Impressing: Mancienne
Guus Hiddink is considering handing central defender
Michael Mancienne a first Barclays Premier League start at
Aston
Villa on Saturday.
Mancienne, who played at right back in the 3-1 FA Cup victory
over Watford last
weekend, has been thrust into contention because of injuries to
Ricardo Carvalho
(hamstring) and Alex (ankle), and doubts about the quality of
Branislav Ivanovic.
Hiddink watched several DVDs of Aston Villa’s recent games
yesterday afternoon and is already aware of the pace that Ashley
Young and Gabriel Agbonlahor possess.
That has convinced the Dutch coach to prepare for several
scenarios ahead of his first game in charge of Chelsea,
including using Mancienne’s speed to combat Villa’s attacking
threat.
Hiddink has been impressed with Mancienne’s attitude in his
first few days in charge and paired the 21-year-old with captain
John Terry for most of yesterday’s training session at Stamford
Bridge, which was open to fans.
Terry said of the new coach: ‘He’s made a few changes and in
training he got us to press more and play higher up the pitch. It
looked sharp, with everyone fighting for their places again.’
Although Alex is expected to declare himself fit for Saturday
lunchtime’s clash, Mancienne emerged as a viable alternative during
the hour-and-a-half practice session at the stadium.
Chelsea have conceded only 15 goals in the Premier League this
season, but they have looked far from comfortable in recent weeks
and Hiddink will not select players on reputation alone.
That is why inexperienced Mancienne, who was called into the
England squad for
the friendly against Germany last November, has suddenly come into
the first-team
reckoning.
Could this be Guus Hiddink's line-up (If Alex
& Carvalho still out) ? Seems quite good leh...
Cech
Bosingwa / Mancienne / Terry / Ferreira
Deco
Ballack / Lampard
Mikel
Anelka / Drogba
Kalou, Di Santo, Malouda, Belletti, Ivanovic, Alex.
