Why Chelsea's Defensive Future Looks so Bright with Jake Clarke-Salter
Chelsea’s youth team have achieved more in the past seven years than some clubs’ setups have in their entire existence. Seven straight FA Youth Cup semi-finals, four wins of the trophy itself, a runner-up spot in the 2013 NextGen series and UEFA Youth League victories in 2015 and 2016 paint a true story of overwhelming success.
The reasons for how and why this has been achieved are plentiful, with excellent local recruitment, funds pumped into facilities, and the best teenage talents plucked from around the world all playing a significant part. Club owner Roman Abramovich has laid the foundations for brilliance and has been duly rewarded.
But another big factor—particularly over the last three seasons—has been the “crutches” the Blues have leaned on; the constants in the team who have been there for multiple trophy runs and can guide the new inductees through. Typically, clubs endure high turnovers of players in every age group, but Chelsea have been able to welcome back a “core” each year since 2014 at least.
There are two reasons for that: First, former manager Jose Mourinho barely called upon his youth sector, so—unlike Manchester United’s current situation—the age groups were not shifting constantly because the first-team had need of the youth team’s best players. And second: youth coaches Adi Viveash and Joe Edwards blooded some players extremely early, introducing 15- and 16-year-olds to the under-18 level. They’ve been round the block a few times and they’ve been anchoring this team for a while.
One of those players is 18-year-old Jake Clarke-Salter, current captain of the under-21 setup. He’s played a major role in the Chelsea youths' recent escapades, hauling in the FA Youth Cup in 2014 and 2015, as well as the UEFA Youth League last year. He entered the under-18 team at 16 years of age and has progressed quickly, and recently made his senior bow as a substitute against Aston Villa in the Premier League.
When he first entered the team, he was hugely overshadowed by Andreas Christensen. The two formed a strong centre-back pairing, but all the attention was on the Dane, as allegations over his supposed £20,000-per-week wage, per Neil Ashton of the Daily Mail, whipped up a frenzy over what a youth player should and shouldn’t be earning.
As a result of that report, it was quite easy to settle your eyes on Christensen. Was he worth the money? Could a teenager really justify £20,000-per-week? Is he some kind of uber-talent who should be featuring for the senior team right now?
Also, Chelsea had an absurd number of attacking delights to boast, further shifting focus away from the back line. Charly Musonda, Jeremie Boga, Dominic Solanke and Tammy Abraham all dominated at youth level and pleased the eye.
But the 2015-16 season has seen Clarke-Salter rise to the fore; the glitzy names of the previous campaign have (largely) departed on loan, and the 18-year-old Englishman has relished the responsibility of leading his colleagues through what, so far, has been another incredible escapade.
When he first broke into the team, the most noticeable or redeeming feature in his game was arguably his passing range. His ability to fire off long diagonals and switch passes from the back gave the Blues an extra attacking weapon; his early mastering of the ball out to the right flank paved the way for plenty of success and was a notable feature of the 2014 FA Youth Cup final against Fulham.
Growing in confidence this season, he’s started pushing out of defence with the ball at his feet more regularly than ever, trusting his strength and speed—in addition to his good close control—to surge into space and open up passing lanes. He’ll take on a player and draw out a marker happily, allowing others to slot into space. That passing talent then comes in handy, as he often finds a man at the end of his runs.
The speed he uses to get forward is also patently evident in his studious tracking back and covering. He’s able to keep up with most attackers and judges his covering depth superbly, and he can frequently be found chasing down and dispossessing a striker who has broken loose over the top.
There are, of course, still a few things to be learned in terms of initial positioning—that’s normal for an 18-year-old—but his physical skills enable to him to recover in positions others perhaps would not. His slide tackles are becoming increasingly well-timed.
As he has aged, Clarke-Salter has gotten stronger, building natural muscle and size. He has now become a towering presence in the penalty area at youth level, and at times enjoys games where he essentially repels every ball into the box himself, smashing things clear left and right. One particular match in the UEFA Youth League this season against Ajax saw him become a one-man wall in defence, and one 94th-minute, acrobatic header accurately summed up his titanic game.
He has become the leader of this team. At times the captain’s armband is handed out leisurely, and at youth level it can simply be given to the perceived best player, but Clarke-Salter has stepped up and asserted himself as the commander-in-chief. He barks orders, lifts team-mates and, if things aren’t going rosily, will happily meander forward and try to spark something for his side.
Recent previous captains at Chelsea youth level include Charlie Colkett, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Lewis Baker—three players adored by the club for their talent and potential—and in naming Clarke-Salter as Colkett’s successor, the gauntlet had been thrown down. He has risen to the challenge and to the title; we could well be about to witness another success-laden season for the Blues in part thanks to him.
His combined attributes of speed, power, aerial prowess and ability to push into midfield and influence play means a player comparison of Gerard Pique is hardly wide of the mark. Will he reach the Spaniard’s level? It’s impossible to say. But what is clear is that it’s rare you’ll see a centre-back so well-rounded and capable in every area; in that sense, he may just turn the tables and overshadow Christensen one day after all.
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