By Ewah Chika.

Chelsea Football Club might the most successful English club judging from post-2003 which is also Roman Abramovic up till now but one thing that the club lacks is their inability to produce their own stars (home growth talent). Boasting one of the most successful academy that has won the Youth Champions League more than once, Youth FA Cup and Youth League, it is appalling that no player from the club's academy has been successful in the first team since Roman Abramovich bought the club. John a Terry still remains the last Chelsea academy graduate to play consistently for the first team since making his debut on 28 October 1998 in the League Cup against Aston Villa. As Chelsea continues to enjoy one success or the other, academy stars such as Ryan Betrand (Southampton) and James Cork (Swamsea) have been deemed not good enough and sold at various times.

One thing to blame for this problem is Chelsea's lack of patience and instant taste for success at the detriment of the upcoming stars who are not allowed to make mistakes and grow. Roman Abramovic is an owner who loves the club to a fault and has not failed to constant invest when the need arises but his greatest flaw is his impatience which has made every of his manager unwilling to give youngsters a chance to stake their claim for the first team .

Although this is yet to change one name that might change this negative history appears to be Ruben Ira Loftus-Cheek who seems to have earned the trust and confidence of Italian Manager Antonie Conte judging from the three pre-season games so far. The youngster has been in the first team for two years now after he was promoted by Jose Mourinho in December 2014. Although he has been on the fringes of action making only 16 league appearances in his Chelsea career, Loftus-Cheek recently signed a new contract extension in April tiring him down at the club until 2021 at the same time earning an astronomical upwards of £60,000-a-week. Not only does the new contract show the trust the club has on the 20-year-old, it also shows their desire to hold on to him at the same time giving him a chance to make history at the club.

"I don't mind where I play at the moment. In time I will find my best suited position, so I'm not worried about that," were the words of the midfielder early this year.

With a height of 6ft. 3in, Loftus-Cheek is a highly versatile player who can play in both in defensive midfield and attacking midfield in various formations 4-3-3, 4-4-2, 4-2-3-1 and the highly favoured 4-2-4 formation that Conte has used to great success so far in pre-season. Loftus-Cheek is mostly remembered for his impressive display in his first start for the club on May 2015 In the game league game against Liverpool, where he played 60 minutes, recording 100% pass completion record before being replaced by Nemanja Matic. The midfielder is one that has developed far beyond his age judging from his displays. Loftus-Cheek is blessed with many attributes with the best of them been his calmness in possession and a naturally telescopic reach. The midfielder's playing style is similar to a Chelsea Legend and former player Michael Ballack judging from his physicality, box-to-box and movement on the ball.

Unlike previous Chelsea managers, Antonie Conte has played Loftus-Cheek as a striker in the pre-season games so far of which the Englishman has impressed with his displays. Conte has publicly stated the midfielder's good technique, good personality and his ability to beat defenders while one on one with them has made it imperative that his best position is in the attack . Loftus-Cheek will have to improve so much in a short space of time to be played as a forward considering the qualities of Michy Batshuayi who was signed for £35 million from Marseille in the summer and Loic Remy who though was disappointing last season is still highly talented judging from his ability to make an impact from the bench and youngster Betrand Traore . Under Conte, Loftus-Cheek is expected to breakthrough this season with little or no pressure given the current state of the club as they prepare for life without European football also given Conte's ability to blood youngsters in his first team judging from his time with Paul Pogba and Frederik Sorensen and Luca Marrone in Juventus.

Conte and Loftus-Cheek are a match made in heaven and this season it is highly expected that the youngster will flourish and progress under the Italian .

Source

http://mailtelegraph..com/2016/07/why-20162017-represents-make-or-break.html