So I've been thinking, with the number of "talented young players" we've got on our books, such as: McEachran, Piazon, Bertrand, PVA, Kakuta, Bruma, etc.. who a lot of people wish were given more chances in the first team... are they actually any good?

I say this because, let's look at Kakuta for example. Went on loan to Fulham and barely played. We made our excuses that they were in a relegation fight and couldn't risk it. So then he went to Bolton and barely played, we made the same excuses again. Josh has gone to Swansea and by all accounts is disappointing. Apparently PVA and Bruma aren't doing too well either.

Are we blinded by overpoweringly strong tinted glasses? Are the youth we've got coming through actually any good? Would they make it at a club like Man Utd for example, who are much better at bringing the young players through?

Just some thoughts on a boring Monday morning.

I think Kakuta's problem is the same as Mata's; he really needs to play in the hole in order to be unleashed properly. That requires a particular formation, and Bolton (who as far as I can tell are fairly stern 4-4-2 adherents) don't play it. We'd have been better off sending Kakuta to Wigan and Van Aanholt to Newcastle.

Kakuta on the left of a 4-4-2 is going to be wasted on defensive responsibilities and also will suffer due to a relative lack of pace. I've always thought of him as a tricky flair player (the likes of which we usually struggle to create), not a pacey wide midfielder.

I don't think there's a problem of them not being very good, I think there's more of a problem of never knowing if they ARE any good.

Superb example would be McClean at Sunderland, not one performance under Steve Bruce but now he is being given a chance he looks fantastic.

Why not have kept Kakuta this season and played him instead of Malouda, if he didn't play well that at least you can say at least youve given the lad a chance

Nice post mjcreswick. I think we have proof in the success of Borini etc. that we do have talent.

It's a matter of using it better. Sadly most of real top class youngsters are out on loan and right now you couldn't imagine them being used given the situation we've found ourselves in.

It's one of the key things in the pro column for AVB staying, and oddly it has absolutely nothing to do with him individually.

I dont rate Kakuta at all, he looked decent in one or two games and thats it, i think he is better off sold. As for Josh, PVA and Ryan B they should all be kept and played a bit more but i have a feeling that over the next season or two all of them will leave.

I dont rate Kakuta at all, he looked decent in one or two games and thats it, i think he is better off sold. As for Josh, PVA and Ryan B they should all be kept and played a bit more but i have a feeling that over the next season or two all of them will leave.

With respect, can a judgement really be made on the amount of playing time he had?

Senior career* Years Team Apps^† (Gls)^† 2009- Chelsea 1 (0) 2011 → Fulham (loan) 7 (1) 2011 → Bolton (loan) 4 (0) 2012 → Dijon (loan) 2 (1)

Winning player of the tournament at the Euro under 19's must say something?

When on loan he has hardly played which suggests to me he wasnt good enough. If he isnt good enough to get in the Fulham or Bolton teams i cant see him making it with us. I would think he will be sold like Stoch was a few seasons back after a loan spell.

I cant disagree with your point that if he cant get into the Fulham or Bolton team, however I think he is just an example of someone that we have spent a fair amount of money on, who clearly has potential, of which has no chance of getting into the Chelsea team due to a obsession with playing the likes of Kalou and Malouda.

Well i think both of those players will be gone in the summer but replacing them with Kakuta is a massive risk imo.

When on loan he has hardly played which suggests to me he wasnt good enough. If he isnt good enough to get in the Fulham or Bolton teams i cant see him making it with us. I would think he will be sold like Stoch was a few seasons back after a loan spell.

it could also suggest that the manager didnt feel that player like kakuta, probably not he biggest tackler or going to win any long ball headers wasnt going to help them out of the predicament they where in. not picking a player doesnt mean he's no good. Lets see how this loan spell goes, but in all honesty i would have him back

This loan spell is the worse of the lot, He has stepped down in leagues and level of football. That is no good to us if we are expecting him to play for us next season. Josh to Swansea makes sense.

If our youngsters are not actually any good, then you have to ask yourselves if our scouts are actually any good, don't you?

If our youngsters are not actually any good, then you have to ask yourselves if our scouts are actually any good, don't you?

Or our development coaches?

The player I am interested in knowing about is Piazon... he has made some appearances on the bench recently and we can use a player with some skill at the moment.

Is he ready to come on as a substitute for the first team right now?

The player I am interested in knowing about is Piazon... he has made some appearances on the bench recently and we can use a player with some skill at the moment.

Is he ready to come on as a substitute for the first team right now?

Hard to say whether he is ready or not but I honestly only think he has been included on the bench to make up the numbers.

Can't see him figuring for the first team any time soon but he will be playing on Wednesday in our FA Youth Cup match against West Ham. That is gonna be a tough one.

I think I've said before, but my brother played in the same kids teams as Scott Parker at Charlton Athletic.

Their were lots of talented kids their and while Scott was always the best in the team, their were lots of others who were very good, now we all know for lots of reasons a very high percentage of these kids fall by the wayside before being offered a pro contract.

What worries me is that we seem to be getting a couple of players through to the pro contract stage and then they falter, and we don't see them in the first team or we do but only once or twice then its a loan and we sell!

So what is happening between turning pro and making the first team?

I think you can look at many top clubs, and in particular ourselves and Man City and see that youth are going to struggle to break into the first team when the clubs are able to go out and buy now rather than wait for the youth to develop.

It does sadden me that we won the FA Youth cup in 2010 for the first time in 50 years but so far, none of that side has been given any real chance of first team action. But we are not alone. Look at the other winners in recent seasons. Man City beat us in 2008 and where are any of that side other than Sturridge and we know where he is!

Arsenal beat Liverpool in 2009 and it is really only Jack Wilshere who has progressed. Then last season Utd beat Sheff Utd and although I know they have big hopes for Morrison (despite the off field problems) and Pogba, they still have a lot to do to break into the first team.

But all the time we have a billionaire owner who can stump up £50m here and £25m there, as much as we would all love a player like Josh to break into the side at 17/18, the reality is it is never gonna happen. We could have the next Messi currently playing in our Youth Team but we won’t take the risk of letting him loose.

If our youngsters are not actually any good, then you have to ask yourselves if our scouts are actually any good, don't you?

Think at this point you have to blame the parents for having the scouts in the first place

Nibs - Morrison was sold to West Ham on transfer deadline day. Diouf left too, and Pogba might leave this summer after supposedly refusing a new contract.

Nibs - Morrison was sold to West Ham on transfer deadline day.

Blimey - I heard they were thinking of off-loading him but I thought he was such a talent that they would do all they could to sort him out. He does look a brilliant prospect but seems a right nasty piece of work too. I know you shouldn't judge people on appearances but you only have to look at him to see he is trouble.

Blimey - I heard they were thinking of off-loading him but I thought he was such a talent that they would do all they could to sort him out. He does look a brilliant prospect but seems a right nasty piece of work too. I know you shouldn't judge people on appearances but you only have to look at him to see he is trouble.

Maybe it was for the best:

The 19-year-old footballer, who moved to West Ham on deadline day, caused controversy on Tuesday when writing a homophobic message on Twitter after being antagonised by a follower, and has since been asked to provide his "observations" over the incident to the FA.

Morrison’s tweet, which has since been deleted, read: “crack head ? Go suck out u little faggot your a guy that talks if u see me you try slap me I'm in manchester every week.â€

I don't know what's more offensive, the 'homophobic term' or the awful use of English

AVB must be looking at all the talk of playing youngsters and scratching his head in bemusement. He's seen a succession of Chelsea managers come and go and none of them have played the kids and all of them have had the money to buy established players in order to freshen up Jose's system, and now AVB is expected to effect a transition from that to a "new" Chelsea with the same kids, none of whom he had anything to do with in bringing to the club, and at the same time we have to be challenging for honours. To me the underlying problem in the youth development policy was Frank Arnesen, he seemed to have his own agenda which we are now paying for.

I don't know what's more offensive, the 'homophobic term' or the awful use of English

The English is sh*t at best from all of them - Ferdinad R, Rooney, Barton, etc. it's all inchoerent drivel that I have to look at for 20 minutes to even get an inkling of what they are trying to relay.