http://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2016/3/27/11312740/ruben-sammut-chelsea-interview-hiddink-mourinho

"It's really good training with the first-team players. Since Guus Hiddink arrived, there's been a real buzz around the place. A lot of the players felt low on confidence while Mourinho was here but it's totally ?different in the camp now. ?Everyone is upbeat again."

"Training has been enjoyable again. The big players like John Terry, Diego Costa and Eden Hazard are really driving the sessions now. It's been very good. The intensity is unreal. At the start of every session it's boxes, and the youngest player goes in the middle. Your head is spinning for about 30 passes."

"John Terry has been the most helpful to me. He's really good with all the young lads and as soon as you go over there he's talking to you all the time. They all shake your hand and make you feel welcome. But John is particularly good. It'll be the end of an era when he leaves Chelsea. I'm not sure what's going on with his contract but it would be great if he stayed."

-Ruben Sammut

http://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2016/3/27/11312740/ruben-sammut-chelsea-interview-hiddink-mourinho

"It's really good training with the first-team players. Since Guus Hiddink arrived, there's been a real buzz around the place. A lot of the players felt low on confidence while Mourinho was here but it's totally ?different in the camp now. ?Everyone is upbeat again."

"Training has been enjoyable again. The big players like John Terry, Diego Costa and Eden Hazard are really driving the sessions now. It's been very good. The intensity is unreal. At the start of every session it's boxes, and the youngest player goes in the middle. Your head is spinning for about 30 passes."

"John Terry has been the most helpful to me. He's really good with all the young lads and as soon as you go over there he's talking to you all the time. They all shake your hand and make you feel welcome. But John is particularly good. It'll be the end of an era when he leaves Chelsea. I'm not sure what's going on with his contract but it would be great if he stayed."

-Ruben Sammut

 

Great to hear this, too bad Hiddink is leaving in a couple of months..

Interesting article discussing how our failure to integrate youth players may have a long-term negative effect on the academy unless we rectify the situation soon:

 

https://changeisgoingtocome.wordpress.com/2016/05/04/elgert-emenalo-chelsea-and-spurs/

Interesting article discussing how our failure to integrate youth players may have a long-term negative effect on the academy unless we rectify the situation soon:

 

https://changeisgoingtocome.wordpress.com/2016/05/04/elgert-emenalo-chelsea-and-spurs/

 

Interesting indeed.

 

With reference to Loftus-Cheek I don't think the article mentioned that Dele Alli already had over 70 appearances at senior level before joining Spurs (a factor imo that accelerated Alli's integration at Spurs, same with Kane)

 

In fairness the club has had a pretty good track record over the past 10 years at sorting the wheat from the chaff.

Edited May 4, 201610 yr by the special one

Right now Christensen has the best chance. The club management really believe in him for all the past news.

 

Also think Pasalic has a real touch of class about him. At times he seems like Lampard-esque.

 

Apart from that everything else is a crap shoot. It might stick but would be stupid to bet on it.

The question is what's gonna happen in the 2017-18 season if we buy a cb this window?

3 at the back?(zouma cb andreas)

Then what about azpi?One of the 3 cbs playing lb?Then what about ake?5 at the back?

I think we shouldn't bring a centreback this summer

We should instead play zouma jt/cahill/miazga next season and wait for christensen to return and replace jt ( ) the following year

2016- Cahill, Zouma, JT, Signing, Bran

2017- Zouma, Christensen, signing, Miazga/JCS, Mammana

Callum Hudson-Odoi really does look the business tbh. Only 16, but already looking a class above in that youth team. Fantastic little player. We have 3 or 4 who, if they continue to develop as we hope, have got to get a place in the first team squad. I'll put my neck on the line and say Hudson-Odoi either gets a loan or gets a first team squad place next season. 

Edited September 18, 20178 yr by enigma

I would say Tammy, RLC and Andreas.

Tammy is looking great. With our striking options (or lack of it), I can see Tammy easily getting a spot in the squad atleast.

RLC can take over cesc's role. While Cesc on the ball CAN be a delight to watch against bottom half table club, he can be absolutely atrocious against teams like arsenal. With him on the wrong side of 30, RLC can take his role in a year or 2.

Andreas already has one foot in the first team. Would not be surprised if he is one of our main players in a year or 2.

On 05/05/2016 at 02:18, PloKoon13 said:

Interesting article discussing how our failure to integrate youth players may have a long-term negative effect on the academy unless we rectify the situation soon:

 

https://changeisgoingtocome.wordpress.com/2016/05/04/elgert-emenalo-chelsea-and-spurs/

Plokkers only just read this. Thanks so much for sharing. All the points are still very pertinent.

RLC, Andreas and later down the line Dujon Sterling. 

Christensen you could argue is already integrating. He will play the next three English matches. Which I'd wager would give him more genuine first team gametime than any academy product since Bertrand. 

Charly will get a chance tomorrow and I hope he crushes it. If we got to the end of the season and had two youth players who are real parts of the squad and unloanable next season that would be a huge step forward. 

11 hours ago, enigma said:

Callum Hudson-Odoi really does look the business tbh. Only 16, but already looking a class above in that youth team. Fantastic little player. We have 3 or 4 who, if they continue to develop as we hope, have got to get a place in the first team squad. I'll put my neck on the line and say Hudson-Odoi either gets a loan or gets a first team squad place next season. 

I caught the last 40 minutes of the 2-2 draw with Man Utd last night. We were 0-2 down but came back and battered them and Hudson-Odoi did look good but he is still way down the pecking order for a first team squad place. Thought Reece James also looked good - another big strong lad with plenty of ability.

 

I watched the United game, early on Hudson-Odoi made this run, where he beat 2/3 United players on the flank and nearly finished it off, he's quick as lightning, with skill and technique to match. He's arguably the most talented 16 year old I've seen at Chelsea, since I started following the youth team, Kakuta was similar, but this kid excites me more.

Edited September 19, 20178 yr by Floyd25

1 hour ago, Floyd25 said:

I watched the United game, early on Hudson-Odoi made this run, where he beat 2/3 United players on the flank and nearly finished it off, he's quick as lightning, with skill and technique to match. He's arguably the most talented 16 year old I've seen at Chelsea, since I started following the youth team, Kakuta was similar, but this kid excites me more.

Yes he's lightning quick, has wonderful ball control and is a great dribbler. So were Boga and Musonda and both have only shown flashes so far at senior level. But what excites me most about him is that he seems to combine vision, decision making, good passing and work rate (aspects where Boga never excelled), with real end product (something Musonda wasn't even great at at youth level).

This, however is only based on the very few occasions I've watched him. I don't follow youth football as actively as I used to anymore, so I try not to get ahead of myself.

Edited September 19, 20178 yr by True Blue23

15 hours ago, didierforever said:

I would say Tammy, RLC and Andreas.

Tammy is looking great. With our striking options (or lack of it), I can see Tammy easily getting a spot in the squad atleast.

RLC can take over cesc's role. While Cesc on the ball CAN be a delight to watch against bottom half table club, he can be absolutely atrocious against teams like arsenal. With him on the wrong side of 30, RLC can take his role in a year or 2.

Andreas already has one foot in the first team. Would not be surprised if he is one of our main players in a year or 2.

I know he's young but I'd put Ampadu in aswell. Maybe im being a bit naive but i genuinely think Conte will give chances to one's that earn it. 

Whenever I see Tomori play I think he looks like he has the potential to play at the top, I would also expect him to be ready for a squad role when Luiz and Cahill are being moved on.

I would also like to add Trev Chalobah to the list he looks like he will become a very good squad option.

But I'm one who thought that Pasalic and MvG would be useful for the first team so what do I know.  

20 hours ago, True Blue23 said:

what excites me most about him is that he seems to combine vision, decision making, good passing and work rate (aspects where Boga never excelled), with real end product (something Musonda wasn't even great at at youth level).

Good point, those attributes really stood out in the last game. He's great at picking out a player and finding them with a long ball, he also got a great assist, with a cheeky back heel, his finish for the second goal was class. I hope he makes it with us one day, honestly I've given up hope on so many players making it, in the past though.

On 9/20/2017 at 01:41, Argo said:

I know he's young but I'd put Ampadu in aswell. Maybe im being a bit naive but i genuinely think Conte will give chances to one's that earn it. 

Looked really good yesterday. But too small a sample size to make any judgement out of it. Lets see how he deals with the loans.

Callum Hudson-Odoi. I don't wax lyrical about youth players, but this lad has what it takes to be a great player for us - quick, rugged, good football brain, excellent close skills, a thunderous and accurate shot. I think he's just about 17. I expect to see him in a walk on part soon, in fact I am surprised to see Sterling got in there ahead of him.

As others have suggested Hudson Odoi looks the real deal still very early days for him though but looks to have a very bright future.

Dujon Sterling is another one that consistently stands out in the youth sides.

Of the older Academy guys Christensen is almost there in terms of a first team spot.

Musonda has the potential but not too sure just yet.

 

We can't account for injuries, if Alonso is out for a spell we might see more of Kenedy.

Christensen, I agree is almost certain to play regularly and is arguably a first X1 player.

Musonda looks a possible yet have seen little of Sterling to date to be able to comment.

i do also like the look of juan castillo the lw/lwb. i think he's only 17 too though, so still time. i would hope he overtakes kenedy and becomes the choice for lwb as back up.