"An absolutely huge player" - Paul Canoville makes major claim about 22-year-old Chelsea star after FA Cup final loss to Liverpool
Former Chelsea forward Paul Canoville has tipped Trevoh Chalobah to succeed at the club after his phenomenal performance in the Blues' FA Cup final loss to Liverpool on Saturday.
The Blues were beaten 6-5 on penalties in yet another cup heartbreak but Chalobah stood out for his team with a stormer. The 22-year-old started in a three-man defence and was kept busy by Luis Diaz, who tested him on many occasions.
However, Chalobah never wilted under pressure, standing his ground firmly to keep the Reds attackers at bay.
83 Touches 
. #CFC #Chelsea #EmiratesFACup
๐ด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ Trevoh Chalobah against Liverpool:
๐ 83 Touches
๐ 61 Passes
๐ 90% Pass Accuracy
๐ 2/4 Long Balls
๐ 6/7 Ground Duels
๐ 1/1 Dribbles
๐ 5 Clearances
๐ 5 Tackles
๐ 1 Blocked Shot
๐. #CFC #Chelsea #EmiratesFACup https://t.co/XKFSwrOEdH
He registered five tackles and five clearances and won six of his seven duels. Chalobah also came up trumps in one-on-one situations against Diaz. Unfortunately, that wasn't enough to get his team over the line, as the Blues lost on penalties once again in a repeat of their Carabao Cup final result.
After the game, the youngster posted a heartfelt apology to fans on social media, urging everyone to stick together. In response to his tweet, Canoville backed the player to be 'huge' for the Blues, saying:
"Kids gonna be absolutely huge player for @ChelseaFC. We go again next season! #ImagineNotBeingChelsea"
Kids gonna be absolutely huge player for @ChelseaFC We go again next season! #ImagineNotBeingChelsea twitter.com/trevohchalobahโฆ
Chalobah has featured regularly for manager Thomas Tuchel's team this season, amassing 561 minutes and contributing five goals. He scored in their 4-0 win over Juventus in the UEFA Champions League in November.
However, despite such a promising campaign, the Sierra Leone-born defender faces an uncertain future at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea are set to sign a few defenders this summer following some high-profile exits. Antonio Rudiger, Cesar Azpilicueta and Andreas Christensen are set to leave this summer.
That could either mean more first-team opportunities for Chalobah, or he might end up competing for minutes with new signings.
Chelsea's promising season ends in a whimper
Chelsea started their campaign with a lot of promise but will end it without a major trophy. They did win the UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup, though.
The Blues were desperate to end their FA Cup final hoodoo but instead endured more heartbreak, becoming the first team to lose three consecutive finals. They lost to Leicester City last year and to Arsenal in 2020.
Tuchel's side are also the first team since Middlesbrough in 1997 to lose both domestic cup finals in the same season. These are not the records they'd have hoped to create with a hugely talented squad at their disposal.
Meanwhile, they led early on in the Premier League, but their title challenge fizzled as the season wore on. The Blues will finish in the top three if they win one of their two remaining games.