Chelsea: Poch could unleash "huge talent" from academy in place of Gallagher
Chelsea have a habit of unearthing talented youngsters and this has been reinforced by the arrival of Mauricio Pochettino.
The Argentine has a keen eye for nurturing young talent and earned a reputation at Tottenham Hotspur for doing just that having developed youngsters Dele Alli and Harry Kane into a deadly partnership at White Hart Lane.
When scouring through Chelsea's team sheets this season, it appears he's continuing to bolster his reputation for throwing youth players into the deep end, naming a total of eight homegrown talents on his bench in the Premier League this term.
While the academy setup at Cobham has provided a platform for current players Reece James, Levi Colwill and Conor Gallagher a path to stardom, it also hosts the next generation of talent, including Bashir Humphrey's, Alfie Gilchrist, Josh Brooking, Mason Burstow and Ronnie Stutter, who have all featured in the first-team squad this season.
However, there is one name missing from that list and he's arguably the most talented player in the Chelsea setup. Step up, Leo Castledine.
Who is Leo Castledine?
In 2020, Leo Castledine departed AFC Wimbledon after seven years to join Chelsea's prestigious Cobham academy, impressing with every step of his development so far and is now within touching distance of breaking onto the senior scene.
According to Chelsea's official website, Castledine is "an attacking midfield player who can play box-to-box, he likes to create and score goals and is very tenacious in the tackle."
A tackling machine, but also a player who has an exquisite passing range and composure beyond his years in the final third, the 18-year-old sensation is on the right path to becoming a complete midfielder and this is demonstrated by the impact he's having in the U21s.
The "huge talent" – as described by journalist Felix Johnston – has plundered two goals and provided four assists in six Premier League 2 appearances this season, continuing from where he left off last term with 17 goal contributions in 38 matches across the underage groups.
Castledine is earning praise from all angles for boasting tenacity and creativity in abundance, including from U21s coach Mark Robinson, who waxed lyrical about his talents in an interview with the Athletic last year, drawing similarities to the profile of Gallagher.
He said: “In terms of energy, he is similar to Mason Mount and Conor Gallagher. I think he has more elements of Conor out of the two of them. He can be very dangerous when he arrives in the box and is really good in the air, and we have to make sure we keep working on that as well. He is going to be a goal-scoring midfielder.”
Regarded by many as one of the finest talents to graduate from the Cobham Academy in recent times, comparisons like the one above provide a glowing indication that Castledine is knocking on the first-team door.
Who would Castledine replace in the Chelsea first-team?
If Pochettino was to unleash the youngster into the first-team picture, he'd likely replace Gallagher, possessing an ability to produce similar robust and combative performances to the 23-year-old.
Gallagher's main strength is sweeping up the danger and putting in energetic displays, the sort that can often leave the masses unaware of just how sublime his defensive work can be.
The Englishman ranks seventh in the entire league, as per Sofascore for tackles won per game (3.1) and interceptions (1.9) while recovering possession 7.3 times, an inclination – if it was ever needed – that the all-action midfielder gets through an obscene amount of defensive work.
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Castledine, although not on the same level currently, would bring the energy and industry that is so readily associated with Gallagher but also the ability to operate in a variety of positions, having been utilised as a box-to-box midfielder, a number 10 and even on the right side of defence.
Not only that, the 18-year-old – who was tipped by Robinson to have all the qualities to become a "goalscoring midfielder" – can perhaps offer the Blues a bigger threat going forward than his compatriot, with the £50k per-week warrior falling short in attack.
With only 0.81 for expected assists (xG), 0.8 key passes per game and three big chances created in the top flight this term, the attacking side of his game has been neglected and has lacked composure in the final third, something that Castledine possesses in abundance.
There is no doubt that in a tough start to the season so far, Gallagher has been one of Chelsea's standout performers, however, if Pochettino did want to improve the quality being served up in attack, he should give the youngsters precocious talents a chance to shine.