Eagle Eye: What to expect from Ben Chilwell

First-team

3 hours ago

Daniel Childs founded SonofChelsea - Podcast, YouTube, TikTok and X channels dedicated to covering Chelsea Football Club – in 2014. He has also produced content for Football.London, Reach Women's Football and the CFCUK fanzine.

Having watched his Chelsea career first hand, here Daniel gives us his thoughts on Ben Chilwell, who joined Palace on loan from the Blues earlier this week...

“He was a popular member of the dressing room”

When Chilwell first signed for Chelsea from Leicester back in 2020, he was a clear upgrade and a vital cog to improve Frank Lampard's defensive options. He could offer a balance between attacking threat and defensive cover that previous left-backs Marcos Alonso and Emerson couldn't.

Although Lampard left halfway through that season, Chilwell quickly found his way into Thomas Tuchel's strongest side as a wing-back. This culminated with an outstanding display in the Champions League final victory over Manchester City in Porto.

He's a good character with integrity and a positive attitude that clearly makes him a popular member of the dressing room. Even when he has been out of the team more recently, this hasn't changed.

“He can play in a couple of different positions”

I think he'll bring versatility to Palace. Chilwell can operate in a 3-4-3 or 4-3-3 system, which he did at Chelsea as a more conventional full-back in his early months under Lampard.

As a wing-back he was naturally given more licence to roam down the flanks and become an extra number in attack. When you look at Oliver Glasner's current system, this feels a really natural fit for Chilwell. He can be an offensive threat, without giving up his defensive responsibilities.

Although he is not the tallest defender, he's particularly underrated in aerial duels, managing to use his body smartly to win headers and get ahead of others you would suspect he may struggle against. In his time at Chelsea you'd rarely see him physically bettered by an opponent.

Given Palace are so effective in transition, I think that could provide Chilwell with a platform to show his attacking threat. His form under Tuchel at Stamford Bridge showed he's got that in his game.

“He had an incredible run of form under Tuchel”

At his best, Chilwell is a phenomenal talent.

The devastating Achilles injury he suffered in 2021 set him back, as that derailed an incredible run of form under Tuchel. Chelsea fans aren't happy with they have opted to loan out both Chilwell and Renato Veiga, leaving Enzo Maresca with no obvious cover for current left-back Marc Cucurella.

There has been a growing frustration over Maresca's resistance to using either Chilwell or full-backs in a normal way. This move to Palace could really help Chilwell hit top form – and if he can do that, we'll really miss him at Stamford Bridge.

"There is no reason he can't get back in the England squad"

With Tuchel now in the hotseat as England manager, you would expect him to use a similar tactical approach to the one we saw at Chelsea in our Champions League run.

That could really suit Chilwell and favour his abilities. With a run of games behind him, there's no reason he can't be in that first squad.

If he can play consistent Premier League minutes between now and the summer and is able to consistently reach anywhere near his best form, I think Tuchel would be foolish to not utilise the talent Chilwell has always possessed.

You can follow Daniel Childs on X here, and check out his Chelsea videos here.

*The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of Daniel Childs, and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of Crystal Palace.

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