Reserves Impress In Leeds Friendly

November 15, 2011

Chelsea’s Reserve team this afternoon took on a Leeds United team featuring many first team squad players and impressed despite eventually losing 2-1. With no competitive league fixture on the schedule, Dermot Drummy took his charges north to take on Simon Grayson’s outfit, with the hosts keen to give opportunities to some of the more senior players who have been unable to earn playing time this season. The Blues therefore…

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Under-18s: Chelsea 4-2 Fulham

November 12, 2011

Chelsea’s Under-18s recorded back to back wins for the first time this season after beating Fulham 4-2 on Saturday morning. First half goals from John Swift and Lewis Baker were cancelled out by a double from former academy winger Mesca, but an Alex Kiwomya brace proved enough to secure three points in a fixture which also saw a competitive debut for Lucas Piazon. The 17 year-old Brazilian has been in…

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Blues Set For Large 2012 Youth Intake

November 11, 2011

At this time of year, clubs with Premier Academy League status are busy finalising scholarships to begin next spring. Under-16 players up and down the land will find out whether they are to be offered terms for the next two years or whether they are being released at the end of their schoolboy term. Chelsea’s intake for the 2012-13 season is taking shape and is set to be one of…

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The Loan Report: November 1-6

November 7, 2011

Irish Under-21 midfielder Conor Clifford joined the loanee ranks this week in an otherwise largely uneventful seven days which saw more of what we’ve seen all season from young Blues playing elsewhere. Clifford joined Yeovil Town on Friday morning for a third career spell in League One, having spent time with both Plymouth Argyle and Notts County in England’s third tier last season. He went straight into the Glovers’ starting…

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October’s Youth Team Round-Up

November 5, 2011

It’s been a few weeks since we carried a youth team report here on TheChels.net, but fear not, as we take a look at what’s been going on down on the academy side of the fence at Cobham. The month of October saw more difficulties befall Adie Viveash’s Under-18 team with three more defeats in the league and one in friendly competition, but they did pick up a win along…

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The Loan Report: October 25-30

October 31, 2011

A status quo has been reached on the loan front as we head into the fourth calendar month of the 2011-12 season. Whilst a small few amongst the young Blue loanees have firmly entrenched themselves as weekly starters for their temporary clubs, others have become this year’s unfortunate examples of the exercise in futility the experience can often become. At the very head of this is Patrick van Aanholt. The…

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A Hallowe’en Horror Show

October 30, 2011

A tumultuous week for Chelsea Football Club ended in remarkable fashion Saturday lunchtime as the Blues were defeated 5-3 by Arsenal. Robin van Persie’s hat-trick secured a huge three points for the visitors but it was the hosts’ defensive performance which was the subject of post-match discussion, as Arsene Wenger’s team found time and space with alarming regularity. Andre Villas-Boas made two changes from the previous league outing away to…

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Why McEachran To Swansea Makes Perfect Sense

October 28, 2011

With January fast approaching, the subject of Josh McEachran departing Stamford Bridge on loan is one which has been high on the agenda of many Blues supporters. This past week, Swansea manager Brendan Rodgers revealed that he has had long discussions with Chelsea about taking the 18 year-old midfielder to the Liberty Stadium for the remainder of the season. Whilst many have clamoured for McEachran to head north to the…

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Nine-Man Blues Go Down Fighting

October 24, 2011

In the end, Chelsea’s second defeat of the season went down in entirely predictable fashion as another London derby ended with tempers frayed and the Blues with reduced numbers. Heidar Helguson’s early penalty proved enough to seal three points for Queens Park Rangers which were celebrated as loudly as any in their history, as first half red cards for Jose Bosingwa and Didier Drogba left their West London rivals facing…

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The Loan Report: October 17-24

October 24, 2011

It was another week where not a great deal happened in the land of the Chelsea loanee, but let’s delve right in anyway. Thibaut Courtois has thus far been the shining light amongst the young footballers currently plying their trade away from Stamford Bridge but even his last seven days failed to match the high points of his season so far as he conceded in back to back matches for…

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