Antonio Conte has said he has a clearer idea of what the future holds for Chelsea’s academy products after seeing some of them in action in the 2-1 defeat against West Ham on Wednesday.
Conte made several changes for Chelsea’s EFL Cup fourth-round tie at the London Stadium, which included starting Nathaniel Chalobah and Ola Aina against the Hammers.
The pair have come up through the ranks at the club but, after Chelsea went 2-0 down, Conte brought on first-team regular starters Eden Hazard and Pedro for Chalobah and Aina respectively.
Despite the substitutions, Conte insisted after the loss that he was happy with how Chalobah and Aina performed although he suggested Chelsea’s exit from the EFL Cup could see them have less minutes on the pitch this season.
When asked about the performances of the duo, Conte said: “I prefer to speak about the whole team but this Cup was important to check the development of these young players.
“We have good young players. They needed to play. I’m disappointed that we can’t play [them] in the future [of this Cup, this season]. They played with the right intensity and concentration.
“When you lose, it’s normal to see only the bad things. I found a lot of positive things.
“Always [they learn]. Usually you learn more after a defeat than a win. I’m optimistic. I want to see always the right spirit. I see the future more clear.”
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