Chelsea FC: Creating a Blues' Potential Under-23 Squad
Chelsea own the rights to so many players it has become rather insane.
The Blues' ledger is rife with talent, much of which cannot find a home at Stamford Bridge. The excessive spending habits of owner Roman Abramovich are the primary reason, the secondary cause being west London's lack of managerial consistency.
Managers have varying philosophies on how to manage and play football; this variance leads to players being bought, sold and kept in perpetual limbo. Before the institution of UEFA's Financial Fair Play regulations, Chelsea were able to acquire as many pieces as they wished—turnover being a non-issue.
This is no longer the case.
Abramovich’s club must stick to rules laid by football's governing bodies, curb its spending and reduce its debt. Nevertheless—players of the past are on the books.
Some are in the first team, some are in the reserves and others on loan, but the plethora of young talent could make their own squad if it were allowed.
What might a Chelsea U23 squad look like?
Let us see...
GK: Thibaut Courtois, 21
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On loan at Atletico Madrid for three seasons, Thibaut Courtois has blossomed into the world's best young goalkeeper.
Next year should be the introductory phase of the Belgian's reign in west London as he aims to usurp stalwart Petr Cech, but for this aim, there is no better option in a Chelsea U23 squad.
At 21 years of age, Courtois will do nothing but improve over the next three or four years. That's great news for the Chelsea brass, which bought the goalkeeper from KRC Genk in 2011 for about £8 million.
RB: Tomas Kalas, 20
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Making his Chelsea debut against Liverpool on 27 April, Tomas Kalas proved his worth as a centre-back of the future, but in this team, a few tweaks are needed.
Given the Czech's turn of pace and Chelsea's lack of right-back depth, Kalas is needed in this U23 squad as a full-back.
With David Luiz, John Terry and Gary Cahill ahead of Kalas in the first team at centre-back, the 20-year-old defender may need to play full-back to accommodate others in the squad—a la Phil Jones and/or Chris Smalling at Manchester United.
CB: Nathan Ake, 19
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Nathan Ake is one of the more versatile young players Chelsea employs. The teenager can play in midfield or defence and is competent in both areas.
In the 2012-13 season, interim manager Rafa Benitez seemed to favour the Dutch-born youngster, playing him six times in all competitions.
This year has been more of a regression than anything. While on the bench a few times, Ake hasn't made an appearance and doesn't seem likely to make one on the final day vs. Cardiff City.
In any event, Ake is still one of the better options to play centre-back in a Chelsea U23 outfit.
CB: Kurt Zouma, 19
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Kurt Zouma, along with Thibaut Courtois, has never kicked a ball for Chelsea Football Club. Courtois has been on the Chelsea books for nearly four years; Zouma just four months.
His transfer deal with AS Saint-Etienne allowed him to stay in France until the end of the season, and he should join the Chelsea first team in the summer.
The 19-year-old centre-back is highly rated as one of football's best young defensive prospects; per BBC Sport, Chelsea thought so highly of Zouma's skill set they paid £12 million for the French international.
In an U23, the Ligue 1 starlet is a certainly.
LB: Patrick van Aanholt, 23
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Ashley Cole. Ryan Bertrand. Cesar Azpilicueta.
These are the competitors that Patrick van Aanholt has faced for a Chelsea first-team place. And if reports are true—as highlighted by The Telegraph's Jason Burt—Chelsea are in talks with Atletico Madrid for £16 million rated left-back Filipe Luis.
As noted by Burt, the Blues' inquest into the Brazilian defender stems from the Blues assuming the highly coveted Southampton teenager Luke Shaw is an increasingly impossible target.
Where does this leave Van Aanholt's Chelsea future?
In three words or less: On the rocks.
When making a Chelsea U23 squad however, the Dutch full-back—who made two Premier League appearances under Carlo Ancelotti—seems the primary and most viable option.
CM: Marco van Ginkel, 21
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The second of the Dutchmen, Marco van Ginkel has a place in Chelsea's U23 midfield.
Coming back from a major knee injury, Van Ginkel's role is yet to be seen in Jose Mourinho's team. One might imagine a Frank Lampard-esque, deep-lying playmaker role with the occasional marauding run into the 18-yard box.
Big boots to fill, no?
In any event, Van Ginkel's job in a U23 side would be to shield the back four, link play from the back to attacking options and essentially make himself an outlet.
From what he showed at Vitesse and early in last year's preseason—before the injury—he proved to be adept on the ball, making a version of a "Lampard/Steven Gerrard" role ideal.
CM: Oscar, 22
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When Oscar turns 40, he will probably still look under 23. "The Picture of Dorian Gray," anyone?
Digressing to the point at hand...
The Brazilian international is the initial regular first-teamer we find in our fictitious Chelsea U23 squad.
Normally more advanced, Oscar would have to take a deeper role in this team. Always putting in a shift and seemingly able to embrace the less aesthetic facets of football, the SC Internacional product could easily play a more retreated position.
In many respects, Oscar should be playing deeper anyway.
The Chelsea attacking third is oft-congested; a 4-3-3 might allow strikers more space to operate and give midfielders the chance to run into areas currently muddled.
RAM: Mohamed Salah, 21
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"If you cannot beat him—buy him" must have been the mantra Jose Mourinho had in January.
Mohamed Salah pounced on Chelsea while playing with FC Basel over the past two seasons, and for around £11 million, per BBC Sport, it seemed the price was right to make west London home for Salah.
Without doubt the fastest player in Chelsea's squad, the Egyptian brings an element that cannot be taught and cannot be coached—frightening pace.
His greatest asset leads to his prominent liability—his first touch—but in a team with the quality of this U23, not to mention the actual Chelsea first team, Salah's minuses are more than outweighed by the squad's pluses.
In the team created, you would need willing runners—something Salah is definitely capable of providing.
CAM: Eden Hazard, 23
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In quite possibly the lock of this still burgeoning century, Eden Hazard takes his place in our Chelsea U23 starting XI.
The Belgian is arguably Chelsea's best player, and at 23 he finds himself on the verge of being a world great.
Jose Mourinho has played Hazard 48 times this year, each time on the wing, but in a fantastic U23 squad Chelsea would need the talented attacker to play an anchored central role in the final third.
Having played the No. 10 role at Lille OSC and occasionally for Belgium Hazard is more than capable of finding passes from the hole, getting at centre-backs and being an all-round nuisance.
In any attacking position—whether on the right, left or through the middle—the Belgian international is a credit to the name on the back of his shirt and the badge on the front.
LAM: Andre Schurrle, 23
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Andre Schurrle has made 42 appearances in all competitions this season, all while competing with Eden Hazard, Mohamed Salah, Oscar and Willian for places in the attacking trio of a 4-2-3-1. This would seem to indicate Jose Mourinho trusts the German in his first team—it's hard to neglect that fact for an U23.
Entering the prime of his career, it seems Schurrle has found a home at Stamford Bridge. The German international's first year in London could have gone better, but his potential is unmistakable.
With just eight goals—three of which were scored at Craven Cottage—his goal return could be higher, but in a team loaded with talent in attacking areas, goals are rather evenly distributed.
Schurrle's biggest improvement could be made in the assist column. The winger has just two.
Yet, in a team with a deeper Oscar, central Hazard and the pace of Salah on the opposite flank, Schurrle's job would be to help his full-back, link play and be clinical in front of goal—something the German's proven he is more than capable of doing.
ST: Romelu Lukaku, 20
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If Eden Hazard was the lock of the century, Romelu Lukaku was the lock of the decade.
No mysteries here.
Bought from RSC Anderlecht in 2011 for "around £20 million," per BBC Sport, the Belgian international has made just 10 Premier League appearances for Chelsea; nonetheless Lukaku's impressive loan spells have made him a sought-after commodity.
Thirty-one Premier League goals from 65 loan appearances with West Bromwich Albion and Everton will do that to you.
Were Chelsea allowed to enter a La Liga-esque "B" squad (like Barca B) in the Championship, Lukaku would score anywhere from 20 to 25 goals over the allotted 46 matches.
Lukaku's Everton loan might have been an oversight considering the Blues' lack of goals from their strikers; however, the young striker will come back to Jose Mourinho a better (and more valuable) player than when he left, so it's not a total loss.
Notable Reserves
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Defenders
Nathaniel Chalobah, 19
Andreas Christensen, 18
Kenneth Omeruo, 20
Wallace, 20
Holding Midfielders
Lewis Baker, 19
Ruben Loftus-Cheek, 18
Josh McEachran, 21
Oriol Romeu, 22
Attacking Midfielders/Wingers
Christian Atsu, 22
Thorgan Hazard, 21
Gael Kakuta, 22
Victor Moses, 23
Lucas Piazon, 20
Bertrand Traore, 18
Strikers
Patrick Bamford, 20
Isaiah Brown, 17
Islam Feruz, 18
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