Can Kenneth Omeruo be the possible future partner for Kurt Zouma, as a replacement for Gary Cahill?
Gary Cahill has been Chelsea’s best defender along with ageing skipper John Terry. Both have managed to keep the best defensive record in the league and have been Jose Mourinho’s back bone in his second stint as Chelsea boss. But as Terry is ageing, Kurt Zouma is thought to be his replacement. But even Cahill is nearing his 30s and would soon start feeling leggy on the pitch, something which would require young Kenneth Omeruo, the Nigerian International on loan at Middlesbrough to step into the first team role. So. will he be capable?
World Cup Stats: Omeruo has the talent
Kenneth Omeruo has had a good World Cup as he has Bosnia and Iran. As an individual defender, he is doing everything possible in his limits to help his team’s cause. Let us have a comparison between Omeruo’s and Cahill’s stats.
Omeruo has 24 clearances to his name, Cahill has 23. Cahill has won 2 tackles and Omeruo has won 10 tackles. While Cahill managed to block just one shot, Omeruo has managed three outfield blocks. Cahill and Omeruo have similar stats in winning duels, as Cahill won 12 and the Nigerian won 15. Cahill has won a total of 8 aerial battles, which is the only area where his Nigerian counterpart falls short with 5. However, the most important of stats, the goals conceded, is where England team can be let off leniently as they faced two powerhouses of football.
It can be unfair on Cahill to be compared to a youngster based on two completely different games each one has faced. Plus the fact that he has been the most consistent of all Chelsea players last season only means that he will be the mainstay for the coming season. But Omeruo’s individual stats do suggest that the lad can perform at the top level given time and opportunities. The talent is there and now it is for Chelsea to make full use of it.
How should raw talent like his be handled?
Omeruo has been on loan for quite some time, but in the author’s opinion, it is time for him to return back to Chelsea as a back-up option. He can be the player whom Mourinho can use in the league cup matches and the dead rubber games. The youngster will have an opportunity to train with top Chelsea players and learn from them, as the likes of Cahill, Terry and Ivanovic are renowned players who can guide him into a better player. He needs at least one season this way, similar to what Tomas Kalas had last season, after which he can go on loan and grow to the expectations at Chelsea.
He has the opportunity to be the future Gary Cahill for the Blues if he matures as a player and develops himself. He would be on Jose Mourinho’s mind as the Portuguese is one of the best managers in the world who can bring the best out of a traditional stopper defender. Kenneth Omeruo is no different and his regular performances with Nigeria and on loan would definitely work for his cause.
Watch Omeruo in action here,
Stats via squawka