Chelsea FC summer homework: Defenders

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LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 21: Matt Miazga of Chelsea after the Emirates FA Cup match between Chelsea and Manchester City at Stamford Bridge on February 21, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill - AMA/Getty Images)

(Photo by Catherine Ivill – AMA/Getty Images) /

Matt Miazga: Patience – Travis Tyler

Full disclosure: after Matt Miazga got his first appearance for Chelsea FC, I bought his kit in a fury “Oh-my-God-an-American-at Chelsea” fueled delusion. Now as soon as you stop laughing we can continue.

The only thing Matt Miazga will really needs to work on is his patience. His transfer to the Blues left many fans scratching their heads and cursing pretty much everything Chelsea. Was one breakout season in Major League Soccer really enough to warrant a move to the defending Premier League champions?

His first (and currently only) full game in a Chelsea shirt was calm and composed. His mistake in his second game against Swansea undid that smooth start, leading Guus Hiddink to keep him off the pitch for the remainder of the season. Antonio Conte, with his recent comments about the quality of the MLS, likely will not fancy Miazga either.

Miazga now finds himself with about six defenders ahead of him in the depth chart. He will not see consistent first team action at Chelsea for quite a while, if ever, and he’s likely to be loaned out for playing time. If Matt Miazga ever wants to be a staple of Chelsea’s starting XI, he will need to be patient for the next few seasons and spend that time improving his stock.

Since coming to Chelsea, Matt Miazga has only played in six games (including appearances for the US and youth squads). In those games, he has shown potential to be a composed center back with a decent long ball.

He is still nowhere near Chelsea first team quality. In time, Miazga could very likely make it, but he’ll have to work for his chance and pounce with fervor on any opportunities he is given.

Next: Gary Cahill: Positioning

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