Pat Nevin asks Chelsea’s coach, Frank Lampard to recall Mateo Kovacic in the starting XI for the away fixture in the UCL group stage match to the Russian club, Krasnodar.
The Blues will be looking to take three points from this unknown side after their match against Sevilla ended in a 0-0 draw.
Nevin expects some squad rotation after back to back games played in the recent weeks and he is desperate to see the presence of Kovacic in the midfield.
The 26-year-old hasn’t featured in a match since the Carabao Cup defeat against Tottenham in September. He was brought in as a late substitute against Manchester United draw at Old Trafford.
“I am sure he (Lampard) will want as many youthful, energetic and tireless legs on the field as possible.
There are the likes of Mateo Kovacic, who could really do with another 90 minutes pretty soon. He should also have plenty of energy to spare,” Nevin told the club’s official website.
Although he started with some quiet performances in the initial games, the coach shouldn’t forget that he was awarded Player of the Year for Chelsea in the previous season. The Croatian is undoubtedly a talented midfielder and can prove to be a crucial part of Lampard’s success if he’s used properly like last season.
He’s down the pecking order after the likes of Jorginho and N’Golo Kante as they seemed permanent duo in midfield in the last couple of matches. But this shouldn’t happen as the former Real Madrid player offers more than just passing the ball. He is quick, clever, and can hold the ball quite efficiently.
It would be smart of the Chelsea coach to have faith in him by giving him a Champions League start in his central midfield role as he will need minutes to find his best form yet again.
