Since we’ve reached the halfway marker in the first half of the youth and development season (I guess that makes it the quarter pole overall?), it’s time for some reflections and musings on what we’ve seen so far in 2012-13. It’s a campaign which ushered in a ballyhooed new era, with the old reserve team structure making way for a new Under-21 league under the auspices of the Elite Player…
Kevin De Bruyne extended the impressive run of Chelsea loanees finding the back of the net this season with his third goal in Werder Bremen colours this weekend. It’s with the Belgian that we begin this week’s Loan Report. De Bruyne got the weekend off to a strong start on Friday night away to Augsburg, grabbing his team’s only goal in a 3-1 reverse. There was more than an element…
Chelsea’s Under-18 team completed a remarkable run of six successive wins in academy Group 3 so far this season with a dramatic 2-1 victory over rivals Fulham. The Blues, in their final home game before embarking on a six-match road trip, retained their 100% record courtesy of a last-minute own goal from a Fulham substitute. It followed a similarly late win over Middlesbrough last weekend. Adi Viveash’s team selections have…
Chelsea’s Under-21 team suffered a 3-1 reverse away to Fulham at Craven Cottage on Friday night to extend their winless run to four games in a season which has seen just one win to date. The Cottagers frustrated their local neighbours for long periods but were rarely dominant; instead taking advantage of opportunities which were presented to them and making them count to full effect. Marcello Trotta’s brace added to…
As regular readers of The Loan Report will know, we like to highlight big achievements as and when they occur. Typically, this takes the form of a goalscoring performance by one of Chelsea’s young loanees, and more often than not it’s a big, recognisable name. However, every now and then it’s one of the more obscure faces who makes an impact and gets to stand front and centre. That’s the…
Chelsea’s Under-21 team may be going through a sticky patch but their younger counterparts are going from strength to strength and recorded a fifth successive win on Saturday morning in defeating Middlesbrough 4-2 at Cobham. The win ensured that Adi Viveash’s boys retained their 100% record so far this season and with Fulham having suffered their first reverse of the campaign to Liverpool this morning, the Blues are now the…
Chelsea’s winless streak at Under-21 level was extended to three matches on Friday night as Middlesbrough made the long trip south and came away with a thoroughly well-earned 3-1 win. A late first half strike had given them the lead and although Chelsea responded during a strong second-half spell, they were undone by two late strikes and lost for the second time this season. Dermot Drummy made one change from…
Before Tuesday night’s League Cup outing, Oriol Romeu had not featured in a Chelsea shirt since April, when he was in the team which played away to Arsenal. He was absent from the club’s pre-season stateside and the only real indication he still existed before this midweek was a token place amongst the substitutes in the odd game so far this season. Yet on the day after celebrating his 21st…
Chelsea’s Under-21 side twice came from behind to secure a well-deserved draw away to Crystal Palace on Monday night. The unfamiliar sight of George Saville finding the back of the net was odd in the first instance, but he repeated the feat in the second half to prevent the hosts from taking all three points and ensure the match finished 2-2. Blues supporters had keenly anticipated the night’s team news…
The Belgians are good. Kevin De Bruyne scored for the second successive week for Werder Bremen in Germany whilst Romelu Lukaku helped keep up the momentum in a fine start to the season for Chelsea’s loanees with his second goal in West Bromwich Albion colours this weekend. It’s with the big striker that we start this week’s round-up. Lukaku was named in the starting eleven for the first time by…