Chelsea assistant manager Ray Wilkins has confirmed that both Joe Cole and Yuri Zhirkov will be in the starting line-up when the Blues welcome Queens Park Rangers to Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night in the third round of the League Cup.
"We haven't finalised the side yet but Joe Cole and Zhirkov will start, so that's good news for all concerned. They will be very important players as the season progresses so it's nice that they will come back in," Wilkins told reporters at a press conference today.
"When you can't use a player of Joe's ability, any side in the country would miss him, because he has that bit of fantasy that can open up defences. We have missed him but we have a squad that can compensate for such a loss."
As for Zhirkov, the Russian international who has been injured since signing from CSKA Moscow in the summer, Wilkins felt that Chelsea fans would soon be seeing a player of versatility and quality in action. He said: "[Zhirkov's] a very fluid footballer, left-sided, which is always very pleasant, a great mover and a great footballer.
"He has been out now for quite a period so it will be lovely to see him back out demonstrating what he can do, because if he demonstrates half of what he has shown in training we have a very pleasant player on our books."
Another player now fit enough to feature again is Paulo Ferreira, and Wilkins revealed that manager Carlo Ancelotti is considering using a clutch of young players against QPR as well as the men returning from injury.
"Paulo will come back into the squad; whether Carlo decides to use him initially is another matter, but it's a chance to use the squad in the League Cup. We have a large squad here, and that's what we will do tomorrow night," he explained.
"They are all players that have impressed Carlo; he has watched the majority of reserve games since he has been here. It gives us an opportunity to bring these young men in and hopefully use them later in the season.
"If we progress in the League Cup then I am sure we will see a large number of these players used. [The transfer ban] is a great opportunity, and we will appeal against the ban, but it is a great opportunity for the young players to push themselves forward so the manager can see.
Wilkins added: "There will be a few rested but we have a large squad, so it's an opportunity to put them at Stamford Bridge in front of 38,000 where it will be an important game for us."
Wednesday's visitors are a former club of the Chelsea assistant, and Wilkins concluded by affirming just how much affection he retained for the Hoops, where he both played and managed.
Duo could be in League Cup action in derby with the Hoops
"It was a very enjoyable stage in my career at a great little club and I enjoyed it, it was good fun. It has changed; they do have financial backing now but they are still the same club on the footballing side, they have always tried to play football. The managers they had always wanted to play football and Jim [Magilton] is the same," he added.
"They are coming off the back of a fantastic result on Saturday (a 2-0 win away at Cardiff), so they will be coming with their spirits high and looking forward to a game at Stamford Bridge.
"It is always good to be drawn against a team in a higher league to see what you can go and do against them. I think they will bring 6,000 so they will be looking forward to it and it's up to us to make it an unhappy evening for them."
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