Jamie Gittens has been offered advice by Florent Malouda on how to win over Chelsea fans after making a slow start to life in the Premier League. The £55 million ($75m) winger, brought in from Borussia Dortmund in the summer to electrify Enzo Maresca’s frontline, has found himself under intense scrutiny as he struggles to find his feet in the English top flight. However, Malouda put his weight behind the forward and believes that it is just a matter of time before Gittens gets rolling.
Slow start, big pressure; Chelsea’s Gittens under the microscope
Billed as one of Europe’s hottest young prospects, Gittens arrived in west London riding a wave of hype after racking up 17 goal contributions last season in Germany. But in England, the spark hasn’t quite caught fire. The 21-year-old has started just three games, and he’s already earned the unwanted tag of being in the “007 club”, a social media term mocking players who go seven matches without scoring or assisting. His 15-minute cameo in Chelsea’s 2-1 win over Liverpool last weekend showed glimpses of what he can do, forcing a sharp save from Giorgi Mamardashvili. But for now, the youngster remains a work in progress, and fans are starting to lose patience.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportMalouda’s message to Gittens: Don’t crumble
Enter Malouda, the man who knows exactly what Gittens is going through. The French winger endured a rough start himself after joining Chelsea from Lyon in 2007 for £13.5m. He too faced boos and doubts before turning himself into a fan favourite and a key part of the club’s golden era.
“You should not be affected by this,” Malouda told . “They are your fans and have the right to express their feelings. If you play in a club like Chelsea, it could (be like this) home and away and you have to be able to handle that pressure, to understand they want your best. They do not do it for you to perform less, they do it to deliver a message to you, and you need to get the message.
“How did I win them over? It was a strong relationship based on commitment. I was committed to the club. Every transfer window there were rumours but I was still fighting for the cause, the club, to earn the trust of the fans. The fans gave it back to me because they saw I truly loved the club, saw that I was defending the club with everything I had. I had the opportunity on great European nights and also the Premier League, the FA Cups. They felt I was a reliable player. It was a successful story in the end.”
Malouda’s story is one of redemption. After his early struggles, he went on to become one of Chelsea’s most trusted players. By the time he left, he had 45 goals, 39 assists, and five major trophies to his name, including the Premier League and FA Cup double in 2010, and the Champions League crown two years later.
Last weekend, Malouda was back at Stamford Bridge, not on the pitch this time, but in the stands, watching as Gittens showed signs of improvement during his late cameo against Liverpool. The former winger admitted the journey takes time but insisted belief is everything.
“It’s a learning process,” Malouda said. “When you are so young and join a club like Chelsea, you have to build your confidence. It is part of the journey. The talent is there (with Gittens), it is how you are able to perform at this level. When you are young, you have to be fearless, that is the only way.
“The club believes in him, it is just how he is able to prove to the people at the club who put their trust in him that he belongs to this club. The beauty of football is that with one goal, one assist, a sparkle from Jamie, you can turn things around. You should also believe that you can do it and deliver on a regular basis. He can light the stadium on fire with one goal, and then it starts.”
Pressure on young shoulders at Chelsea
At just 21, Gittens is still learning the ropes, but unlike Malouda, who joined a dressing room full of legends like Lampard, Terry, and Drogba, today’s Chelsea setup is the youngest in the Premier League. That, Malouda says, makes it even harder.
“This is part of the strategy of the new owners,” he said. “When they came in, they were investing in young players on long contracts. When I joined, it was different. There were more experienced players, ones who had either won at Chelsea, in the leagues they had come from, or were already representing their national team. The squad was way more experienced, had way more character, based on their pedigree.
“This project is about developing young players here who need to win things together. It’s a different project and that is why there is more pressure on these young players. When you see the amount of money the club has spent and their price tags, I think there is more expectation and weight on their shoulders.”
Gittens’ adjustment has been further slowed by missing a full pre-season. Due to his participation with Dortmund in the Club World Cup before joining Chelsea, he only started training two weeks before the season began, a major setback for a player trying to settle in a new league. But Malouda wasn’t having any talk of sympathy or excuses.
“Short term that makes a difference,” Malouda claimed. “But it is not about proving yourself over two to three months. You have to look at the bigger picture. If a player belongs to Chelsea, plays on this stage, it does not matter about the pre-season. It is about how you adjust and build your confidence when it is challenging. It is not about being young or more experienced; when you get a chance to play, you need to deliver. Pre-season is the past; you should not use that as an excuse.”
IMAGO / News ImagesCompetition from Garnacho should make Gittens stronger
Another challenge for Gittens has been the arrival of Alejandro Garnacho from Manchester United. The Argentine winger, who joined for £40m late in the window, has adapted swiftly, starting three of the last four games and already winning over the fans. But Malouda insists competition is a gift, not a curse.
“This is a context that you choose when you come to a club like Chelsea," Malouda reasoned. "When I was there, I remember every year Chelsea would sign a new striker. They had Didier Drogba, Hernan Crespo, Andriy Shevchenko and so on. This is what you want because then the squad becomes competitive and then you have to upgrade your game.
“As a young player, you sometimes don’t see it because you are maybe looking for personal attention. But on the biggest stage, you need a strong squad. You look at Liverpool and Manchester City in recent years, this is why they have been able to compete in every competition. Chelsea want to get there, to be in a position when they start a season that they can win every competition possible. You need quality players.”
Malouda’s own debut season numbers, just two goals and one assist, remind everyone that early struggles don’t define a career. As Gittens fights to break his duck, Malouda’s words might be ringing in his ears: stay fearless, stay hungry, and make the Bridge believe in you. With a heavy price tag, fierce competition, and the shadow of social media ridicule hanging over him, Gittens has it all to prove. But if Malouda’s story is anything to go by, the young winger still has time to turn his Chelsea chapter into a success story.
