Nathaniel Chalobah

[Special Juan 28,124]

I'm going to the Riverside on Saturday for the Middlesbrough game v Leeds, my little lad is doing the guard of honor flag parade when the players walk out.

A friend of mine is well up at MFC and after the game I'm going to the players lounge and intend grabbing a word with Nat and Kenneth.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

It's not Chelsea's fault that he's had a poor loan, but it's Chelsea's fault that he's on loan at all. He proved his quality last season, he should be part of the first team squad right now, not out on a pointless loan deal.

Loaning him out in August was the right decision at the time. We already had 5 players for his position and he was never going to get any time on the pitch. Couldn't keep him here in Jan because he had a very bad loan spell.

The lad is still 19. This is only his second season playing competitive football. What's the rush?

[Yeboii 1,844]

I'm going to the Riverside on Saturday for the Middlesbrough game v Leeds, my little lad is doing the guard of honor flag parade when the players walk out.

A friend of mine is well up at MFC and after the game I'm going to the players lounge and intend grabbing a word with Nat and Kenneth.

Tell us how it goes

[herpthederp 122]

The lad is still 19. This is only his second season playing competitive football. What's the rush?

This is a crucial year of development that he'll be pissing away in the Championship. Chelsea can't expect to ever develop any first team players if they're never going to take a chance on these lads.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

This is a crucial year of development that he'll be pissing away in the Championship. Chelsea can't expect to every develop any first team players if they're not going to take a chance on lads.

Would you rather he wastes it here at Chelsea? He's broken into the first team at Boro and getting games. That's already many times better than he would have got here.

Of course we're not going to take a chance on a 19yo, unless he is something like the new Messi. How many games per season at Chelsea can you afford to play a completely inexperienced youngster? You can't do that as a top team because you're expected to win every single game.

Honestly, I don't expect to see Nathanial here for another two season after he's had a few more loans, probably including a PL loan.

[Stats 7,142]

It's not Chelsea's fault that he's had a poor loan, but it's Chelsea's fault that he's on loan at all. He proved his quality last season, he should be part of the first team squad right now, not out on a pointless loan deal.

He was very impressive out on loan last season but there is a big difference in making a mark at a Championship club and being part of a squad that is expected to challenge for all major trophies. Right now he would be no way near the first 11 and would of been the same at the beginning of the season and at his age the most important thing for a footballer is to be playing first team competitive football rather than playing reserve matches so the loan deal helps club and player imo.

[Thomas Williams 166]

How would Chalobah get playing time if 20 million pound Schurrle can't even get any? Jose doesn't like to rotate much, it was definitely a good idea to loan him (especially having MvG here). It's just a shame this one has been such a failure compared to the last.

[herpthederp 122]

Would you rather he wastes it here at Chelsea? He's broken into the first team at Boro and getting games. That's already many times better than he would have got here.

Of course we're not going to take a chance on a 19yo, unless he is something like the new Messi. How many games per season at Chelsea can you afford to play a completely inexperienced youngster? You can't do that as a top team because you're expected to win every single game.

Honestly, I don't expect to see Nathanial here for another two season after he's had a few more loans, probably including a PL loan.

Barcelona give youngsters chances, as did United when they dominated in the Premier League, it's a cop out to say a top team can't do that. Loans to clubs that play a style that is at odds with the parent club serve to do little more than prove a player can cope at that level, so if Chalobah is still being loaned out in two seasons then his career will be on it's arse like McEachran's is, and Chelsea will have ruined another young player's development.

[The only place to be 11,313]

It's not like he had Hazard in front of him like Schurrle does. He had Essien and Mikel ahead of him, one of whom has retired....sorry, gone to Milan and another who is nothing but a spectator on the pitch. The loan to Forest was an utter failure on every level, and he simply didn't fit the style of play they wanted. He would've been better staying here and getting the occasional appearance whilst also training with world-class players.

Unfortunately the club/Jose chose Ba over Lukaku and Essien over Chalobah.

[The Skipper 20,609]

It's not like he had Hazard in front of him like Schurrle does. He had Essien and Mikel ahead of him, one of whom has retired....sorry, gone to Milan and another who is nothing but a spectator on the pitch. The loan to Forest was an utter failure on every level, and he simply didn't fit the style of play they wanted. He would've been better staying here and getting the occasional appearance whilst also training with world-class players.

Unfortunately the club/Jose chose Ba over Lukaku and Essien over Chalobah.

As you know I'm a supporter of the Lukaku loan because I don't think he would've played half as much had he stayed here (Jose wouldn't play him enough I think) but I agree, Nat could've 100% been here instead of Essien and would've progressed better if he was in and around the squad and probably would've had a few games here and there as well.

All we can hope for right now is that he hopefully figures in Jose's plan next season.

[BlueLyon 9,359]

Drastic moves, sell Mikel and give Chalobah a chance whenever Mikel would get it. That is how you make way for youth players. Not loaning them to some small forgotten championship clubs. After next season here loan him to PL mid table club and see.

The club, Jose and board have done enough talking about making young stars and giving chances to youth players. Its time for actions.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Barcelona give youngsters chances, as did United when they dominated in the Premier League, it's a cop out to say a top team can't do that. Loans to clubs that play a style that is at odds with the parent club serve to do little more than prove a player can cope at that level, so if Chalobah is still being loaned out in two seasons then his career will be on it's arse like McEachran's is, and Chelsea will have ruined another young player's development.

The scenario in La Liga is completely different. The league is much weaker with a HUGE gap between the Real and Barca (and now Athletico) and the rest. They can afford to give youngsters a chance in games. Plus the academies in Spain, especially Barca's, is miles and miles ahead of anything in England.

As for united, when was the last time they promoted a youngster without sending him on a PL loan while they're at the top? Just yesterday, I was laughing after seeing Maccheda playing (badly) in the Championship (or was it League One, Ican't remember). It took utd becoming the mid-table team that they are today to promote Januzaj. He didn't get a look in when they were challenging for titles and neither did Pogba.

Times have changed. Today in the EPL, you can't challenge for titles and play unproven youngsters at the same time, especially without managerial stability.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

It's not like he had Hazard in front of him like Schurrle does. He had Essien and Mikel ahead of him, one of whom has retired....sorry, gone to Milan and another who is nothing but a spectator on the pitch. The loan to Forest was an utter failure on every level, and he simply didn't fit the style of play they wanted. He would've been better staying here and getting the occasional appearance whilst also training with world-class players.

Unfortunately the club/Jose chose Ba over Lukaku and Essien over Chalobah.

Unfortunately?! Ba has played under 1000 minutes for us this season while Essien barely played 200 despite MVG picking up that injury very early in the season! You should be thankful that the club made the right decision for the sake of the players, their development and ultimately their value to the club in the future.

[The only place to be 11,313]

Unfortunately?! Ba has played under 1000 minutes for us this season while Essien barely played 200 despite MVG picking up that injury very early in the season! You should be thankful that the club made the right decision for the sake of the players, their development and ultimately their value to the club in the future.

Exactly - Ba has been a non-entity when we could've used someone like Lukaku in matches, whilst Chalobah got nothing out of his loan to Forest. I would've much rather seen Chalobah getting minutes than Essien or Mikel.

As for united, when was the last time they promoted a youngster without sending him on a PL loan while they're at the top? Just yesterday, I was laughing after seeing Maccheda playing (badly) in the Championship (or was it League One, Ican't remember). It took utd becoming the mid-table team that they are today to promote Januzaj. He didn't get a look in when they were challenging for titles and neither did Pogba.

And how's that working out for them? Pogba was the player they needed and they fucked up. We shouldn't be using their failure to develop young players as a template - we should actually look at their mistakes and learn from them. Why use them as an example and not someone like Liverpool or Arsenal who are both above them and have used players like Flanaghan, Sterling and Gnabry?

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Exactly - Ba has been a non-entity when we could've used someone like Lukaku in matches, whilst Chalobah got nothing out of his loan to Forest. I would've much rather seen Chalobah getting minutes than Essien or Mikel.

There just aren't enough minutes. Lukaku is similar in his style to Torres and I'm certain that, when fit, Jose would have chosen Fernando over Romelu the vast majority of the time. As for Chalobah, he wouldn't have gotten into the team ahead of Mikel, you just said he couldn't get into Forest's team! He would have just got the minutes that Essien got at most.

And how's that working out for them? Pogba was the player they needed and they fucked up. We shouldn't be using their failure to develop young players as a template - we should actually look at their mistakes and learn from them. Why use them as an example and not someone like Liverpool or Arsenal who are both above them and have used players like Flanaghan, Sterling and Gnabry?

I'm not using as template, I'm using it to show that it can't be done while challenging for titles. Liverpool and Arsenal are both example to exactly this. They managed to integrate youth players because they weren't challenging for titles. We arguably have better talents in our academy than them. Give a Chelsea manager 8 years without the pressure of challenging for titles and by the end of that period, half our squad would probably be from our academy.