So former Blues first team coach, Steve Clarke brings his current team – West Brom to Stamford Bridge this Saturday for a Barclays Premier League encounter. West Brom have enjoyed a good season, currently sitting in 7th position 1 point ahead of Liverpool and only 2 points behind Everton in 6th spot.

West Brom’s good form has been down to the excellent 1st season delivered by Clarke and how he has got the team playing including the 19 year old Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku who has enjoyed playing for Clarke and this has shown in his team high 12 goals which puts him in a pretty impressive 6th spot amongst Premier League goal scorers.

The powers-that-be at Chelsea clearly feel vindicated in their decision to send Lukaku to work with Chelsea old boy Clarke as the Belgian striker has come on in leaps and bounds playing like a man possessed – scoring goals of all kinds, providing a great outlet for his team mates and bringing other players into the attack. Lukaku has definitely benefitted from his time in the midlands and it is no surprise to hear that Clarke would like to keep him for another season as he has clearly helped West Brom in a big way, giving them a different option up front from Peter Odemwingie and Shane Long.

As a condition of the loan deal, Lukaku cannot face his parent club so West Brom will be without him for their visit to the Bridge something that I am sure Clarke wishes was not the case as the Belgian striker would put the fear of god into the Chelsea defense as he has to so many other defenses this season.

It will be interesting to see what Chelsea do with Lukaku next season but if he is to go out on loan again it would be hard to find a better team than West Brom for him to go to as Clarke has shown he knows how to get the best from him plus he has developed the young man both as a player and as a person. If Chelsea do bring Lukaku back then he must surely get the opportunities he deserves or it will hinder his progress and damage his confidence which is looking sky-high right now.