After a four year hiatus, SW6 derbies will return to the Premier League. Fulham’s return forces Chelsea to make necessary and belated decisions about Lucas Piazon, Tomas Kalas and their top-rated youth.
Lucas Piazon and Tomas Kalas spent the last two years nearly in sight of but far from the thoughts of Stamford Bridge. Both players were regulars in Fulham’s XI and crowd favourties at Craven Cottage. In two seasons Kalas played as many games (76) for Fulham as he did in his two year loan – from 2011-13 – at Vitesse. Piazon “only” made 58 appearances, scoring 12 goals and nine assists.
Fulham’s return to the Premier League should be doubly fortunate for this duo. Chelsea can only have one player on loan at a given Premier League team. They will either need to sell these players to Fulham, sell them to another club or give them their opportunity at Stamford Bridge. Another loan would be intolerable. The players would be right to reject it and force a transfer.
Piazon has a much greater chance of ascending to Chelsea’s first team. The Blues need more wingers, and Piazon has proven himself to be what they need. He primarily plays on the right, meaning he can challenge and provide depth for Willian. He is also comfortable on the left, where he can take Pedro’s place as depth or as the starter when Eden Hazard plays as a No. 10.
Chelsea already have a surplus of centre-backs. Despite Tomas Kalas’ exemplary record on his loans, there is simply little room and little hope for him to break through. Fulham have wanted to buy him for the last two seasons, and Chelsea have stubbornly and foolishly refused to sell. The Blues denied Kalas his Premier League desserts when he helped Middlesbrough earn promotion in 2016, kicking him back to the Championship with Fulham. Kalas is happy at Fulham and Fulham are happy to have him. He has earned this transfer many times over.
Chelsea should also move both players out of the loan army to make room for the next generation of loanees. Kalas and Piazon are evidence of Fulham’s value as a loan partner. Chelsea should move them to a permanent status somewhere so another player can take their place on loan at Craven Cottage.
Mason Mount and Jay Da Silva are the best candidates to represent the loan army in west London. They have earned a loan at a club like Fulham every bit as much as Tomas Kalas and Lucas Piazon have earned a permanent station somewhere. They are both coming off particularly strong seasons on loan, and both look ready for Premier League football.
Mount has the advantage of playing first-tier football, so while the transition to the Premier League may be easier for him, it also means he may be ready to jump right to Chelsea. If he is not yet ready for Chelsea’s first team, he needs only a year in the Premier League to finish his development. Gareth Southgate would particularly enjoy watching Mount and Ryan Sessegnon play together for an entire season.
Despite being out of the top flight for four years, Fulham still have the character and culture of a Premier League mainstay. Their goal will be a mid-table finish, not survival. This is the sort of mentality that will be crucial for top prospects like Mount and Da Silva. Piazon and Kalas flourished under Slavisa Jokanovic not only because he trusted them, but because he treated the team like a displaced Premier League team. He managed the team as if they were already in the top flight, and their reward was Saturday’s promotion.
That is the mindset Chelsea need their loanees to develop, along with their technical and tactical skills. Jokanovic is no slouch in building those attributes, either.
Fulham’s return to the Premier League is great news for the league and the fans. Something just seems right about them being in the top flight, and there’s always such a great feel to the west London derbies. So much less acrimonious and banter-laden than, say, north London derbies.
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A side benefit of Fulham’s return is forcing Chelsea’s hand on their loan strategy. Chelsea have spent the last few seasons content with stashing players here and there and everywhere. They will not be able to do that with Craven Cottage any longer. For once they must make real decisions around some of their most valuable and closest-to-home loanees.