Is Chalobah ready for the first-team?

[blu35_army 551]

if Watford and Zola got promotion to PL next season,,the best option is still loan him. we can watch and judge after 38 match played.....

[BlueLyon 9,359]

Well he could do a Pogba (in that case he must be a realy big talent) and get a handull of games next year or he just isnt ready yet. Solely based on champ. performances you cant compare players to those in PL. Its the jump that a player can do when going to PL level from championship.

Both Pogba and Chalobah were good talents, Pogba then left and improved hugely. He is three times better player than he was at Manu. So if Chalobah comes, current level wont be enough. He will have to improve quickly and prove himself.

What Pogba makes succesfull talent is also his personality which is completely different than Chalobah. Chalobah is humble and all while Pogba is very cocky and wants to play on top level, wants to be in center of attention and his excesive work is certainly paying off. His ambitions are much higher than the ones of Chalobah at the moment. That is why he left United after all.

Chalobah should be given 2/3 DM position after Mikel and Romeu. Play him in Fa games, carling games and vs small team games. No need to buy another DM in this case. But at the very moment he couldnt be a starter or better than Mikel here.

[Rekin 835]

I am a huge fan of the guy, watched him a lot in Chelsea youth games and was almost always impressed.
I see him as a star in the future, perhaps even becoming the captain. He fits my vision of the Essien-role in the old 4-3-3 perfectly, and that is why I am keen on seeing him develop as well as possible.

The last point is why I do not want to see him with the first team next season. At this point in his career, development is key, and development comes mainly from playing against qualified opposition. He is obviously ready for the next step after the championship, meaning a loan to a club in the best leagues.
While from an emotional point of view I would absolutely love to see him play day in and day out in Chelsea starting today, we have to remember that he is after all an 18-year old kid who hasnt yet played a full season. Saying that he is ready for being an important player in the first team at this point is completely unfounded.
The championship is a much worse league than the premier league, and we have no idea how he will cope with that step. Adding to that, he is far from a finished player, there are still issues that he can improve. I would like to see a higher tempo in his game and even more strength in his body as two minor examples.
Chelsea is not at the moment the best place to be developed in, and most managers that would come here would have an immense pressure on them to achieve success, it is highly debatable whether they would be prepared to take such a huge risk in such an important position, not from the start at any rate. Do not even get me started on how unlikely any playing time would be for him if drifted out of top3.

No, I do believe in the kid, but I think everyone in this scenario would benefit if he spent around two more years on a loan, provided that it is in a premier league club where he gets to play regurarly. Preferebly with Watford the first season if they go up, and then in a club like Everton the next one.

After those two years we will have three years to judge instead of one, and he will have great opportunities to adapt his game to the PL even more. Win-win if you ask me.

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

I don't think "is he ready" is the right question because you can't prove that anybody is not ready. Can you prove that Leif isn't good enough for Chelsea? He is good enough to play sparingly for Chelsea. Lots of players are. The real question is, is it a good move for him to be at Chelsea next season, and the answer is almost certainly no. It's not good for him and it's not good for the club. He needs to develop and he won't do that at Chelsea. Also, people are making a massive mistake if they think that looking very good in the Championship equates to success in the Premier League. It's a massive massive step up. What European league would be the equal of the Championship? The Championship has no teams in UEFA's top 450. Would you say that somebody who has done very well in the Latvian or Slovenian first division is ready to play regularly for Chelsea? Of course not. You'd want them to prove their worth at a higher level. How many players have come from the Championship and made immediate impacts with top clubs? I actually can't think of any of the top of my head. Chelsea need to win, we need to improve, we need to challenge for trophies. That's the purpose of the club. People are way too obsessed with making sure our young players get a shot.

It doesn't really matter because we're going to get a new manager and some new signings next season. Chelsea are going to spend tens of millions of pounds like every year. That's what top teams in England do to stay competitive. I'd say the odds of him playing a big role at Chelsea next season are under 100/1. The most likely scenario is a loan to a lower-table Premier League side and probably for more than one year. (And Pogba is a very different case. Italian teams have almost no money so they have to give young players chances. Seria A clubs spent a net 12M pounds. Premier League clubs spent 364M.)

[Reddish-Blue 2,489]

I don't think "is he ready" is the right question because you can't prove that anybody is not ready. Can you prove that Leif isn't good enough for Chelsea? He is good enough to play sparingly for Chelsea. Lots of players are. The real question is, is it a good move for him to be at Chelsea next season, and the answer is almost certainly no. It's not good for him and it's not good for the club. He needs to develop and he won't do that at Chelsea. Also, people are making a massive mistake if they think that looking very good in the Championship equates to success in the Premier League. It's a massive massive step up. What European league would be the equal of the Championship? The Championship has no teams in UEFA's top 450. Would you say that somebody who has done very well in the Latvian or Slovenian first division is ready to play regularly for Chelsea? Of course not. You'd want them to prove their worth at a higher level. How many players have come from the Championship and made immediate impacts with top clubs? I actually can't think of any of the top of my head. Chelsea need to win, we need to improve, we need to challenge for trophies. That's the purpose of the club. People are way too obsessed with making sure our young players get a shot.

It doesn't really matter because we're going to get a new manager and some new signings next season. Chelsea are going to spend tens of millions of pounds like every year. That's what top teams in England do to stay competitive. I'd say the odds of him playing a big role at Chelsea next season are under 100/1. The most likely scenario is a loan to a lower-table Premier League side and probably for more than one year. (And Pogba is a very different case. Italian teams have almost no money so they have to give young players chances. Seria A clubs spent a net 12M pounds. Premier League clubs spent 364M.)

I wouldn't say people are way too obsessed about our youngsters...but it's always good to see a talented youngster break into the first team...something Chelsea hasn't seen for a long, long time.

Also, when a youngster breaks into the first team, it provides proof that our youth system is doing its job.

I get that Chelsea need to improve, win trophies & with the right manager in place, I think we can achieve the right balance between high-profile stars and potentially 2-3 youngsters in the first team squad.

[gary gordon 1,777]

The entire youth set-up in football is an absolute joke imo. So many players rot away playing on some half assed training ground week in and week out. I know Rugby league is nowhere in comparison to football, but here in Australia, the youth set up is extraordinary. The under 20 (youth comp) open for the first division every week. This means they get to travel and play in front of the same crowed as the "big boys". This has proved a massive success as at least 5 players per team graduate to the first division every year, some to there parent club and some get picked up by rival clubs.

My point is, some players thrive on big crowds to perform and it also gets players ready for what to expect in the future. It's also good for sponsorship and television ratings as people have a chance to see how the youth system is going and players get more exposure.

[JDY 1,290]

Juventus also have the best midfield trio in Europe, and a back 3 that dominates opponents to the extent where they leave the field feeling like Fernando Torres. That solidity and backbone is something Chalobah will not have if he returns next season.

The transition for Pogba cannot be compared.

[communicate 2,703]

Is. Chalobah the young player who came in in one of our preseason game ?

We need to send him to another EPL team on loan then we can judge his level better

[coolhead23 1,147]

Good read, mate!

I do agree that Chalobah is a talent which can be the new poster boy for our academy but as much as i m excited by the prospect, I don’t want to get my hopes too high because over the years our so called talents have not turned up the way we expected. Having said that I m pinning my hopes yet again on Chalobah and I would want him to be on loan for another season atleast.

He has already demonstrated that he good at the championship level … now if possible the management should think of raising that level or if Watford gets into PL next season we should extend his loan as he is bound to get more game time. More over performing at the next level would only help his cause in terms of confidences, development, adaptability and a smooth passage into the first team (meaning more game time)

And at the same time, if the management has learned for our past mistakes we might have a steady manager who would be taking interest in our youth which means it might be much easier for Chalobah to blend into the first team with game time.

Everything at this moment is hope, hope and hope ….

P.S: I would have wanted him in the team next season if we had a manager who was there for some time and was in total control.

[TorontoChelsea 4,064]

I wouldn't say people are way too obsessed about our youngsters...but it's always good to see a talented youngster break into the first team...something Chelsea hasn't seen for a long, long time.

Also, when a youngster breaks into the first team, it provides proof that our youth system is doing its job.

I get that Chelsea need to improve, win trophies & with the right manager in place, I think we can achieve the right balance between high-profile stars and potentially 2-3 youngsters in the first team squad.

No top team has 2-3 youngsters in their starting XI. (If by unproven you mean having little experience at the top level). It's rare to even have one and when they do have one, it's almost always someone they scouted and bought. You look at players who have say, under 25 games of good European league experience.. ManU, Man City, Spurs, and Arsenal have a combined 0 players in the regular starting XI. Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Bayern also have 0. If you go to less than 50 games experience at a top level, you have a few like Nestasic and Caulker. If you talk about players that play regularly but aren't starting XI you get Verane, Tello, Shaquiri, and others. but again, it's a small number of players. If you can involve one young, inexperienced player in the regular rotation every year, you're doing well. I you're trying to get 2-3 unproven youngsters in your starting XI, you're not a contender, you're a mid-table team. There's too much money in football now, to compete with youngsters. You're going to beat teams buying world-class players and full internationals by bringing in players who looked good in the Championship or impressed in the youth team?

It's not easy to adapt to Premier League football. You look at someone like Oscar who was playing at a fairly high level in Brazil and for their national team, and he's had a very tough year and he's miles ahead of Chalobah right now. I like Chalobah's future, but what's the point in trying to force it? Let him develop at his own pace and if/when he's ready to step in and play a big part. Chelsea have a number of young players who are ready to contribute. De Bruyne and Lukaku should be on the squad next year and Courtois is ready when needed. Our youth policy is to buy the best young players and it's generally working. There's no need to force things. (In fact, I think Tom Cleverly another former Watford loanee is a good example of how to do things. He was Watford's player of the year in 2009-2010, ManU then loaned him to Wigan in the Premier League the next season where he played 25 games. Last year, he came back to ManU and played in 15 matches and this year, he's forced himself into a regular and important role).

[The only place to be 11,313]

I don't think "is he ready" is the right question because you can't prove that anybody is not ready. Can you prove that Leif isn't good enough for Chelsea? He is good enough to play sparingly for Chelsea. Lots of players are. The real question is, is it a good move for him to be at Chelsea next season, and the answer is almost certainly no. It's not good for him and it's not good for the club. He needs to develop and he won't do that at Chelsea.

Is he a photograph? What does 'develop' actually mean? Does he need to develop wings, because that's unlikely.

It's these meaningless generalities that I really wanted to move away from in this discussion. I want to know specifically what areas of his game he needs to develop.

Also, people are making a massive mistake if they think that looking very good in the Championship equates to success in the Premier League. It's a massive massive step up. What European league would be the equal of the Championship? The Championship has no teams in UEFA's top 450. Would you say that somebody who has done very well in the Latvian or Slovenian first division is ready to play regularly for Chelsea? Of course not.

As I pointed out, this kid has looked exceptional at every level he's played at. Again, this is a case of people talking about what an 18 year old should be rather than what Nathanial Chalobah actually is. This isn't a thread about Todd Kane. This isn't a thread about Billy Clifford. This isn't a thread about Sam Walker.

This is a thread about Nathanial Chalobah - let's try taking about him.

You'd want them to prove their worth at a higher level. How many players have come from the Championship and made immediate impacts with top clubs? I actually can't think of any of the top of my head. Chelsea need to win, we need to improve, we need to challenge for trophies. That's the purpose of the club. People are way too obsessed with making sure our young players get a shot.

Very few. That's why he'd be the exception, and the reason supporters of this club want the youth to do well is because football isn't just about winning trophies. It's about turning up at youth games and seeing a kid do something amazing, and then watching him grow to become a key player in the squad. It's about forming those emotional attachments with players on the pitch - winning the CL was special but seeing Lamps, JT, Drogba, Ashley and Cech up there with Robbie made it even more special.

It doesn't really matter because we're going to get a new manager and some new signings next season. Chelsea are going to spend tens of millions of pounds like every year. That's what top teams in England do to stay competitive. I'd say the odds of him playing a big role at Chelsea next season are under 100/1. The most likely scenario is a loan to a lower-table Premier League side and probably for more than one year. (And Pogba is a very different case. Italian teams have almost no money so they have to give young players chances. Seria A clubs spent a net 12M pounds. Premier League clubs spent 364M.)

I have no doubt we will sign players, but I think that if this man is given a chance to compete for a spot then he'll have a good chance of making the squad.

No top team has 2-3 youngsters in their starting XI. (If by unproven you mean having little experience at the top level). It's rare to even have one and when they do have one, it's almost always someone they scouted and bought. You look at players who have say, under 25 games of good European league experience.. ManU, Man City, Spurs, and Arsenal have a combined 0 players in the regular starting XI. Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Bayern also have 0. If you go to less than 50 games experience at a top level, you have a few like Nestasic and Caulker. If you talk about players that play regularly but aren't starting XI you get Verane, Tello, Shaquiri, and others. but again, it's a small number of players. If you can involve one young, inexperienced player in the regular rotation every year, you're doing well. I you're trying to get 2-3 unproven youngsters in your starting XI, you're not a contender, you're a mid-table team. There's too much money in football now, to compete with youngsters. You're going to beat teams buying world-class players and full internationals by bringing in players who looked good in the Championship or impressed in the youth team?

No mention of how good Chalobah is, what type of skills he has, what he needs to improve upon....

How many times this season have you watched him play?

It's not easy to adapt to Premier League football. You look at someone like Oscar who was playing at a fairly high level in Brazil and for their national team, and he's had a very tough year and he's miles ahead of Chalobah right now.

Miles ahead in what regard? Oscar is a completely different type of player on a completely different development schedule. Let's actually have a discussion about Chalobah at some point.

I like Chalobah's future, but what's the point in trying to force it? Let him develop at his own pace and if/when he's ready to step in and play a big part.

You should really start a thread explaining why Chalobah isn't ready.

Chelsea have a number of young players who are ready to contribute. De Bruyne and Lukaku should be on the squad next year and Courtois is ready when needed. Our youth policy is to buy the best young players and it's generally working.

Our youth policy is to buy young players AND develop our own.

There's no need to force things. (In fact, I think Tom Cleverly another former Watford loanee is a good example of how to do things. He was Watford's player of the year in 2009-2010, ManU then loaned him to Wigan in the Premier League the next season where he played 25 games. Last year, he came back to ManU and played in 15 matches and this year, he's forced himself into a regular and important role).

Ah Cleverley - a player who wasn't as good as Chalobah when he was 18, isn't as good as he is now and will never be as good as him (to paraphrase Bret Hart).

Look, I get what you're saying. I understand how young players usually develop. What we're discussing is making an exception for some players.

What I wanted to ask is whether Chalobah is an exceptional talent, and if he is shouldn't we be making exceptions for him?

[The only place to be 11,313]

I am a huge fan of the guy, watched him a lot in Chelsea youth games and was almost always impressed.

I see him as a star in the future, perhaps even becoming the captain. He fits my vision of the Essien-role in the old 4-3-3 perfectly, and that is why I am keen on seeing him develop as well as possible.

The last point is why I do not want to see him with the first team next season. At this point in his career, development is key, and development comes mainly from playing against qualified opposition. He is obviously ready for the next step after the championship, meaning a loan to a club in the best leagues.

While from an emotional point of view I would absolutely love to see him play day in and day out in Chelsea starting today, we have to remember that he is after all an 18-year old kid who hasnt yet played a full season. Saying that he is ready for being an important player in the first team at this point is completely unfounded.

The championship is a much worse league than the premier league, and we have no idea how he will cope with that step. Adding to that, he is far from a finished player, there are still issues that he can improve. I would like to see a higher tempo in his game and even more strength in his body as two minor examples.

I don't think he needs to work on his tempo to be honest. He's never going to be a Ramires, haring around the pitch and that's a good thing. He's got a languid style reminiscent of a Vieira, and he allows the ball to most of the work. He shows plenty of hustle getting back as well, something that Mikel has rarely shown.

In fact isn't that one of the points - we're saying he needs to up his tempo when John Obi Mikel has made almost 300 appearances playing somewhere close to horizontal??

As for strength, the one thing the Championship has over most other leagues is physicality and he's looked more than comfortable in one of the more combative areas of the pitch.

Chelsea is not at the moment the best place to be developed in, and most managers that would come here would have an immense pressure on them to achieve success, it is highly debatable whether they would be prepared to take such a huge risk in such an important position, not from the start at any rate. Do not even get me started on how unlikely any playing time would be for him if drifted out of top3.

That's a fair point unfortunately.

No, I do believe in the kid, but I think everyone in this scenario would benefit if he spent around two more years on a loan, provided that it is in a premier league club where he gets to play regurarly. Preferebly with Watford the first season if they go up, and then in a club like Everton the next one.

So why would the managers at a club looking to avoid relegation or fight for a European spot be more inclined to play him?

I personally would have a look at him pre-season, maybe even keep him for the first three months of the season and give him cup games and the odd EL/CL game. If he holds his own, then great, if he struggles then get him to a side in the PL or in Europe to get him top flight experience. His youth and relative inexperience make him a risk at the top level, who's prepared to take it?

That's a pretty good suggestion.

I personally don't think we'll look to buy another defensive midfielder and still with Mikel, Romeu, Rami and Luiz whilst buying a playmaker like Modric or Benat.

In that situation he'd be competing with Mikel, Romeu and Ramires for a spot in pre-season and I'd fancy his chances. Yes he's young, yes he's relatively inexperienced but he's good and I'll take being good over being experienced every day of the week.

[bushman 2,043]

So much written about someone who is not ready & most likely won´t be ready next season anyways.

[kellzfresh 7,229]

Does he have a high potential? Yes

Will the media make it hard for him because of inexperience in the EPL? Most definately

Will he be benched in chelsea for a long time if he has one bad peformance? Yes

Will he have to wait for only the capital one cup and few fa cup matches to have a chance to play? Yes we all know because he will be behind ramires, mikel, romeu and possibly essien

Do we want another example of lukaku's first season situation, where he had no playing time bcos pple thought he was not ready? No

Because of all these questions, the best solution is to leave him in his club if they get promoted into the EPL and get him back in January if he shows he can peform at the highest level in england. If not, he can spend the full season there and return to chelsea with enough experience (30+ epl games in his belt) to challenge our DM's for the first team spot

[kellzfresh 7,229]

Double post