The day of having to part ways with the best player Chelsea has ever produced, John Terry is getting closer and closer. These are the last few matches where the Captain will lead out the team in all its glory and the fans will sing his name throughout the game.
Keeping emotions aside, one has to think for the future as well. Though it is impossible to replace the rock that was John Terry, Chelsea will have to look for players who can develop at the Bridge and represent Chelsea for years to come.
The blues don’t have to look anywhere else for future prospects as they have three future stars in their ranks. Nathan Ake, Andreas Christensen and Matt Miazga are the youngsters that can fill the void that will be left by Terry. Matt Miazga is an unknown entity to the blues faithful, so let’s take a look at what the youngster has to offer for Chelsea FC :
Background:
Born in Clifton, New Jersey, Miazga comes from a family of Polish immigrants and has a dual citizenship of USA and Poland. His talent was spotted early and he joined the Red Bulls academy in 2009. From there, he made a steady progress coming through the ranks and then making for himself a place in the first team.
He made his debut in 2013 and signed a homegrown contract with the New York Red bulls. He made 34 appearances for the Bulls before securing a move to Chelsea.
Strengths:
The first thing that comes to mind after seeing the American is his built. Miazga is 6″ 4′ and is a towering centre back. He is brilliant in the air and last season he won an average five air duels per game, which is good in any League. Though he lacks in pace, he makes that up with his long legs. The 21-year-old is tremendous at tackling and in one game his man marking and tackling against Giovinco was essential in Bulls’ win.
The American is good with the ball and last season had a passing accuracy of 74%. Along with his height, he is a ball playing defender which in itself is a rare commodity. He has kept the likes of David Villa quiet in the MLS.
Weakness :
One thing that many have noticed is that he doesn’t make full use of his size in the set pieces and can be deadly in attacking set pieces too if he improves this aspect. He accumulates a lot of cards and is said to lose his temper easily. Improving his discipline should be the no. 1 thing on his to-do list.
All in all, Chelsea have one of the USA’s best prospect in their hands and can become a first-team regular if he is handled well. He was signed for a reported sum of £3.5 million in January 2016 and has been given the no. 20 Jersey.
Chelsea’s defense future has some exciting names and the fans can be equally elated with the quality that will entertain the faithfuls in the coming years.