Frank Lampard has set his stall out from the off at Chelsea - by picking FIVE youngsters in his first starting line-up.
Chelsea have headed to Dublin for their first pre-season clash against Bohemians, as Lampard ushers in a new era at his former club.
The Blues legend has taken over the reins from Maurizio Sarri with the club hampered by atwo-window transfer ban.
It gives the former Derby boss the perfect opportunity to blood some of the highly-rated academy products that have had their first-team chances limited at Stamford Bridge in the past.
And he has wasted no time in giving them a chance, selecting promising starlets Ethan Ampadu, Marc Guehi, Conor Gallagher, Dujon Sterling and Kasey Palmer in his first side.
At 18 years old, Ampadu and Guehi are the youngest of the crop, with Gallagher a year older, and Sterling and Palmer 20 and 23 respectively.
Lampard has good knowledge of the youth sides at Chelsea, having coached in the academy set up at the Blues prior to taking the managerial post at Derby.
His number two Jody Morris also headed up the under-23 team prior to joining Lampard at the Rams, having spent four years coaching the club's youth.
Elsewhere in the line-up are starts for forgotten men Kenedy, Michy Batshuayi and Danny Drinkwater.
Kenedy and Batshuayi both spent last season out on loan, while Drinkwater has barely featured since his £40 million switch from Leicester nearly two years ago.
With the ban on transfers due to run until after the January transfer window, Lampard must make do with the players at his disposal in his debut season.
The Blues did manage to complete some business despite the ban, making Mateo Kovacic's loan from Real Madrid permanent in a £40 million deal, and also welcoming new addition Christian Pulisic, who was signed before the ban was implemented.
Neither player has travelled with the first-team squad to Dublin for the friendly however, with Lampard opting to leave a number of players at home.
Chelsea XI to face Bohemians: Caballero, Azpilicueta, Ampadu, Guehi, Sterling, Gallagher, Drinkwater, Palmer, Kenedy, Pedro, Batshuayi
