Carney Chukwuemeka made only his second league start of the season against Manchester United last night, and while we didn’t get the result we wanted, the youngster managed to impress.
It was a very open game in the middle of the pitch – which eventually cost Chelsea – but while the game went end to end, Carney was able to use his ability to drive with the ball to impress through the spaces in the middle.
The midfielder, who signed last summer for €18m, has been criminally underused this season, with last night just his second Premier League start.
It sounds like he could add a third this weekend though, given his manager’s comments following last night’s game.
“Carney did really well coming into midfield, he came in with a lot of personality,” said Lampard on the club’s official website.
“It has been one of the harder parts of my job with the numbers in the squad – the balance of going with a team you feel can win games and having time to work with the younger players who you haven’t seen before.
“Normally there is the process of a pre-season and time, and you can really work and talk and train. We haven’t had that sort of time.
“Unfortunately Carney hasn’t had an opportunity from me until Thursday night but he did well and Noni [Madueke] did pretty well again.”
In hindsight it should certainly have been a loan for Carney this season. But we can just about write it off as a solid learning experience if he gets a another start at the weekend.
He should have started more games,why he didn’t when there was no way Chelsea could win anything was probably beyond everyone except the the Chelsea manager.