Share

Hiddink: Big step for Blues youngsters

Cape Town - Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink was pleased with what he saw from 20-year-old duo Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Matt Miazga in Saturday's win over Aston Villa.

The Blues romped to a 4-0 victory at Villa Park, with Loftus-Cheek scoring his first Premier League goal while Miazga made his debut in the centre of Chelsea's defence.

Loftus-Cheek wanted to be replaced late in the match, but the experienced Dutch tactician decided that it would be good for the academy graduate to endure until the final whistle.

"He was used to being substituted after an hour," Hiddink told The Guardian. "But we deliberately kept him on to suffer for a little bit. He needed the experience of 90 minutes.

"He had a little bit of cramp and I said 'Come on, it's good for you'. Although it was not the highest tempo game, he had to experience it.

"Miazga had a rather comfortable game, even though it's not easy against [Villa striker Rudy] Gestede," he added. 

"He did well and showed he has the potential, but this was not the most tough game. You have to consider as well how you cope when a good war is going on, but it was a good first step up for him."

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
loading... Live
Brighton and Hove Albion 0
Manchester City 3
Voting Booth
Should the Proteas pick Faf du Plessis for the T20 World Cup in West Indies and the United States in June?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Faf still has a lot to give ...
65% - 458 votes
No! It's time to move on ...
35% - 252 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE