Chelsea should not buy a striker – Tammy Abraham is the answer
Chelsea should not go out of their way to sign a striker this summer even if Diego Costa leaves. Instead, they should simply start Tammy Abraham.
It is an open secret that Diego Costa could very well leave London this summer even if Chelsea win the league and qualify for the Champions League. His continued whinging about BBQ’s and his lifestyle have rubbed many fans the wrong way.
This, coupled with his collapse in the second half of the season, has Chelsea looking on the lookout for a replacement. Rather than sign any of the rumored players such as Torino’s Andrea Belotti, Everton’s Romelu Lukaku or Real Madrid’s Alvaro Morata Chelsea should simply start Tammy Abraham.
Tammy Abraham is (along with a few others) the brightest light in the Chelsea academy by some margin. During his loan spell in the Championship this season he has decimated the scoring record for a teenager by netting a total of 26 times in all competitions. He has been compared to both Ian Wright and Gary Lineker and at 20-years-old it is about time he starts being tested at the level he will be expected to play at.
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One of the biggest mistakes Chelsea make is waiting too long to blood players at the right level. The ideal time is between 17-21. Waiting till 23 and 24 renders the players blunt instruments.
Some of them still turn out to be decent professionals but the greats start early and because of this they adjust and so does their trajectory. Sergio Aguero, Thierry Henry, Paul Pogba, Alessandro Del Piero all debuted before the age of 20. Zinedine Zidane did at 16 for Cannes.
If as expected Chelsea continue their evolution towards the 3-5-2 , Tammy Abraham will be well enough supported. He won’t have too much pressure and will be able to learn properly. With Eden Hazard beside him as either a support striker or a winger and then either Pedro, Willian or Star Signing A, he’ll be OK.
Matches have to matter for players to learn in them. They have to know that mistakes matter because they do. They’re going to be professionals so treat them that way. Playing promising youngsters in sub-standard leagues alongside sub-standard players turns them into underwhelming talents who fit in rubbish leagues.
Playing with better players makes you better. That is a fact. The learning curve is a little steep at first, but that just means the youngster’s character and resolve are tested as well. Either way it’s a good thing.
The player that Abraham has easily bested from the Championship last season is now plying his trade at Celtic. His name is Moussa Dembele and is rumored to be worth almost £40 million. Abraham is already a better player than he is so does that make him worth what £50 million pounds. Shouldn’t a striker of that value be starting for Chelsea?
The Blues must start recognizing things like this. They are top of the league now but the next step is integrating youth. Long-term success comes from the academy not the market. Youth players have the passion and love for the club that stops mutinies and situations like last year. Chelsea should have learned their lesson from last year and will hopefully start thinking long term rather than short. Youth can be both the answer in the present and future and Tammy Abraham is a sign of that.