we have some players who cannot play
tomorrow.
‘In time it will be good to create the possibility for the young guys.
Chelsea always produce good talented young kids. Part of the project is to
produce players for the first team because the Academy and all the coaches
there are working so hard.
‘At a club like Chelsea it’s important to have players from the Academy
that can translate the identity of the club.’
Pochettino was repeatedly asked about transfers ahead of the window closing
on Friday evening. He had nothing to report and stressed he did not want to
comment on rumours. What he could say was he was ‘really happy’ with the
squad as it is and that will not change if we did bring in anyone else.
One player who has arrived since Pochettino last addressed the media is
Djordje Petrovic. Pochettino confirmed the goalkeeper's debut will have to
wait.
‘Sanchez is going to play tomorrow. We still don’t have the confirmation
Djordje can play because we need the permit. That is why we prepare for the
game with Robert. We don’t know if he will be on the bench because the
permit still hasn’t arrived.
‘Anyhow, Djordje needs more time to train and understand the way we want to
play, the concept, working with Toni [Jimenez] and Hilario, but we don’t
want to rush.’
Pochettino, who also underlined his desire to win this competition with the
Blues – ‘we have no time to waste’ – provided an additional injury update
on Benoit Badiashile and Armando Broja, who are at the end stages of their
rehabilitation programme, and Mykhailo Mudryk.
‘They won’t play tomorrow. We need to wait until after the international
break and we will see.
‘Maybe Misha is closer than Broja and Badiashile, but we need to assess him
day by day.’
https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/article/pochettino-on-badiashile-and-broja-return-dates-petrovic-availability-and