In the aftermath of Chelsea’s disastrous 3-0 defeat to London rivals Arsenal at the Emirates stadium, questions were raised of the squad’s depth in defence. The duo of Gary Cahill and David Luiz endured a torrid time against the Gunners’ hitmen, most notably Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil and were subjected to intense scrutiny by fans and critics alike. Never before have the Stamford Bridge faithful longed for captain John Terry’s return from injury given their current predicament and the alarming fact about this statement is that the veteran has reached the twilight of his career. For Antonio Conte to rely upon a 35-year-old for more rigidity in defence suggests the board have failed to address this issue properly and might come to regret this nonchalant attitude.
It is true Conte had set his sights on players in the Serie A to bolster his rearguard. Failed pursuits of Senegalese centre-half Kalidou Koulibaly and Italian prodigy Alessio Romagnoli from Napoli and AC Milan respectively left the former Juventus manager with little choice but to bring David Luiz back to the club he left two years ago for pastures new. Despite having reacquainted himself to the club rather joyfully, Luiz’s defending has been abject and the fact that Paris Saint-Germain were more than happy to accept a loss on the world record fee they paid for his services in 2014, there is little optimism surrounding his second spell in West London. Having been part of a team that shipped in seven goals in three games, Luiz does not appear to be the solution to Chelsea’s long-term defensive prowess.
An area that has been relatively untapped at the club is their very own academy. Several graduates have been sent out on loan over the years but if there was one player who drew the attention of the entire football spectrum last season, it was Danish youngster Andreas Christensen.
Having signed for the Blues from Brondby in 2012, Christensen was made to wait till October 2014 for his first senior appearance for the club. He played the full 90 minutes in a 2-1 win at Shrewsbury Town in the League Cup, a competition Chelsea went on to win later that season. His second appearance that campaign was in a shock 4-2 defeat to Bradford City in the FA Cup. Thereafter, he was assigned duties with the youth team and was instrumental in their UEFA Youth League triumph. He made his Premier League debut on the final day of the season against Sunderland.
His performances caught the eye of German outfit Borussia Monchengladbach and subsequently, they agreed a two-year loan deal with Chelsea for his services. Christensen went on to become a crucial member of the squad and scored three goals in 31 league appearances. Such was his consistency that he was voted the club’s Player of the Season. Statistically, the 20-year-old made more interceptions and clearances and won more tackles than Terry last season and was pivotal to his side in the Champions League as well, a challenge albeit ending in disappointment.
For a player his age, Christensen has shown incredible maturity and has demonstrated his leadership qualities fervently. He is quick to the ball, a good reader of the game and physically capable of outmuscling his counterparts. Not only are these qualities remarkably reminiscent of a younger John Terry but are also the ones Chelsea could do with right now. His efforts for Monchengladbach earned him eight caps for his country too and with his second year well and truly underway, it is important for Chelsea to take note of his progress and bring him back to Stamford Bridge before the German side attempt to make the move permanent.
In the past, Chelsea have been guilty of letting talented young individuals leave due to lack of opportunities and this is a mistake they ought not to repeat again. In Christensen, they have a defender who can emulate John Terry. All he needs is the club’s approval.