Chelsea Clear Out - Is now the time to play some youngsters?

There is a general census of opinion that some players will be shown the door by Chelsea next month in the transfer window. With the Premier League top four hopes virtually gone, is it a chance to play some youngsters?

I ask the question because it seems to be a debate that crops up every season. People will have different opinions which is understandable but I just wonder if what has happened to us this season and where we find ourselves at the moment has changed your opinion at all?

I think back to Carlo Ancelotti's second season here when asked to blood some youngsters after some big names departed (Carvalho, Deco etc) and it all went tits up. Beaten at home 0-3 by Sunderland with a back four that day which consisted of Van Aanholt at left back with Jeffrey Bruma and Paolo Ferreira as our centre backs, the board acted swiftly and spend over £70m on David Luiz and Fernando Torres as we pushed to finish inside the top four.

Now, this season, with the top four gone and any realistic hope of a top six finish diminishing as each game passes, I am thinking that we have nothing to lose and have a chance to really give some of our youngsters a go between now and the end of the season.

Patrick Bamford and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are two names I would put straight into the side for every single game because let's face it, they can't do any worse than what we have had to sit and watch week in, week out so far in this god awful season!

They are both young and talented but above all else hungry for the game and for first team football. Why not give them a chance now?

My head is telling me that it would not happen based on previous years and the club will still believe that with the right run of results, we can finish fourth but this is not previous years. Our chances are gone and everyone needs to accept that if they haven't already.

With any decision to play youngsters there is a genuine risk that it could go the other way. It could turn out to be a disaster that will affect their confidence and could turn out to be a backward step in their development.

What happens if it turns out to be a roaring success? What happens if these two come in and prove to be the catalyst to winning games again? What happens if they flourish after being given a chance and really grow into the team and into life on a regular basis in the Premier League? Other teams have done it so why can't we?

Come on Chelsea fans, I want to read as many opinions on this as possible. Would you take a leap of faith and give the kids a chance now?