Now it is rotation not frustration for Hazard and Blues
EDEN Hazard took one look at who was sitting with him on the bench on Saturday and knew
Chelsea had the squad to compete on all fronts.
Much has been said about Chelsea’s lack of strength in depth since they won the title in May and how returning to the Champions League — their first game is against Qarabag tonight — would put their resources to the test.
Coach Antonio Conte has expressed his concerns on more than one occasion, but now the Italian’s tone has changed. The talk is of rotation, not frustration.
And his list of substitutes for the match at Leicester three days ago, compared to the names on the bench when they lost to Burnley oon the opening day, explexplains why.
Along withw Hazard, who has returnedr from a fracturedfracture ankle, were summer signings
Willy Caballero,Ca DavideD Zappacosta and Danny DrinkwaterD (left)left), plus internationalsinternationa Willian, Michy BatshuayiBatshu and Andreas Christensen.Chri
In contrast, Chelsea began the campaigncam with youngsters CCharly Musonda, KKenedy, Kyle Scott and F Fikayo Tomori making upu the numbers. Musonda is a fine talent and will get a chance to im impress on occasions, evenev possibly this evening, but big clubs need big playersplay to win silverware. Hazard told Standard Sport: “It is important for Chelsea to have a strong bench because this season we have a lot of games.
“We are fighting for the Premier League, League Cup, FA Cup and Champions League, so we need to be ready.
“All of Chelsea’s signings are internationals. You need quality when you play for this club.”
Conte suggested at yesterday’s press conference that Hazard will not start tonight.
The manager’s caution is understandable given the seriousness of the Belgium international’s injury, plus there is the match against Arsenal on Sunday to prepare for. Hazard, who
AZERBAIJAN champions Qarabag will tonight become the first team from their country to play in the Champions League group stage. For the past 24 years, they have had to play their home games 230 miles east in Baku after their home city of Agdam was destroyed during the Nagorno-Karabakh war with Armenia. made a brief cameo at Leicester, is happy to accept whatever Conte decides, but is keen to stress that there are no complications with his recovery from injury.
“I think I am ready to start,” he said. “Before Leicester, I played against Gibraltar and Greece for the national team. I just want to play.
“I am not at 100 per cent. I need maybe a couple more games but I just want to be on the pitch and enjoy the situation.”
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