Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas is planning to flood his team with youngsters for Wednesday night's Carling Cup third-round tie with Fulham.

The competition often provides an opportunity for the bigger teams to give some emerging players the chance to shine.

And, despite being on the lookout for a first piece of silverware since taking the reins at Stamford Bridge in the summer, Villas-Boas will give his second-string players a chance to shine.

"The Carling Cup is an opportunity for us to put our best young talents across and give them experiences in these kinds of situations,'' said Villas-Boas, who announced Josh McEachran, Romelu Lukaku, Oriol Romeu and Ryan Bertrand will start, with Didier Drogba leading the line after being sidelined for more than three weeks with a sickening head injury.
"For us, it is not a new approach to the competition, because we did it last year.

"It gives us a very good idea of where we stand regarding the young players that we are trying to bring through.''

That also means another rest for vice-captain Frank Lampard, who was withdrawn at half-time on Sunday with Chelsea trailing 3-0.

That decision was seen by some as the latest evidence the 33-year-old is on the wane.

But Villas-Boas said: "It was an attacking substitution that we thought played right, not because Lamps was playing badly, because he wasn't.

"He was having quite an impact in the game. It was just something that we had to do in the game to adapt the team to a more attacking style.

"Frank is a fantastic player and he will be one of our key players - as will the others - for the rest of the season.''

Villas-Boas insisted Lampard had nothing to prove, despite also losing his England place this month.

"When you have won so much in the game, and when you have such proven quality, when Frank has the amount of prestige that he's gained nationally and internationally, he doesn't have to prove anything to anybody,'' he said.

"He's a top player in the world, could add to any team in the world. Jose Mourinho wanted him when he left Chelsea.

"I'd be surprised if a player of this dimension is aggressively touched throughout the end of his playing days.''

Villas-Boas revealed the likes of Lampard were unlikely to be involved at all in the Carling Cup this season, a policy that is in stark contrast to that of Villas-Boas' mentor, Mourinho.

"In those times, there was an aggressive approach to winning the first trophy available,'' said Villas-Boas.

"I'm nobody to judge Jose's choice on that situation.''

Insisting Chelsea's youngsters were perfectly capable of succeeding, he added: "We also want to win the most amount of trophies possible.

"But we have taken this approach to the Carling Cup to promote the youngsters.''

Martin Jol believes the Carling Cup may be a competition too far for Fulham this season - but will do his best to knock out Chelsea.

The Cottagers came through qualification for the Europa League and are set to play their 15th match of the season when they make the two-mile trip down Fulham Road to take on their west London neighbours.

Both managers are set to ring the changes, but Jol feels battling on all fronts is just not possible for a squad like Fulham's.

"I would not say it is one too many if you don't play in Europe, but it is certainly one too many if you play in other competitions,'' Jol told a news conference.

"If you do not have these games in Europe, you can easily play your best team, which is what I did in my first year at Spurs.

"The Carling Cup is there for a team outside the top four to win - on the other hand, you play a lot of games in Europe, so that is the only disappointing thing.''

Fulham have a doubt over Algerian defender Rafik Halliche because of illness as Jol prepares to freshen up his side.

Captain Danny Murphy and centre-back Brede Hangeland are among those likely to be rested following what has been a hectic start to the new season on the back of Europa League qualification.

Defender Bjorn Helge Riise (groin) remains sidelined, but Aaron Hughes (knee) could return for the weekend's Premier League game against West Brom.


Match

to lost bah?

Make e no be like last season wey newcastle pursue us commot o!, i no wan hear story for any of my trophies.

promoting youngsters. for chelsea, hehehehehehe i dey laugh oh, copy copy

If chelsea strikers refuse to score in todays game then coach should try placing the players wings upside down , but thank God Drogba seems to be playing

Ayoobscom:

If chelsea strikers refuse to score in todays game then coach should try placing the players wings upside down , but thank God Drogba seems to be playing

u mean JT playing as striker upfront, ni?

game on!

Kalou and Malouda already showing why they are not featured in the first 11.

Nateevz. . Where u watching the game from? link?

nateevs:

Kalou and Malouda already showing why they are not featured in the first 11.

i hope fulham smashes chelsea.

lalaboi:

Nateevz. . Where u watching the game from? link?

livefootballol.com

Josh! see pass! thuraya l'omo!

coogar:

i hope fulham smashes chelsea.

You wish. We have Plan B if things go awry.

nateevs:

livefootballol.com

cheers mahn

lalaboi:

cheers mahn

Enjoy!

Meanwhile wetin do Malouda?

was that a pen?

close, kalou!

FBS

See as Josh find striker from 40 yards away. .

nateevs:

FBS

See as Josh find striker from 40 yards away. .

walahi. . .if you see the smile on my face ehn))))


Lukakuuuuuuuu! aaaaa!
o need polishing men.

Why oh Why did Danny ruin that?
Josh on fire. . . That should have been a goal.

strurrigde. wetin do you?

Danny don wound. . Lamps coming on.
Malouda moves to the flanks . .

that could have been a fine goal.

Keep us updated.
Some of us are on the road.

Meanwhile , Cech should have been rested.

Josh stands out for me. Confidence po baje!

Every time Josh is called upon, he fits right in.
I am noticing a few similarities in Josh and Romeu - their neatness and close control of the ball.

However, I think Romeu does not have pace but he is not slow on the ball.

----------

End of first half.

Lamps I believe will move to RCM and josh to LCM in the second half.
I have been impressed with Lukaku. He's showing good signs.
I was at first worried about his touch but I guess he was nervous. He soon shook it off.

Malouda - in fact, I don't know what to do with him again.
Alex has saved us a few times.
Bertrand has been ok going forward but he hasn't had a lot to do. If anything at all, his crosses are always better than Ashley's.

that could have been a fine goal.

Fine goal for whom and by whom?
C'mon sir, run this commentary like Andy Gray.  

me too [img]http://2.s07.flagcounter.com/count/DymW/bg=ffffff/txt=ffffff/border=ffffff/columns=1/maxflags=1/viewers=3/labels=0/[/img]
[img]http://2.s08.flagcounter.com/count/hnp/bg=Ffffff/txt=ffffff/border=ffffff/columns=1/maxflags=1/viewers=3/labels=1.jpg[/img]

BlueDiva:

Fine goal for whom and by whom?
C'mon sir, run this commentary like Andy Gray.  

Fine goal by Josh.
From midfield he lifts the ball over two fulham players into the path of Kalou and runs into space.

Kalou returns the ball to Josh and he neatly takes it on his thigh and walks straight into the box and beat the fulham keeper with a nice touch.


Second half and Kalou just wasted a fine opportunity.

And the referee has just ruined the game. A fine tackle by Alex has been called a penalty and he even was red carded when he wasn't the player . . .

Ridiculous.