If Liam Delap attended the Chelsea U21s fixture looking for inspiration, he found it in the form of Shim Mheuka, whose latest goal offers plenty of hope for the future.
All eyes were on Chelsea‘s Under-21s clash with Leeds United on Friday afternoon, as Romeo Lavia enjoyed 45 minutes of action.
The midfielder could potentially return for Chelsea’s first team clash with Arsenal at the start of next month, but the Blues are hesitant to throw him in too quickly.
However, the attention wasn’t just on Lavia, as Shim Mheuka, who appeared against Hull City recently, was also in action after training with the first team this week.
He was straight back into Under-21 action this afternoon against Leeds United, with Liam Delap and some of his first team teammates in the stands.
Should Mamadou Sarr start tomorrow vs Burnley?🤔
Mamadou Sarr in his Chelsea training top at Cobham as he begins to make an impression on the coaching staff.
Photo by Scott Llewellyn/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Shim Mheuka scores for Chelsea Under-21s against Leeds United
Shim Mheuka played the full 90 minutes for Chelsea Under-21s in a very frustrating 2-2 draw with Leeds United, which echoed the first-team’s result.
He bagged Chelsea’s second in the second-half with a nicely timed header, but that wasn’t all as he held the ball up nicely and his link-up play was sharp, often dropping deeper to create space.
The one negative was the amount of chances he squandered in the end, but it was a display of promise.
For Mheuka, the important thing is that Liam Rosenior likes what he sees, it’s just about maintaining the right attitude and continuing to score goals.
Be honest, which full-back can you imagine Estevao possibly struggling against? ❌
Estevao Willian dribbling stat
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
What will Liam Delap be thinking?
Watching Shim Mheuka dispatch a header to put the U21s 2-0 up will come as a slight warning for Delap who was in the stands for the clash. For a £30m striker who has struggled to find the net under Liam Rosenior, seeing a teenager show the predatory instincts he currently lacks is a wake-up call.
However, Delap will likely be pleased for Mheuka, as is the player he is. His hat-trick of assists against Hull City showed the selflessness the striker has, at a time when goals were surely on his mind.
It’s far too early to be writing Delap off. You just have to look at Didier Drogba’s first season and how his Chelsea career turned out.
Plus, it’s good to have healthy competition, which is exactly what Mheuka is providing.
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