Time to look at the Academy amid transfer confusion?
11 hours ago Scoutedftbl.com
Time to give serial youth level winners a chance
Chelsea have been the juggernauts of youth football since 2011/12, winning five FA Youth Cups, including a current streak of four consecutive titles, as well as back-to-back UEFA Youth League triumphs in 2015 and 2016, equating to two out of the four editions of the competition.
The club's approach towards their academy certainly has its critics: offering too much too soon has been a hot topic of late. Nevertheless, just as Chelsea established themselves as a Premier League titan through the consistent winning of titles, their youth team has done everything to mirror that success.
With Antonio Conte's constant complaining about the club's inability to provide him with the players he needs to compete, perhaps now is the best time to finally give these players the chance. After all, if Chelsea's first team have shown signs of regression, their youth sides have shown no chance of slowing down, continuing to widen the gap between themselves and their rivals rather than loosening their grip.
The period of dominance heralded by the likes of Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Dominic Solanke has been extended by each new generation. Callum Hudson-Odoi (17) should be considered one of the most exciting prospects in English football right now, whilst Trevoh Chalobah (18) and Vitesse loanee Mason Mount (19) are all evidence of a strong line of succession that shows no sign of slowing down. In fact, Hudson-Odoi and Chalobah are currently embarrassing senior professionals in the Checkatrade trophy.
In an alternate universe, Chelsea's under-strength side that succumbed to Arsenal in the Carabao Cup could have included Loftus-Cheek, Chalobah, Solanke and Abraham; all of whom cost dramatically less than Drinkwater, Barkley, Bakayoko and Batshuayi. Who is to say they would have done any worse? If they sincerely believe they lack the financial power to strengthen properly in the current market, it is time to trust the serial winners in their youth sides rather than pump money into the adorementioned players.
Source: Scoutedftbl.com.