Loan Mistakes: 4 players who should STILL be at Chelsea!

Typical isn’t it! Just as I was putting together the idea of this post I have woken up to TWO reports in today’s press covering the exact same idea. Both the Daily Mail and The Sun have posted up articles asking the same question I am about Chelsea‘s loan policy this season.

Chelsea have 23 players out on loan and Rafa Benitez has claimed that our squad isn’t strong enough. Have the club shot themselves in the foot with certain players and the decision to send them out on loan or is the policy this season with certain players a good one? Who makes these decisions? Is it our Technical Director?

There is no argument with the majority of the 23 players who are out on loan because they are not involved with the first team, so this season is about taking the next step in their individual development. As for the others, you have to wonder whether or not the club made the right decision in sending them away from the club in the first place.

The ideal situation for a manager these days is to have two players for each outfield position and three goalkeepers. It’s very noticeable that of late, Chelsea have put square pegs into round holes to fill positions when there would have been better options available.

For example, Ryan Bertrand is not a winger and never will be. He is an out and out full back and when he is pushed forward in attacking positions in that position, he struggles because his natural instinct is to defend. You cannot blame him playing there because it’s something he doesn’t feel comfortable with.

Oscar is also not wide player but has been asked to do a job and fill the void of Victor Moses being away. How many times do you see Oscar take on his man and beat him down the wing? You hardly ever do because his instinct is to come inside.

David Luiz, for all the fuss being made about him, isn’t a natural midfielder either. Although there are plenty of positives for him playing there, his natural instinct is to try and defend first and foremost and then use the ball. Luiz can and has played, anywhere across the back four in his career, hardly ever in midfield.

Finally, look at the state of our Goalkeepers. As we know, Petr Cech is our number one and has recently signed a new deal. The problem we have (and it’s a problem we have had for a number of seasons) is that Ross Turnbull and Hilario are simply not good enough. Hilario plays once or twice a season if that and as for Turnbull, it’s obvious that he doesn’t cut it. Look as his performance on Sunday.

The problem is, Chelsea want to play a certain style in a certain formation this season and in affect it has more or less pigeon-holed us into playing players in certain positions with no realistic cover.

Now, I want to have a look at those players currently out on loan who I personally believe should have stayed at Chelsea played a part in our squad this season.

(This does not include Josh McEachran, Essien, Kakuta, Van Aanholt or Lucas Piazon. I would hope that if Frank Lampard does leave the club this season, Josh McEachran comes into the squad as his replacement.)

Remember how I stated that ideally, you want two players for each position? Well here is the Chelsea squad I personally would have liked to have seen this season based on that:

Thibaut Courtois

• Appearances for Atletico Madrid season 2011/12 – 52 (all competitions).
• Appearances for Atletico Madrid season 2012/13 – 24 (all competitions so far).
• International Caps so far – 7.

Now I understand the fact that Cech is our number one and Courtois would want to play first team football. I have to question the fact that Ross Turnbull is here and he isn’t. Surely having someone in the squad like Courtois would provide Cech with bigger competition for his place and would keep him on his toes when at the moment he must know all he has to do is turn up and he is selected!

The simple fact here is that we may never even see Courtois in a Chelsea shirt with rumours that Barcelona want him to replace Valdes who is reportedly leaving at the end of this season!

If he’s good enough to be playing in the Primera League, Europa League and for Belgium, why isn’t he good enough for Chelsea?

Jeffrey Bruma

• Appearances for Hamburg season 2011/12 – 23 in all competitions.
• Appearances for Hamburg season 2012/13 – 9 in all competitions.
• International Caps – 4.

Jeffrey Bruma is another player who should have been part of our squad this season. I know people think of Terry, Cahill, Luiz and Ivanovic as our centre backs but for me Ivanovic is better off at the moment at right back. Bruma should have stepped into the squad in that position.

It was hard for Bruma under Carlo Ancelotti in his final season as he was thrown in at the deep end into the squad and the first team when he wasn’t ready. Chelsea had parted company with the likes of Carvalho, Deco, Ballack, Belletti and Joe Cole and the youngsters were asked to fill their positions. This is two and a half seasons ago and Bruma has come in leaps and bounds since then.

Once again, I have to question the fact that if Bruma is good enough for the Bundesliga and for The Netherlands, why is he not this season for Chelsea?

Kevin De Bruyne

• Appearances for Genk 2008/2012 – 107 (17 goals and 36 assists).
• Appearances for Werder Bremen 2012/13 – 18 (4 goals and 6 assists).
• Appearances for Belgium – 4 (1 goal).

In order for the 4-2-3-1 formation to work at all times, you need natural width in the squad. As we have seen, Juan Mata is better playing inside in the hole behind the striker along with Oscar as I have shown in the squad graphic above. Victor Moses has become first choice now down the right hand side with Marko Marin as his replacement but at the moment Eden Hazard has no cover. Kevin De Bruyne would have been a perfect natural replacement.

He has already had four years experience in the Belgian Jupiler League and Champions League experience before he officially joined the club last summer and was also a Belgian International.

Once again, you have to question the fact that if he is good enough to play this season in the Bundesliga and for Belgium, surely he is good enough to be in the Chelsea squad?

Romelu Lukaku

• Appearances for Anderlecht 2008-2011 – 98 (41 goals and 14 assists).
• Appearances for Chelsea 2011-2012 – 12 ( 0 goals and 1 assist).
• Appearances for West Brom 2012-2013 – 24 (9 goals and 2 assists).
• Appearances for Belguim – 18 (3 goals).

Lukaku was brought last summer to watch and learn from Didier Drogba and to take over the mantle here at the Bridge after Drogba left the club. The simple fact remains that mismanagement of the player at Chelsea has forced a move on loan to West Brom this season. At West Brom, he is being played in his natural position through the middle as part of squad rotation by Steve Clarke and he has been a revelation up there.

It was always going to be difficult for Lukaku to get starts in the Premier League at Chelsea last term with Drogba and Torres ahead of him and fighting for that position. He was given his chances in cup competitions and as a substitute but never really had enough game time to get used to the pace of the game here.

In addition to that, he often found himself being asked to play out wide by the manager to literally fill in and to try and do a job for the team. I know Demba Ba has come in and has been a success so far but the club could have saved themselves £7m by sticking with Lukaku.

This season as we have all seen, he has flourished as a striker. He has learnt the pace of the game, understood the importance of squad rotation and has delivered either starting games or coming off the bench.

So once again I ask the question, If he is good enough to have played for Anderlecht, West Brom and for Belgium. Why is he not good enough for Chelsea this season?

So there you have it. FOUR players who are currently out on loan in the Primera League, Bundesliga and Premier League who SHOULD have stayed at Chelsea this season and played an important role in our squad.

What do you think?

Carefree & KTBFFH