Chelsea fans didn’t get the result they wanted last night, but they did get the team selection they’ve been crying out for – at least those fans online who tend to make the most noise.
The Blues not only had both January signings Noni Madueke and Mykhailo Mudryk out wide, they also had a rare start for last summer’s signing Carney Chukwuemeka in midfield. He lined up alongside Conor Gallagher and Enzo Fernandez and the three had some really nice interplay at times.
“We’re in a difficult period,’ Carney explained post-match to Chelsea’s official website.
“There’s been a lot of transition and change but it’s clear we aren’t playing well enough at the moment. We need to give a lot more for the badge.
“I thought we had some good chances in the first half and if we’d taken them, then it could have been a totally different outcome on the game.
“We’re in a difficult period and we need to pull ourselves from this and improve. We’ve got one game left this season and we need to give the fans something to smile about.
“We need to finish this season on a winning note to take into the summer, then come back in pre-season with a different approach and a different mindset to do better.
“I’ve been waiting a while for an opportunity in the team and I’ve just kept myself ready for whenever the gaffer needed me,” young Chukwuemeka added on a personal note.
“I think I’ve been training well and I thought I did okay out there. I know I can definitely improve further but I want to be playing for Chelsea on a regular basis and getting the chance at Old Trafford is definitely a step in the right direction.
“Hopefully I can train well and have more experiences like that.”
We always expected this to be a tough learning experience for Carney – there’s a reason he hasn’t been thrown in at the deep end as much as some fans have begged for.
We hope to see him again on Sunday, when we have a similarly difficult game coming up against Newcastle. These experiences will help him hugely as he looks to make up for a lost of lost time this season spent on the bench.
Why has Lampard not played him more instead of the old donkeys he keeps picking,again 1 win under his watch answers the question (poor manager).