Chelsea vs Scunthorpe: A Win, A Clean Sheet and The Youth

That FA Cup Life

Saturday saw Guus Hiddink and the FA Cup reunited - as if it were meant to be. But with an hour until kick-off, he quickly found out he was damned if he did and damned if he didn’t with the eleven who would make the cut for the starting lineup.

Hiddink was facing an uphill battle with the ‘play the youth’ crew. They were expecting an average age of foetus to start against League One side Scunthorpe. Only to be slapped in the face by one of the strongest teams Chelsea could have fielded.

It’s essential to the progress of the team as a whole that youth team products do get an opportunity to play in actual games rather than simply testing themselves against their peers. But they need to be integrated into the team rather than all thrown in at once with the pressure resting souling on their shoulders. They're still growing boys. As it stands, Hiddink chose the right side to start - and not just because they did their jobs and got the win.