"We are going into a period of games where, for example, Romeo Lavia can be really important because he has to play minutes. We have to get him up to speed. Dario Essugo, we have to give him time on the pitch. [Lavia] is a top player, but you can't expect perfection from a player who's been out for four months."
"It's not just about your first 11 or your first 12 players to get us to where we want to be. The only way our players and our squad are going to help us achieve what I think is possible is for them to be sharp and ready. I would say it's not guaranteed that if you start your first 11, these games will come easier."
"The amount of games my squad have had in the last 18 months is the biggest in the world. So at some point I have to trust the group. They repaid my trust with the result tonight."
Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior justified his heavy squad rotation strategy after his team defeated 10-man Wrexham in the FA Cup, advancing to the quarterfinals. Making nine changes from their previous match, Rosenior has averaged five substitutions per game and rotates goalkeepers regularly. Key players including Cole Palmer, Moises Caicedo, and Enzo Fernandez were rested. Rosenior emphasized that rotation is essential for developing squad depth and bringing players like Romeo Lavia back to match fitness after injury. He argued that relying solely on the first eleven is insufficient given Chelsea's demanding fixture schedule and that squad cohesion requires all players to remain sharp and ready.
Read at www.bbc.com
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