🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Nathaniel Chalobah

[OhForAGreavsie 6,075]

It was one game. I don't get this short term attitude of football fans sometimes where one game can comprehensively show a player's quality and potential. Not even baring in mind that Portugal in general outplayed England, and looked tactically better managed. I've seen games where William Carvalho has done nothing, and Chalobah was probably the best player on the pitch when Reading played Arsenal in the FA Cup. They're both good talents. Chalobah with nearly 100 appearances first team (with a further 76 appearances for England at youth team level) for me makes so much sense to incorporate into the squad for next season.

On the rare occasions that I give opinions based on limited viewings, I'm honest enough to highlight that fact so people can decide if they want to take those opinions even less seriously than they otherwise might. It is not a rare occasion however when I am respectful of other people's points of view, and when I'm able to accept that someone disagrees with me without feeling the need to make ill informed guesses about how and why they think as they do.

I've been describing what I see as Nate's flaws since before he went on loan to Watford. I watched him play many times for the Hornets and have reported here, and elsewhere, my view that the generally favourable reaction to his time there was over generous. I've stated a number of times that I think Nate put in more poor performances for Watford than he produced good ones.

I was bitterly disappointed when Nate was selected ahead of Nathan Ake for the summer 2013 tour. I was told that I was a fool because I offered the opinion that Nathan is a far better prospect, an opinion which was mocked further when Jose made his comment about Nate becoming a part of our 2014-15 squad after benefiting from one more season on loan. I suggested that the poster should wait until that actually happened before mocking. We now know of course that it didn't.

I've watched Nate play many, many times for our development sides, for two loan clubs and for England age group teams. Judging from your comments you have too but it doesn't matter if you haven't, your opinion is still valid and may even turn out to be right. I can't pretend to believe something I don't however, so I repeat my view, Nate is not good enough for this club and it's time for Chelsea to encourage him to move on with his career.

[ja1 1,166]

On the rare occasions that I give opinions based on limited viewings, I'm honest enough to highlight that fact so people can decide if they want to take those opinions even less seriously than they otherwise might. It is not a rare occasion however when I am respectful of other people's points of view, and when I'm able to accept that someone disagrees with me without feeling the need to make ill informed guesses about how and why they think as they do.

I've been describing what I see as Nate's flaws since before he went on loan to Watford. I watched him play many times for the Hornets and have reported here, and elsewhere, my view that the generally favourable reaction to his time there was over generous. I've stated a number of times that I think Nate put in more poor performances for Watford than he produced good ones.

I was bitterly disappointed when Nate was selected ahead of Nathan Ake for the summer 2013 tour. I was told that I was a fool because I offered the opinion that Nathan is a far better prospect, an opinion which was mocked further when Jose made his comment about Nate becoming a part of our 2014-15 squad after benefiting from one more season on loan. I suggested that the poster should wait until that actually happened before mocking. We now know of course that it didn't.

I've watched Nate play many, many times for our development sides, for two loan clubs and for England age group teams. Judging from your comments you have too but it doesn't matter if you haven't, your opinion is still valid and may even turn out to be right. I can't pretend to believe something I don't however, so I repeat my view, Nate is not good enough for this club and it's time for Chelsea to encourage him to move on with his career.

Fair enough, apologies for assuming, but it was what I inferred from your post. Anyway we will see with Chalobah, but as you said I've also seen a lot of him, and think he's gotten continually underrated over time. While I'm not sure he'll make it at Chelsea now as newer and more fashionable names have taken his place, I do think he'll still develop into a good PL player at the very least, he still has the potential to go further..but like I said we'll see.

[OhForAGreavsie 6,075]

Fair enough, apologies for assuming, but it was what I inferred from your post. Anyway we will see with Chalobah, but as you said I've also seen a lot of him, and think he's gotten continually underrated over time. While I'm not sure he'll make it at Chelsea now as newer and more fashionable names have taken his place, I do think he'll still develop into a good PL player at the very least, he still has the potential to go further..but like I said we'll see.

Well I need to acknowledge that I've taken the easy pick in that the odds are enormously against any young player making it at any top club. If you just predict that all young players will fail to make it, you are going to be right almost every time. Even so my judgement, for what it's worth, is that there are things lacking in Nate's game, things that suggest to me that his level is below the Premier League.

As I said, I like the bloke. When he was captaining our development squads he would walk on to the pitch as if he owned the place. It was awesome to see but unfortunately only rarely does his game live up to the expectations created by that natural confidence. When he returned briefly and started for the 21s in an early season game, he was comfortably the worst Chelsea player on the pitch. I hope that Nate will succeed but it'll surprise me if he does.

[Duppy Conqueror 1,537]

until somebody plays for us surrounded by our players and coached by our coaches. nothing is certain in if they will make it or not. we over loan players and I don`t think it helps their growth in regard to becoming 1st team squad members.

football is football but each coach and team have their own agenda...I can think of plenty of even World class players who unless they are in the right circumstances for them they might not look very good atall.

loan moves do sometimes work out but it appears to be the generic remedy for everybody under 21/22.

I`ve no real idea who out of our youth teams will make it,i doubt if any,but not based on talent,but due to the lack of effort as a club in integrating them into the 1st team squad.

we loan players out and buy young veterans to block their way back in,regardless of how their loans go.

[Oscar 441]

People look too much into the youth team imo.

Only big team now that incorporates youth team still is munich... Barca these past years have not done well with their youngsters (but better than most big teams)

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Wow the England U21 look awful. There is absolutely zero cohesion in the team. Watching them against Sweden and they look nothing like a team. They are relying completely on individual skill which is in itself pretty rare.

[ulvhedin 526]

Wow the England U21 look awful. There is absolutely zero cohesion in the team. Watching them against Sweden and they look nothing like a team. They are relying completely on individual skill which is in itself pretty rare.

like they playing first time together.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

like they playing first time together.

Exactly. Dunno what Southgate has been doing all this time...

[nyikolajevics 2,700]

Wow the England U21 look awful. There is absolutely zero cohesion in the team. Watching them against Sweden and they look nothing like a team. They are relying completely on individual skill which is in itself pretty rare.

This is pretty much every England national team in the past few years.

[Jase 43,479]

Chelsea youngster Nathaniel Chalobah hoping to be part of Jose Mourinho's own 'Class of 92'

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Starts against Italy. RLC on the bench.

[LDN Blue 7,903]

Chelsea youngster Nathaniel Chalobah hoping to be part of Jose Mourinho's own 'Class of 92'

It's a nice dream, isn't it? Chalobah, RLC, Izzy & Solanke..

[CurlyHairLikeLuiz 1,625]

Surely RLC should start after last match,

[Stats 7,142]

Been really awful tonight, must be said. Passing in particular has been poor.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Been really awful tonight, must be said. Passing in particular has been poor.

He's had a mostly poor tournament...make that couple of seasons actually!

[Gilvorak 3,734]

Nowhere near Chelsea quality. The gulf is ability between him and RLC was staggering. He had potential as a CB but his career as a top flight player is all but over since he & the club decided he was apparently good enough to be a midfielder.

I knew he wasn't Chelsea quality after the 2013 Play-off final & this was the final nail in the coffin. We should sell while he still has any value.

[mufilika 101]

Nowhere near Chelsea quality. The gulf is ability between him and RLC was staggering. He had potential as a CB but his career as a top flight player is all but over since he & the club decided he was apparently good enough to be a midfielder.

I knew he wasn't Chelsea quality after the 2013 Play-off final & this was the final nail in the coffin. We should sell while he still has any value.

I've said for the last 2 yrs that Chalobah isn't a midfielder and got slated. At least not for a team near Chelsea level. He can be one in the champiosnship but not for any team in the top 2/3 of the PL.

Ake, Romeu, etc are far better DMs; Van Ginkel, RLC, etc are far better CMs. His long term prospects at the top level have always been at CB. But for two yrs now he hasn't played there consistently.

Even in the youth team, he always impressed me more as a CB, and he mainly played as a CB.

[OhForAGreavsie 6,075]

Nowhere near Chelsea quality. The gulf is ability between him and RLC was staggering. He had potential as a CB but his career as a top flight player is all but over since he & the club decided he was apparently good enough to be a midfielder.

I knew he wasn't Chelsea quality after the 2013 Play-off final & this was the final nail in the coffin. We should sell while he still has any value.

Sadly can't argue, and you are right, he was beyond shocking at Wembley. With Jose in attendance to boot.

As for the switch to midfield, I think the first decision was that he wasn't going to be a top quality CB. I felt the move up field was therefore the right call.

[OhForAGreavsie 6,075]

I've said for the last 2 yrs that Chalobah isn't a midfielder and got slated. At least not for a team near Chelsea level. He can be one in the champiosnship but not for any team in the top 2/3 of the PL.

Ake, Romeu, etc are far better DMs; Van Ginkel, RLC, etc are far better CMs. His long term prospects at the top level have always been at CB. But for two yrs now he hasn't played there consistently.

Even in the youth team, he always impressed me more as a CB, and he mainly played as a CB.

I felt that while his body language was imperious at times when playing CB, he simply had too many mistakes in him. He is capable of some great passing but this made him overambitious in what he tried to accomplish from the back. His passing, which invariably travelled right to left, was all too often poor and sometimes worse.

I think Nate would struggle to get a Premier League contract at this stage but if he has hopes of one with a Championship club then, for me, DM is his best shot. I did say if though.

[Tomo 21,751]

England need to completely overhaul the coaching set up, the seniors in the hands of Hodgson and U21s in the hands of Southgate is a lethal combination for all the wrong reasons.

Get some tactically astute coaches, even if we have to go abroad, it amazes me how manager's like Southgate, Warnock, Irvine get top level jobs, they are complete frauds.