Specifically the team that won the UEFA Youth League.

 

Of all the youth teams I've seen this was the best. It had pace, power, individual skill, excellent passing, strength in defence and the only less than impressive area was goal.

 

It just makes me wonder if this could be/could've been our 'class of '92' moment where we get a whole group of youngsters who come through and form the backbone of the squad for the next decade.

 

The team that day was

 

                                 Bradley Collins

 

Ola Aina   Jake Clarke-Salter   Andreas Christensen   Jay DaSilva

 

                  Charlie Colkett     Ruben Loftus-Cheek

 

                                   Jeremie Boga

 

  Izzy Brown                                                       Charley Musonda

 

                                  Dom Solanke

 

Even the bench that day was impressive with Tomori, Palmer, Abraham and Scott.

 

So far Loftus-Cheek has made the most progress towards a first-team place but there's a case for most of these players making the first team. Unfortunately we seem to have a couple who might not see a future here (Aina and Solanke). Musonda and Christensen look set to spend another year on-loan which may or may not help their chances here.

 

For me this team represents everything hopeful about this club, but also highlights everything wrong with it. The potential there is extraordinary and everything done up to this point has been exemplary but there are so many examples of talented players who have come before haven't their development either interrupted by poor decisions or chances simply not being given.

 

So which of these players has the best chance? Do any of them really or is the notion of a group of young players coming through the club old-fashioned now?

Specifically the team that won the UEFA Youth League.

 

Of all the youth teams I've seen this was the best. It had pace, power, individual skill, excellent passing, strength in defence and the only less than impressive area was goal.

 

It just makes me wonder if this could be/could've been our 'class of '92' moment where we get a whole group of youngsters who come through and form the backbone of the squad for the next decade.

 

The team that day was

 

                                 Bradley Collins

 

Ola Aina   Jake Clarke-Salter   Andreas Christensen   Jay DaSilva

 

                  Charlie Colkett     Ruben Loftus-Cheek

 

                                   Jeremie Boga

 

  Izzy Brown                                                       Charley Musonda

 

                                  Dom Solanke

 

Even the bench that day was impressive with Tomori, Palmer, Abraham and Scott.

 

So far Loftus-Cheek has made the most progress towards a first-team place but there's a case for most of these players making the first team. Unfortunately we seem to have a couple who might not see a future here (Aina and Solanke). Musonda and Christensen look set to spend another year on-loan which may or may not help their chances here.

 

For me this team represents everything hopeful about this club, but also highlights everything wrong with it. The potential there is extraordinary and everything done up to this point has been exemplary but there are so many examples of talented players who have come before haven't their development either interrupted by poor decisions or chances simply not being given.

 

So which of these players has the best chance? Do any of them really or is the notion of a group of young players coming through the club old-fashioned now?

 

Musonda, Christenssen strike out to me as the ones with the best chance simply because of the club and the league they are in along with how frequently they are starting. While I understand that these youngsters are capable of a lot of potential, If these youngsters are not able to start for the clubs they are loaned in then I dont think they are ready yet. 

If half that group don't contribute to the first team within the next few years I'd say that's a failure.

The problem lays at the clubs door, musonda goes out on loan after not getting a sniff here and does well in la liga, christensen likewise in bundesliga, both were saying they need to be playing to continue to improve and both it seems dug their heels in to get their respective loans, why the club insists on bringing in turkeys to play back up instead of actually using these youngsters is beyond me to be honest, how much is christensen on likewise musonda/solanke instead we get djillibodji and falcao/pato, at other clubs they get them amongst the first team to see if they are up to scratch and show confidence in them, they are unfortunately an after thought for us.

 

The thing is even a good loan spell doesnt buy you a crack at the first team, it would seem we would sooner sell them let them develop at another club then buy them back, if thats the case jack the youth setup in as its a pointless exercise, the only point of a youth academy is to develop youth players for your first team!

If half that group don't contribute to the first team within the next few years I'd say that's a failure.

 

So we can pretty safely assume it will be a failure.

So we can pretty safely assume it will be a failure.

 

Christensen and Musonda are on track to come back (in theory, hard to know because this is uncharted territory for this club). Loftus-Cheek is already here so you only need two more and the obvious ones would be DaSilva, Solanke and Aina. Unfortunately there's question marks over two of them. Brown and Boga seem to be wasting their time on loan and Clarke-Salter and Colkett are probably too young to judge.

 

The other player I think could get a chance is Lewis Baker. Turned 21 yesterday and he's had a sneaky good season at Vitesse. Funnily enough I was just looking at Bazoer's stats and Lewis's are very similar albeit in a mid-table team. 

So which of these players has the best chance? Do any of them really or is the notion of a group of young players coming through the club old-fashioned now?

 

Players who I think will make it at Chelsea in a reasonable capacity - Christensen, Musonda, Colkett, DaSilva

 

Players that I dont see making it big (either chelsea or otherwise)  - Loftus-Cheek, Collins, Clarke-Salter

 

Cant say - Ola Aina, Boga, Solanke, Brown

Players who I think will make it at Chelsea in a reasonable capacity - Christensen, Musonda, Colkett, DaSilva

 

Players that I dont see making it big (either chelsea or otherwise)  - Loftus-Cheek, Collins, Clarke-Salter

 

Cant say - Ola Aina, Boga, Solanke, Brown

If they don't make it big, isnt that making it in a reasonable capacity?

 

 

So we can pretty safely assume it will be a failure.

Take a break from the pessimism. 1 is already starting matches, another starts for a team who just played in the CL this season, another is getting rave reviews in Spain. That's pretty good for a bunch of teens. They don't have to be superstars but starting a dozen games a season is a good contribution they are all capable of.

Wouldn't it have been Beeney in goal with that team? I think Collins has a bit more about him anyway though. 

If they don't make it big, isnt that making it in a reasonable capacity?

 

Yeah. Bad choice of words. Making it big for me means being a solid PL level player through out the career. Dont think RLC and JCS will achieve that.

 

RLC in particular looks like will end up in championship sooner rather than later. Reminds me of Kalou every time I see him play.

Yeah. Bad choice of words. Making it big for me means being a solid PL level player through out the career. Dont think RLC and JCS will achieve that.

 

RLC in particular looks like will end up in championship sooner rather than later. Reminds me of Kalou every time I see him play.

My man, bad example. Kalou has had a pretty solid pro career, entirely in the first division of whatever country he's played in.

My man, bad example. Kalou has had a pretty solid pro career, entirely in the first division of whatever country he's played in.

 

Bottom rung german teams are about as good as Championship level. Also, being english its unlikely RLC will go to the mainland.

Edited April 26, 201610 yr by Orpington_Blue

If half that group don't contribute to the first team within the next few years I'd say that's a failure.

 

If one of them does it'll be a success.

Bottom rung german teams are about as good as Championship level. Also, being english its unlikely RLC will go to the mainland.

Bottom rung? Check the standings. His team is 4th right now

If one of them does it'll be a success.

If one of them has Mikels career thats a success? Nah Im not having that

There were 3 or 4 of us on the previous version of this forum who used to go down to Harlington and watch training youth and First team and some went along to youth team games at Aldershot.

This was around the mid to late 90's we had a brilliant youth team with lots of potential I can't say categorically better than today I don't actually know.

Only the real stand out players made the first team and to be honest not much since, amazing were JT of course looked class from the start. Even better was Carlton Cole and a brilliant midfielder was Jody Morris.

My point is not a lot, despite investment has changed. Personally think it is the need for instant success.

If one of them has Mikels career thats a success? Nah Im not having that

 

Yeah who'd want Mikel's career... 360+ games for Chelsea, 60+ international caps, won the Premier League (x2), Champions League, FA Cup (x4), League Cup (x2), Europa League, Africa Cup of Nations...

Bottom rung? Check the standings. His team is 4th right now

 

And they were 19th, 16th, 19th, 11th and 15th team in germany over the 5 seasons prior. Whats your point?

Edited April 27, 201610 yr by Orpington_Blue

Kalou really elevating them to new heights then ?

Take a break from the pessimism. 1 is already starting matches, another starts for a team who just played in the CL this season, another is getting rave reviews in Spain. That's pretty good for a bunch of teens. They don't have to be superstars but starting a dozen games a season is a good contribution they are all capable of.

 

More realistic than pessimistic. It's a fact that youth just hasn't got much of a chance at Chelsea, unless the transfer fee was a large one. RLC is the only one since Terry who has started more regularly than making the odd cup appearance and few minutes here and there when the match has been won and now we're supposed to see another 4-5 players doing the same within the next couple of years? If we see two or three of them (including RLC) in the first team (and actually playing, not just training and sitting on the bench), then that would be a huge success when compared to what has happened in recent years. Five or six would be unprecedented and most likely won't happen.

Edited April 27, 201610 yr by Maksimov

Yeah who'd want Mikel's career... 360+ games for Chelsea, 60+ international caps, won the Premier League (x2), Champions League, FA Cup (x4), League Cup (x2), Europa League, Africa Cup of Nations...

 I wasn't denigrating Mikel, love the man but 11 Mikels is no good for us. If one of those 11 goes on to have his career you would consider that a success? Jesus f**king christ that's sad. The best youth team in Europe and only 1 out of 11 essentially coming off the bench for 10 years is good enough to call an entire class of very talented players a success? You've got to be f**king kidding me! Are we aiming to tread water here or what?

 

And they were 19th, 16th, 19th, 11th and 15th team in germany over the 5 seasons prior. Whats your point?

My point is that they are not a bottom rung, championship caliber team. What's your point? They weree bottom half of the table, Kalou joins, and they are now 5th. If you think RLC is a championship player, that's great. But you've chosen another bad example comparing him to Kalou who has, again, had a very solid career entirely in the first division.

More realistic than pessimistic. It's a fact that youth just hasn't got much of a chance at Chelsea, unless the transfer fee was a large one. RLC is the only one since Terry who has started more regularly than making the odd cup appearance and few minutes here and there when the match has been won and now we're supposed to see another 4-5 players doing the same within the next couple of years? If we see two or three of them (including RLC) in the first team (and actually playing, not just training and sitting on the bench), then that would be a huge success when compared to what has happened in recent years. Five or six would be unprecedented and most likely won't happen.

I don't see how the past is holding the players or the club back. It's a new day, move forward. Maybe it's because I'm American but I don't have the view that JT has been the only one to come through in the past 15 years, so that's how it will be from here on out. Someone tried to frame Aina leaving that way. I don't get it, you want to play for Chelsea? Go f**king play and earn your spot. Play so well you can't be ignored, then you'll get your chances. If you can't be bothered to beat the guy in front of you then hasta la vista. 

 

In reference to OP, they don't have to be Giggs, Scholes, Beckham and the Nevilles. If 2 or 3 of them are regular starters and another 2 or 3 are coming off the bench in 5 years that is a success. Of course 1 getting in the team would be an improvement over the past x number of years but is that success?

 

I understand things happen in life. Injuries, personal problems or whatever. If any of the teams I follow here only had one player per 'class' come through to be a starter they would be among the worst teams in their respective leagues. These are not average Joe's we're talking about here. These are literally the best group of academy players Europe and England had to offer. It's simply unacceptable to me if only 1 of them is playing in the first team in a few years. Maybe you English folks have some information I don't or you are just in a different mindset but it cannot be true 1 out of 11 of those players, not academy players in general, making it should be considered a success.

Edited April 27, 201610 yr by TheChelseaBlues

I wasn't denigrating Mikel, love the man but 11 Mikels is no good for us. If one of those 11 goes on to have his career you would consider that a success? Jesus f**king christ that's sad. The best youth team in Europe and only 1 out of 11 essentially coming off the bench for 10 years is good enough to call an entire class of very talented players a success? You've got to be f**king kidding me! Are we aiming to tread water here or what?

 

If one player ends up like Mikel, a first team regular for a decade, we'll have done well. I just think expectations of our youth are unrealistic. Realistically most of them will never be good enough for the first team. Talk of half them making it seems wildly optimistic to me, as there's just an enormous gap between youth level and senior Premier League level. A handful might at best. By way of comparison, here is Man U's FA Youth Cup winning squad from 2011:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FA_Youth_Cup_Finals#2010.E2.80.9311:_Manchester_United_vs_Sheffield_United_.282-2_and_4-1.2C_6-3_aggregate.29

 

By my count, just one of those 18 players is in United's current squad. Only two others are still on United's books, and both have been farmed out on loan. Pogba aside (who wasn't really a United product), most of the others are playing in the lower leagues and some aren't playing at all.

Mikel is an interesting example because he's the type of player we've kept in favour of giving young players chances. Not to turn this into a Mikel-bashing thread but I don't think we're any worse off as a club by replacing him with either Chalobah or Ake over the last few years.

 

My honest opinion is that there needs to be a concerted effort to give young players chances because homegrown players just bring more to the table on the whole. Seeing players like John Terry or Harry Kane leading your team is a unique thing in sport and every effort should be made to make that happen.