Banished, unwanted, abandoned, and dejected, Trevoh Chalobah found himself seeking refuge from somewhere not too far from home, as his brief loan spell in South London has seen the ‘rejected stone’ become the ‘corner stone’ just as the Biblical analogy.
As publicly known, 25-year old Trevoh Chalobah is not one to hide his faith in Christ as a Christian and this sole reason is one that’s led me to use this comparison to describe his upturn in fortunes.
Banished from the first team after the end of pre-season for being ‘unsuitable’ to Maresca’s style of play, it seems a miracle that Trevoh Chalobah now finds himself back at the bridge and straight back into the side.
Deemed surplus to requirements, Chalobah in his usual professional way caused no fuss and uproar but kept his head down, while working twice as hard to prove the Sporting Directors, board, Maresca and every other person who made or justified that decision WRONG.
To further showcase their clownery, Chalobah that was previously briefed in the press to be ‘unable to adapt to the demands of Enzo Maresca’s football’ but got recalled from loan and after just 5-days of training with his parent club, gets back straight into the starting lineup and wins the man of the match award with everyone watching at Stamford Bridge.
If anything, Chalobah’s showing tonight has proved how clueless the Sporting directors (Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley) are, and if recent speculations about the incoming transfer of United’s 20-year old winger, Alejandro Garnacho have any iota of truth to it, then that should be the mail to the coffin for them.
Despite trying their best to get rid of the best ‘academy-grown’ players at the club for the sake of profit and PSR, the cobham graduates continue to play crucial roles in the team’s success, time and time again.
From Reece James, Levi Colwill, Josh Acheampong, Tyrique George and now Trevoh Chalobah, Chelsea continue to benefit hugely this season from the incredible work of the academy coaches and staff.
After spending millions of pounds on the acquisition: of Axel Disasi, Renato Veiga, and Wesley Fofana, neither of the options look better than the duo of Trevoh Chalobah and Levi Colwill.
Proving his love for his boyhood club, Chalobah decided to accept the recall from his highly successful loan-spell in South London with rivals Crystal Palace, a team the Blues failed to beat on both occasions this season.
On his first game tonight upon his return, Chalobah registered a game high 96% pass success rate of anybody to play at least 45 minutes.
Completing 79/82 ground passes, 2/3 long balls and 1/1 dribbles, Trevoh Chalobah put to bed the argument of not having the ability to ‘play the Maresca way’.
Irregardless of what you do on the ball as a central defender, your primary responsibility remains what you do off it, in order to prevent your team from conceding and the former Lorient player carried out his primary assignment impeccably.
One crucial goal-saving tackle to prevent Strand Larsen going through on goal, one goal-line block, 12 clearances and 3 interceptions, the 25-year old bossed every aspect of the game against Vitor Pereira’s men.
Chalobah also got very close to crowing his effort with a goal before Noni Madueke nodded a goal-bound header from the Cobham academy graduate defender, rewarding him instead with an assist.
Judging off this Chalobah performance, is strengthening the defence still a priority this window and in the summer? Maybe, but the one thing is for certain, do not sell Chalobah.
