They might not be proclaimed as a club that promotes youth, but make no mistake, Chelsea have a number of talented youngsters ready to break into the league.
While some of the youngsters have been acquired from the academies of the other clubs, some of them have been at the club since they were younger than 10-years-old.
One such player is the 19-year-old striker Tammy Abraham, who is currently on a season-long loan to Championship club Bristol City. In this segment, we scout the young striker who has grabbed the headlines with his performances thus far this season.
Background
Born in Camberwell, England on 2nd October 1997, Abraham joined Chelsea’s academy as an 8-year-old and has risen through the ranks at the club, courtesy of his performances across various age groups.
He had been a constant feature in the side’s triumphant UEFA Youth League as well as FA Youth League squads of 2015 and 2016 and was duly rewarded for his performances with a league debut against Liverpool towards the end of the 2015-16 season.
With 74 goals in 98 appearances across all competitions, the young Chelsea striker has been amongst the most prolific youngsters in England and is touted to be a striker to watch out for by pundits and fans alike.
To get more games under his belt in the senior level, Chelsea sent him on a loan to Bristol City and the player has flourished as the club’s first-choice striker.
Strengths and Playing Style
Not only is Abraham quick with his feet, he is equally quick and effective with his decision making; traits which have come to the forefront at Bristol, where he has tormented a number of defences already.
Very intelligent with his runs on and off the ball, Abraham has shown a penchant for creating space for himself as well as his teammates during his time at Bristol.
However, it is his goal scoring record and calmness in front of the goal that has hogged the limelight, and rightly so.
He is a calm customer even in the tight of positions – a trait very few players of his age possess – has a tidy shot and is quick to get into space in the attacking third.
Given his skill sets and the extended playing time being afforded to him, it is no surprise that he has already bagged 11 goals in 14 appearances so far and also has a couple of assists to his name to add to his credentials as an attacker.
His all-round ability in attack has made him one of the most highly rated teenagers in the country and his stock is definitely on a rise.
Abraham’s abilities as an attacking menace documented, but it is time to look at another aspect of his game that has impressed many – his defensive contribution. He loves to tackle, haggling the opposition defenders and is constantly tracking back to help his teammates out of precarious situations.
With his pace, precarious situations are often turned into advantageous ones as he has demonstrated an eye for fine link up play and counter attacking football.
Weaknesses
The biggest area of concern with regards to the lanky 19-year-old is his ability to deal with physical players. He is slight of frame and can succumb to physical pressure at times, and will definitely need to work on his physique to prosper in the Premier League.
Other aspects of his game that need improvement is his aerial ability, tidiness in possession as well as passing. While he is still developing, he has showcased poor close control in the past and can prove to be an easy player to dispossess.
He has so far been dispossessed 1.7 times per game and has had an unsuccessful touch every 30 minutes; those are numbers that he will need to work upon and improve if he is to establish himself as a Chelsea regular in the years to come.
Chelsea’s loan player technical coach Eddie Newton has been full of praise for the youngster, especially impressed with his performances for Bristol City and had this to say about the talented teenager, “We are keeping a close eye on him, but the thing I like about Tammy is that he takes on board good advice, works and puts it into action as well. I see a bright future for the young man, I really do.”
(Video Courtesy: Scouting Football YouTube Page)
“Tammy is a very driven young man. The way he articulates himself, you can tell that this boy knows what he wants and where he wants to go to. He knows he has to be patient, but he is not patient at the same time."
With Chelsea not short of wealth to raid any of the clubs in the world, it might actually take a worldie of a season for Abraham to truly establish himself in the Chelsea team
However, the way he has begun life on a loan is a positive sign of what is to come from the player, Chelsea could soon be in a dilemma with regards to the future of the player.
For now, all the player can do is get on the scoresheet as often as he can and let his feet do the talking.
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