DEBATE: When should Chelsea rest players?

LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 19: Oscar of Chelsea celebrates scoring their first goal with team mates during the UEFA Champions League Group E match between Chelsea and Juventus at Stamford Bridge on September 19, 2012 in London, England.

With all the players Chelsea have signed in the previous transfer window and now have at our disposal there is one issue that WILL become a potential problem this season and that is when to rest players.Oscar has taken the plaudits the other night and quite rightly so but if you admit thinking back to Wednesday night, when you saw the Chelsea starting eleven you were surprised that Juan Mata was on the bench.

We know that Robbie Di Matteo spoke of Mata’s summer with Euro 2012 and then the London Olympics and the fact that he hadn’t had enough rest. He said that he would have to manage Mata this season and to make sure he gets enough rest throughout the season to ensure he doesn’t get injured or burns himself out.

However like I said, I was really surprised to see him on the bench on our biggest home game of the group stages in the Champions League especially after he also missed out at Loftus Road last weekend.

Are we now to expect Mata to come back into the side and start against Stoke tomorrow? If so, who does he replace from Wednesday night? You see the potential problem we will have with everyone fit this season!

RDM has to manage this situation and at the same time, give the team the right balance in ALL competitions. It’s no secret that Chelsea will want to make a real push back up into the top four this season in the Premier League as a minimum requirement but hopefully for the title. They want to try and be the first to retain the Champions League in it’s current format and will also want to try and win both domestic cup competitions.

LONDON, ENGLAND – SEPTEMBER 19: Fernando Torres of Chelsea and Juan Mata of Chelsea look on as they prepare to restart after Juventus scored their second goal during the UEFA Champions League Group E match between Chelsea and Juventus at Stamford Bridge on September 19, 2012 in London, England.

There is a chance to rotate players in those and in the Premier League games against sides who are fighting to stay in the league (no disrespect) but in saying that, for the big games, everyone will want to play.

RDM’s team selection will be very interesting tomorrow. After Juventus on Wednesday, we have Stoke as we know tomorrow followed up with Wolves in the League Cup in midweek. RDM has an opporunity to give some players who have been playing in most of the games a week off and bring in other players who have been on the fringes of the starting eleven.

The likes of Cahill, Romeu, Azpilicueta, Bertrand, Mata, Marin and Sturridge will ALL be pushing for a start tomorrow meaning Luiz, Mikel, Ivanovic, Cole, Lampard, Ramires and Torres could all be rested.

That’s the problem though isn’t it. When should Chelsea rest players? What do you people think?

I would love to hear as many views on this as possible!