As we do every year, it’s time to finish the Youth and Under-21 season review with a look back at some of the best moments of the last ten months, as we’ve been thoroughly well entertained by the next generation of Chelsea footballers once again.
Youth Team
Reaching the finals of the FA Youth Cup and the NextGen Series…Enjoying an eleven game unbeaten run to start the Under-18 league season…Winning 2-0 away to Barcelona…beating Juventus 4-1…Lewis Baker winning the NextGenSeries Player of the Tournament…A whole host of Under-15s made the very early step up to Under-18 football and did so to an extremely high standard…Nearly 18,000 fans turning up at Stamford Bridge for a youth game.
Under-21s
Nathan Aké winning the club’s Young Player of the Year award after a season in which he debuted for the first team…Lewis Baker’s outstanding progress in a season where he scored close to 20 goals from midfield…Islam Feruz banging in the goals at Under-21 level despite being a first-year scholar…Patrick Bamford’s first half of the season performances showed he’s ready for bigger and better things…Aziz Deen-Conteh and Samuel Bangura both earned full international call-ups to the Sierra Leone national team…Schoolboys Jeremie Boga and Connor Hunte excelled when given opportunities.
Loanees
Thibaut Courtois affirmed himself as one of the best goalkeepers in the world, regardless of age…Romelu Lukaku terrorised Premier League defenders on a weekly basis…Patrick van Aanholt continued to develop and earned suggestions of a full Dutch cap…Kevin De Bruyne hit double figures goals and almost as many assists for Werder Bremen…Thorgan Hazard and Zulte-Waregem mounting a title challenge and qualifying for Champions League football…Kenneth Omeruo became an African Champion…Nathaniel Chalobah and Watford enjoyed a fabulous season which may yet end in promotion.
Goals
Lewis Baker’s sensational pair against Juventus…Aziz Deen-Conteh’s marauding run and finish against Wolves…Jeremie Boga’s impudent lob in the same match…Boga’s equally as mesmerising dribble and finish against Wolves…Alex Kiwomya’s blockbuster against Barnsley…Jesse Starkey’s free kick against Manchester United…Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s chop and placed finish against Manchester City…John Swift’s devastating counter-attack and finish against Liverpool…George Saville’s pair of scorchers away to Crystal Palace…Nathan Aké’s deft curler against Fulham.
A huge thank-you as usual for sharing, interacting and reading throughout the latest ever-exciting youth campaign at Chelsea. It’s not long until it all gets underway again, and you can, as always, keep fully up to date here at TheChels and on Twitter @chelseayouth.