Joao Pedro, Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers, Maxence Lacroix and others in Blue may take the spotlight after Chelsea’s 3-2 opening day win at Craven Cottage, but it was Chelsea’s young talent Josh Acheampong that really caught my eye.
Starting on the right of a back three, Acheampong elegantly glided around the pitch on the ball, while off it, possessed the type of pure defending that Chelsea have often lacked.
Whether it was 1v1 defending in moments, where he won five tackles and 6/10 of his ground duels, or vital blocks, Acheampong’s performance was a perfect mixture of ability and maturity.
One of the highlights of the match was a block to deny Gonzalo Garcia. Chelsea were susceptible to cutbacks all night down the right flank, but Acheampong often positioned himself well to anticipate danger and on this occasion, stop an almost certain goal.
Watching this performance, it is no surprise that the likes of Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Liverpool and more top clubs would like his services.
But, Chelsea must ignore the temptation of pure profit. They must also ignore a loan move. While there will be natural mistakes in future weeks, simply due to how young he is, the development can only get better the more he plays at Chelsea in this three at the back system.
For me, Acheampong should be above Wesley Fofana in the pecking order. Unlike Wesley, Acheampong has the ability to finish off his driving runs with a regular good pass or right decision in the final third. He has also shown to be more disciplined in high pressure moments, despite being many years younger.
The physical attributes he possesses are also a major advantage. While Alonso will likely want to less balls over the top of the defence in the coming weeks, the potential damage could have been a lot worse had it not been for Acheampong’s galloping speed down the right channel.
He seems like a player who needs a run of games, and in truth, he has never truly had time to build momentum in the starting eleven. There have been times in the past where he has made a mistake after an all round good performance throughout the 90 and then isn’t seen for a while.
It’s time to stop that, it’s time to trust him, especially if Alonso persists with a back three setup.
A similar situation may be brewing in the goalkeeping position, with Robert Sanchez at fault for both Fulham goals. Right behind him is Mike Penders, Chelsea’s 20 year old Belgian, who is keen to make his name.
The priority for Alonso must be to keep the young talents in the group happy, and that comes down to more than just hugs and talks… it means playing them and counting on them just like the more senior names, because at the end of the day, many of them are more ready than even he might expect.
