Match day thread for the League Cup quarter final match vs Cardiff at the Cardiff City Stadium.

So how seriously does Big Enz take this?

Caicedo likely comes in. Is he willing to rest Enzo?

I think we might see a make shift back line as he tried to rest players after these recent games and ahead of Newcastle.

I can see Maresca picking:

Jorgensen

Acheampong

Tosin

Badiashile

Hato

Caicedo

Santos

Estevao

Enzo

Gittens

Guiu

Can see him picking Buonanotte ahead of Fernandez, who looks spent.

No doubt in my mind Cardiff are going to completely rattle Tosin and Badiashile.

1 hour ago, Backbiter said:

Can see him picking Buonanotte ahead of Fernandez, who looks spent.

At the moment I don't think he is willing to even rest Enzo.

Massive rotation, massive disruption with 50% of the players out of position and looking like they’ve never seen a football before. One young player will have a blinder, be subbed off after 20 minutes and never seen again.

I would prefer it to be Gusto, Josh, Badi, Hato .. but i am pretty sure it wiill be that clown in again - Josh, Tosin, Badi, Hato.. In the midfield it will santos, Caicedo, Buno, with Estevao, George and Gitten up top..

14 hours ago, Munkunku said:

Massive rotation, massive disruption with 50% of the players out of position and looking like they’ve never seen a football before. One young player will have a blinder, be subbed off after 20 minutes and never seen again.

Yes!! Agreed! 👍

Perfect game for Batshuayi to bag a hat trick. Up the Chels!

I could look this up, but I’m going to ask here instead. Have Cardiff not returned to playing in blue?

Most realistic chance of silverware we have this season.

Strong team please Maresca !

Let's get a good lead on the night and then rest players ...

1 hour ago, Snedger said:

I could look this up, but I’m going to ask here instead. Have Cardiff not returned to playing in blue?

BBC Sport

Cardiff snatch last-gasp win in Doncaster thriller

Joel Bagan scores a dramatic winning goal in the ninth minute of added time as Cardiff City edge out Doncaster Rovers to stay four points clear at the top of League One.

42 minutes ago, Sexyfootball said:

Most realistic chance of silverware we have this season.

Strong team please Maresca !

Let's get a good lead on the night and then rest players ...

Exactly this. Thoroughly dislike people dismissing the league cup. Winning the league cup as an aspirational is exactly the pinnacle of where we are as a club right now. We shouldn't disrespect it or Cardiff.

Drop Enzo, Garnacho and Pedro and olat Santos, Estevao and Guiu.

Rest Fofana and James and play Santos and Acheampong

The drops make us better. So only really two being rotated as rest.

1 hour ago, Sexyfootball said:

Most realistic chance of silverware we have this season.

Strong team please Maresca !

Let's get a good lead on the night and then rest players ...

Totally agree.

One of the advantages of Caicedo's suspension is that we can start him in this. His return means we can start alternating the right-backs again rather than playing both together then shoehorning in Trev or whoever in the midweek game. Keep it strong: recreate some positive momentum after Maresca pissed away the good feeling we earned from the Barcelona and Arsenal games.

James, Cucurella, Fofana, Pedro and Palmer should all be rested. Fernández should also not be in the first XI. Would also be tempted to leave out Jörgensen just to ease him closer to the exit door. Injuries/fitness mean there isn't really an obvious starter behind the striker; either we can put in Buonanotte (hardly in keeping with a strong XI) or see whether Estêvão is any cop there as he seems to believe himself. I'd prefer to try that little experiment after we've already scored a goal or two.

Sánchez

Gusto
Acheampong
Badiashile
Hato

Caicedo ©
Santos

Wunderkind
Buonanotte
Gittens

Guiu

Sanchez

Gusto Acheampong Badiashile Hato

Santos Caicedo

Estevao Buon Gittens

Guiu

7 hours ago, PloKoon13 said:

One of the advantages of Caicedo's suspension is that we can start him in this. His return means we can start alternating the right-backs again rather than playing both together then shoehorning in Trev or whoever in the midweek game. Keep it strong: recreate some positive momentum after Maresca pissed away the good feeling we earned from the Barcelona and Arsenal games.

James, Cucurella, Fofana, Pedro and Palmer should all be rested. Fernández should also not be in the first XI. Would also be tempted to leave out Jörgensen just to ease him closer to the exit door. Injuries/fitness mean there isn't really an obvious starter behind the striker; either we can put in Buonanotte (hardly in keeping with a strong XI) or see whether Estêvão is any cop there as he seems to believe himself. I'd prefer to try that little experiment after we've already scored a goal or two.

Sánchez

Gusto
Acheampong
Badiashile
Hato

Caicedo ©
Santos

Wunderkind
Buonanotte
Gittens

Guiu

23 minutes ago, GarnachoCheese said:

Sanchez

Gusto Acheampong Badiashile Hato

Santos Caicedo

Estevao Buon Gittens

Guiu

Hes clearly had his arse kicked and he doesn’t like it, i think hes hoping for a pay off

As for his comment “chelsea supporters deserve the best” HES CORRECT SO DO US A FAVOUR AND CLEAR OFF

Edited December 15, 2025Dec 15 by Caps_Lock_King

Jorgensen

Josh tosin Badieshille Hato

Caicedo Santos

Estevao Buonanotte Garnacho

Guiu

Sanchez

Gusto - Acheampong - Chalobah - Cucurella

Santos - Caicedo

Estevao - Palmer - Derry

Guiu

Certain players absolutely do not need to start this. They need rest

Sanchez

Gusto. Josh. Chalobah. Hato.

Santos. Bunonotte Walsh

Estevao. Guiu. Gittens.

Good to see in press conference that he takes responsibility for team selection and tactics for the Leeds game. Let’s hope he doesn’t make the same mistake tomorrow.

Match Day!

Come On Chelsea!!

Hopefully a far,far, better midweek performance tonight than the last two midweek games!