Chelsea's triple boost: Zhirkov to make debut, Drogba fit and Joe Cole to return

22 September 2009 16:27
Yuri Zhirkov, Chelsea's £18m summer signing, is finally set to makehis first-team debut and Joe Cole is also ready to make his firstappearance of the season against Queens Park Rangers in the Carling Cup.[LNB]Assistant manager Ray Wilkins has confirmed both will be in thestarting line-up against their west London neighbours on Wednesdaynight.  [LNB]Meanwhile Didier Drogba has been given the all-clear to resumetraining on Thursday after being carried off against Tottenham onSunday with a calf injury.   [LNB] Starting: Ray Wilkins said Yuri Zhirkov (left) and Joe Cole (right) will face QPR[LNB]The Ivory Coast international is set to figure in the squad for thetrip to Wigan on Saturday after a scan revealed there was no seriousdamage to his calf.   [LNB]However, he will not be included for tomorrow night's game against QPR in the Carling Cup as Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelottilooks to blood some fringe and academy players. [LNB]'Didier had a scan and there's no problem with his calf,' confirmedWilkins. 'It was just the most horrendous bout of cramp. We thought hecouldn't release the muscle and it might be something more nasty buthe'll be able to take part on Saturday. It is very good news for us.'[LNB]Wilkins also confirmed academy players Sam Hutchinson, Fabio Boriniand Jeffrey Bruma will be in the squad and Cole and Zhirkov will be inthe starting line-up against Rangers.   [LNB]'We haven't finalised the side yet but Joe Cole and Zhirkov willboth start, which is good news,' added Wilkins. "They'll be veryimportant players for us as the season progresses.   [LNB]'It's nice to see them come back in. When you can't use someone ofJoe's ability, any side would miss him. He has that bit of fantasy thatcan open up defences, so we have missed him.   [LNB] Ouch: Didier Drogba has recovered since injuring his calf against Tottenham[LNB][LNB]'But we've coped without him and now we'll have something different now he's come back. [LNB] 'Zhirkov is a very fluid footballer. He's been out for quite aperiod but, if he demonstrates half of what he's shown in training,then we've got a very pleasant player on our books.   [LNB]'The youngsters are all players who have impressed Carlo since he'sbeen here. This gives us an opportunity to bring these players in anduse them later in the season. If we progress, hopefully we'll be ableto use them in the Carling Cup.   [LNB]'The transfer ban, although we'll appeal it, offers the younger players at the club a great opportunity to impress. They'll be in the squad. Whether they'll start is another matter.'[LNB]Chelsea were sent crashing out of the Carling Cup last season bythen Coca-Cola Championship side Burnley and Wilkins does not want toface the same humiliation against their rich neighbours.  [LNB] Rangers, though, are under the spotlight after co-owner FlavioBriatore was banned by Formula One's governing body following the'crashgate' scandal.  [LNB] Floored: Drogba leaves Carlo Cudicini and Vedran Corluka in his wake to score Chelsea's third goal against Spurs at Stamford Bridge last Sunday[LNB][LNB] According to Football League rules, no-one can own a club if theyare banned by another sporting governing body, and the League haveasked the FIA for more details of Briatore's ban before decidingwhether to take action.   [LNB]Wilkins, a former QPR manager, refused to be drawn into thecontroversy. 'That's their situation and they'll handle that,' saidWilkins. 'I've got no comment to make on Formula One.I don't actually like Formula One, so I won't comment on that.  [LNB] 'I really enjoyed it at QPR but it's changed now. They havefinancial backing now but they're still the same club in terms of thefootball they play.   [LNB]'The manager always wants them to play football. They had afantastic result on Saturday (a 2-0 win at Cardiff) and will come herewith high spirits.  [LNB] [LNB]Enjoying himself: Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti [LNB]'I think they'll bring 6,000 and they'll be looking forward to it but it's up to us to make it an unhappy evening for them.   [LNB]'Carlo has come here to win trophies, whether that be the CarlingCup or the Community Shield. We have a group of winners, the managerincluded, and we want to win every game we play. That's the way we'llbe and that's the way we'll finish it as well.[LNB] 'I think Carlo's enjoying himself. It's a different culture tomanage in England but he's enjoying working with the guys. The respectthey all have for each other has been there since he walked in thedoor.  [LNB] 'We have very intelligent footballers at this club and, whicheversystem they're asked to play, they take it on board quickly. It'sworked out through the week and a lot of hard work has gone intoproducing that.  [LNB] 'We lost against Burnley last season and we don't like losing. We want to go as far as we possibly can in this competition. It's an important competition for us.'[LNB]Squad: Cech, Hilario, Turnbull, A Cole, Belletti, Bosingwa, Terry,Ivanovic, Kalou, Ballack, Obi, Lampard, Hutchinson, Bruma, Borini,Cole, Zhirkov, Malouda, Essien.[LNB] Owen rewarded for Manchester derby heroics with United starting spotDiniyar Bilyaletdinov and new signing Lucas Neill set for Everton starts in Carling Cup CHELSEA FC

Source: Daily_Mail