{"id":6379,"date":"2026-05-09T09:17:12","date_gmt":"2026-05-09T09:17:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=6379"},"modified":"2026-05-09T09:17:12","modified_gmt":"2026-05-09T09:17:12","slug":"joe-cole-shares-the-worry-he-now-has-about-estevao-willian-at-chelsea","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/playball.com.ng\/?p=6379","title":{"rendered":"Joe Cole shares the \u2018worry\u2019 he now has about Estevao Willian at Chelsea"},"content":{"rendered":"


\n<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"\"\/ Add as preferred source on Google<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Estevao Willian is one of the most promising young players Chelsea have ever had at his age, however Joe Cole believes those around him at Stamford Bridge could hold back his development.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Despite injuries, Estevao has been able to give glimpses of what he is all about to Chelsea supporters. He famously completely outshone Lamine Yamal in the Champions League win over Barcelona.<\/p>\n

\n

Enzo Maresca was very keen to protect the Brazil international from too much football in the early stages of his Chelsea career, and his reasoning may have been realised as he has suffered a hamstring injury that has ended his chances of featuring at the World Cup.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
<\/header>\n
\n
\n
\n

QUARTER-FINAL 3: Which Chelsea player has had the best season?<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\n
\n
\"\"<\/div>\n<\/figure><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

Estevao and Joao Pedro were set to continue their promising relationship on the international stage, with the duo linking up on a number of occasions at Stamford Bridge.<\/p>\n

It is all the other teammates who Joe Cole is slightly worried about when it comes to helping the teenager, and their lack of experience at the top level.<\/p>\n

He said to TNT Sports: \u201cWell, you\u2019ve not seen the best of him, but we\u2019ve seen flashes of it. And when he gets on the pitch, he lights up the whole stadium. The whole stadium lights up, right? And it needs it at the moment.<\/p>\n

\n
\"Chelsea<\/div>
Photo by Visionhaus\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cThe only problem I worry about him is there ain\u2019t enough experience around him.<\/p>\n

\u201cMax Dowman can look at Eze, Odegaard and Saka, You know, the only thing with Estevao, is his development might take a bit longer because of the structure around him to help him improve, but he\u2019s a superb talent.\u201d<\/p>\n

Outside of Pedro Neto, Chelsea\u2019s options out wide are young. Alejandro Garnacho and Jamie Gittens have struggled to step up to the levels required, and Jesse Derry\u2019s debut lasted just 45 minutes due to a serious head injury.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
<\/header>\n
\n
\n
\n

Chelsea fans \u2013 would you start Reece James vs Liverpool?<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
\n

Or do we need to hold him back for the FA Cup final?<\/p>\n

\n
\"FBL-ENG-PR-CHELSEA-NOTTINGHAM<\/div>
Photo by Adrian DENNIS \/ AFP via Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

Chelsea\u2019s new manager has to get the best out of Estevao<\/h2>\n

Experience can come from the dugout too, and the Chelsea owners are currently taking great care over who should become their new manager.<\/p>\n

Xabi Alonso has been strongly linked to Stamford Bridge, and while supporters are on board with this, there are concerns that this may not be ideal for the Brazilian wonderkid.<\/p>\n

Alonso favours a back three that could see Estevao\u2019s place become hard to find in the starting side.<\/p>\n

There are a number of big names in West London who the new manager has to get back to form, including Cole Palmer and Marc Cucurella.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
<\/svg><\/p>\n
Join Our Newsletter<\/span><\/p>\n

Receive a digest of our best Chelsea content each week direct to your mailbox<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n