Matt Miazga, Lewis Baker celebrate historic cup win with Vitesse Arnhem
By George Perry
Chelsea loanees Matt Miazga, Lewis Baker and Nathan started for Vitesse Arnhem in the final of the KNVB Cup. Miazga and Baker were on the pitch 90 minutes later when Vitesse won their first-ever trophy.
Vitesse Arnhem has become known as “Chelsea B” over recent years, as the Dutch side regularly hosts Chelsea’s top loanees. The Blues currently have four players on loan at Vitesse: Matt Miazga, Lewis Baker, Nathan and Mukhtar Ali. All four were in the match-day squad for the KNVB Cup final, with only Ali not taking the pitch.
The win clinched Vitesse’s first trophy in the club’s 125-year history. The KNVB Cup is also the first senior-level European trophy for the Chelsea loanees. Baker won the FA Youth Cup and U21 Premier League at Chelsea, and was runner-up in League One during an earlier loan at MK Dons. Miazga won two MLS Suppoters’ Shields with the New York Red Bulls.
Lewis Baker scored both Vitesse goals against Sparta Rotterdam in the KNVB Cup semi-finals. The goals added to his tally of 14 over the course of 35 starts. Baker’s offensive output – particularly on free-kicks – and midfield control have him among the likeliest loanees to rise to Chelsea’s first team next season.
After a rocky start to his first loan spell, Matt Miazga now has 28 appearances – including 16 starts – for Vitesse. Much like his fellow young centre-backs at Chelsea, he has been the beneficiary of injuries to gain entry to the squad. He scored his only goal of the season in an early-round KNVB Cup match.
"[S]o far it’s been a really good learning experience from on the pitch getting valuable game time, developing and working hard to continue to progress as a player to off the pitch as well living in a different country and different culture and maturing a lot. – Telegraph"
Miazga refused to speculate on what next season may hold, focussing only on Vitesse’s remaining two league games. He is all but certain to spend another season on loan. Chelsea already have a back-log of centre-backs with significantly more experience than Miazga. Miazga needs the additional years on loan not only to raise his game to a Premier League – and Champions League – level, but also to allow Chelsea’s centre-back situation to settle into place.
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A second season at Vitesse is very likely, and would give Miazga his first encounter with the Europa League. By winning the KNVB Cup, Vitesse enter the group stages of the Europa League.