Carlo Ancelotti was always planning a young team for the Ajax game, coming as it did before the World Cup players are ready, but perhaps not quite so young.
Injuries to Petr Cech, Alex, Yury Zhirkov, Yossi Benayoun and Michael Mancienne removed players with plenty of first-team experience from the trip to Amsterdam.
Eight of the starting line-up and six of the subs used were 21 years old or younger and despite the 3-1 defeat in the friendly, Ancelotti could see merit in the 90 minutes.
'For our young players it was more difficult than the last game [at Crystal Palace],' he said.
'They did their best and it is normal for young players to play this kind of game. It was more difficult but it was a good test for them. They are disappointed with the result but individually the performance of the young players was good.
'It was the second game of the pre-season, we have to improve, but I can be happy for this performance.'
In the absence of Cech, the first half was Ross Turnbull and the second was Hilario's. The Portuguese stopper was beaten late on for the third goal but before the break, an Ajax cross was turned in via Jeffery Bruma and Turnbull to open the scoring. Then after Daniel Sturridge had equalised, a Turnbull mistake gave the Dutch team the chance to make it 2-1.
'Ross Turnbull didn't have a good performance but it can happen,' said his manager.
'A goalkeeper above all positions at the start of the season can have a not good performance. We have trust in him and it is better he has a game like this now than when there is a Premier League game.'
Ancelotti expressed hope that Cech and Alex will be fit for the start of the season and expects Benayoun to rejoin full training next week.
On Monday the last of the World Cup players return too.
'We decided to give them the holiday because after a very long season they need to have a recovery. They came back at the right time and they have time to be fit for the start of the season.
'The World Cup was a different story, that is finished and now they will be focused on their season for Chelsea.'
He also expressed satisfaction in Michael Essien's condition. The Ghanaian added 73 minutes to the 62 he played at Palace.
'Essien is very well and I think he is fit to play. The injury is behind him and this is a good thing for us.'
Injuries to Petr Cech, Alex, Yury Zhirkov, Yossi Benayoun and Michael Mancienne removed players with plenty of first-team experience from the trip to Amsterdam.
Eight of the starting line-up and six of the subs used were 21 years old or younger and despite the 3-1 defeat in the friendly, Ancelotti could see merit in the 90 minutes.
'For our young players it was more difficult than the last game [at Crystal Palace],' he said.
'They did their best and it is normal for young players to play this kind of game. It was more difficult but it was a good test for them. They are disappointed with the result but individually the performance of the young players was good.
'It was the second game of the pre-season, we have to improve, but I can be happy for this performance.'
In the absence of Cech, the first half was Ross Turnbull and the second was Hilario's. The Portuguese stopper was beaten late on for the third goal but before the break, an Ajax cross was turned in via Jeffery Bruma and Turnbull to open the scoring. Then after Daniel Sturridge had equalised, a Turnbull mistake gave the Dutch team the chance to make it 2-1.
'Ross Turnbull didn't have a good performance but it can happen,' said his manager.
'A goalkeeper above all positions at the start of the season can have a not good performance. We have trust in him and it is better he has a game like this now than when there is a Premier League game.'
Ancelotti expressed hope that Cech and Alex will be fit for the start of the season and expects Benayoun to rejoin full training next week.
On Monday the last of the World Cup players return too.
'We decided to give them the holiday because after a very long season they need to have a recovery. They came back at the right time and they have time to be fit for the start of the season.
'The World Cup was a different story, that is finished and now they will be focused on their season for Chelsea.'
He also expressed satisfaction in Michael Essien's condition. The Ghanaian added 73 minutes to the 62 he played at Palace.
'Essien is very well and I think he is fit to play. The injury is behind him and this is a good thing for us.'
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