Rekin

There is quite a difference between them. Chalobah is playing his first season on a senior level and while he has done an excellent job it is far to early to say whether he is ready to return to Chelsea. He needs to pick up some more experience and playing time in general, something I doubt he would get in the team right now. Personally I would not mind if he picked up a bit more muscle aswell, it would definetly not hurt in his position. I am not sure why you say that Capoue should be loaned out. I realize that you are trying to make a point but it appears quite silly when you consider the circumstances. Capoue will soon be 25 and has 161 first-team appearances for Toulouse, and he has been excellent there for quite some time. He is one of the best players on his position in Ligue1. He has also picked up 5 national caps for France (and 30 on a youth level). Chalobah is a rough diamond that needs to be polished by playing time, self-confidence and a being pulled in the right direction by someone who is adept at developing youth. Capoue is no longer a talent, he is a finished product that is ready for the next step, it is not him applying to join our first team but our team applying for him.

I have been thinking for some time about the future of Chelsea's midfield. It is obvious that Chelsea have some problems with the defensive part of it, as the attacking part is overcrowded as it is. People have suggested the likes of De Rossi, KDB, Oscar, Fellaini etc but personally I think that this tactical problem have a quite simple and not too expensive solution. Back when we played 4-3-3 I used to think that we had a astonishing trio behind the attackers in Lampard, Essien and Makelele. They fitted each other perfectly with their playing styles and skills, and it is no coincident that we did so well back then. I think the way to go is to try and emulate that. Obviously no player is the same, and it would need some modifications depending on what player would be in what role, but it should be possible. The Lampard role would fit Oscar nicely, he has shown that he has more than enough quality to do well there. KDB could also play there. The more difficult roles to fill are those of Essien and Makelele. Mikel comes to mind for Makelele of course as he has been playing a similar role, in theory, for quite a while. I personally do not rate him however and I think that we lack a natural successor in the team today. My first choice for this position would be Capoue. I know that he has attracted a difference in opinions, but I think that he is perfect for that role. Calm passing, strong body and is at his best under pressure. I know I would feel relaxed with him at the back. He is also at the perfect age with his best years just ahead of him. Decent price aswell. So this leaves the Essien role, in which I can see Chalobah. He still has a lot to do before he is ready, but he has shown the capacity to be able to be a good fit. He too plays well under pressure, is strong and often makes the right decisions. The difference is that he also has offensive qualities, such as being a explosive player, intelligent passing and a good mix of anticipation and movement. I would like to see him play regularly in the PL for a whole season first though before a possible move back to Chelsea. He would also have to to well during that season of course. It is even possible that he would need more than that, it is always hard to say with youngsters. The point is that I believe him to be our successor to Essien.

Dear god, do you argue in a similar way outside of the forums? First of all, did you actually see Touré play as an 18-year old? If not, how exactly are you qualified to make such a statement? There is more than 10 years of a difference between the players, so saying that Chalobah will never reach Touré's level based on the fact that Touré is a much better player today is ,sorry to say, laughworthy. Nobody is saying that Chalobah will be as good as Touré, only that from what we have seen so far, it is a possibility. As far as his performance in youth games go, it needs to be remembered that Chalobah spent much time as a central defender, arguably a position that require more time to mold into than many other positions. That could be related to him not giving performances of the highest quality every game, that and the very relevant fact that he is still young. Furthermore, it is your opinion that he was not "special", most people seem to on the contrary think that he was excellent. You are also constantly refusing to meet the argument of his current performances in Watford. How come he has been a big success there? The championship might not be the best league out there, but it is a damn good achievement for an inexperienced youngster to come straight at it and dominate.

Let us look at the facts. Chalobah just turned 18. This is his first loan-spell, and he has been one of the best players in of the best teams in the Championship. This despite it being a very physical league and him being in a naturally exposed position. Earlier he has been a pillar in the younger Chelsea sides, and have represented his country several times, also on a youth level. What else can we really ask from an 18-year old? As I mentioned earlier, Touré was not the player that he is today 10 years ago. In conclusion, I would say that it is rather difficult to accuse Chalobah of being overhyped as he has so far exceeded any reasonable expectations put on him. Perhaps he will be "found out" next year if Watford play in the PL, but right now there is a good reason to be quite optimistic.

Would that really be inconceivable? I mean, Touré was playing in Beveren when he was at Nathaniel's age. I very much doubt people said back then that he would be a key player in teams such as Barcelona or Manchester City (not that City made much of an impression in 2003). All we know now is that Nathaniel is very talented and more than able to hold his own in the Championship, even though it is a very physical league and his first season in the first team. Personally I think that he could reach similar levels if he is given enough exposure to high-level football in the next 5-7 years. Whether it happens or not is nothing more than speculation.