Chelsea interim boss Frank Lampard faces a handful of games that have little riding on it, but could pave the way for the next project to start. With the Blues knocked out of all cup competitions and sitting 12th in the Premier League, there's a free hit for the former midfielder to afford some opportunities to stars of the future.
There hasn't been much in the way of those chances so far though, but that could change with a clash against Bournemouth this weekend. Lampard admitted before the game that young centre-back star Benoit Badiashile is "very close" to regaining a place in the first-team after missing the previous few matches.
He told the media before the game: "He's [Badiashile] very close. He couldn't play in the Champions League. He played against Brighton which was a difficult match for everybody. He's close. He's in competition with Thiago [Silva], Wesley [Fofana] and Trevoh [Chalobah] in that area of the pitch. He's very close. He's training well.
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"He's come here from a different league at a young age in the Premier League, it's understandable to have moments of game time, maybe moments of not. To a degree, it's needed to develop a player in terms of finding your feet in the league as a young player.
"In a normal case at a club like Chelsea and maybe other clubs, there's a lot more stability but at the moment that's not the case. So to give credit to those players themselves, that's not easy to take the responsibility on their shoulders but what they are all doing is trying to work and keep going. We're here as staff to support that."
While discussing the need to develop a player, perhaps giving them more opportunities in games with little risk would be the best way to do that. Badiashile has already proven his ability and could go down as the best value Todd Boehly signing so far, despite not having the transfer fee that writes the headlines.
He could be a mainstay in the side, but he will need a run of games to develop into that player and Lampard must afford that opportunity. It's something that even a former England teammate of his in Rio Ferdinand said, urging for the Frenchman to be given a chance.
Speaking to BT Sport, Ferdinand said: “Badiashile is sitting there, a young centre-back who can’t get into the Champions League squad. He’s thinking, ‘I should be playing’. He’s probably sitting there looking at some of the players in front of him and going, ‘Hold on a minute, how have I been overlooked here?'”
It perhaps speaks volumes that Badiashile, who has looked impressive since arriving at the club, can't earn a place in the team at this moment in time. It puts further doubts over those who have been given sporadic minutes as players for the future, with valuable first-team chances ebbing away.
Carney Chukwuemeka, Lewis Hall and David Datro Fofana are a few that have been given very little chance of getting a look in during an end-of-season campaign that has nothing riding on it. If the Blues are to end this season on a quiet note, they'd certainly be better doing it with their future stars getting a taste of first-team football, rather than experienced players who may not be involved in the next three to five years.
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