After an international break, the domestic football scene returned with a vengeance this week, and as Chelsea’s loan ranks swelled to near double figures over the transfer deadline, there’s a lot to take in. Michael Mancienne remained the club’s only Premier League loanee and started his first match in his third spell at Wolves in defensive midfield away to Fulham. It appears he struggled for the first hour of their…
It’s been a subject of some consternation for Chelsea fans in the last few months. Gael Kakuta’s contract with Chelsea, as far as any media source reveals, is due to expire next summer. The club have certainly never revealed an extension to the deal he signed when joining the club, and FA registration documents over the last twelve months have not mentioned his name. The wait and uncertainty may be…
Twenty-nine of Chelsea’s current youth and reserve players have represented their countries at youth level. A number of them added to their caps in the last fortnight or so during what was an important round of fixtures for many. At Under-21 level, the qualifying campaign for the Finals in Denmark next summer came to a head, with teams seeking to secure automatic berths, or a best-placed playoff spot if necessary….
Scott Sinclair, Miroslav Stoch, Franco Di Santo. Headline names amongst a group of young players who have permanently departed Chelsea this summer, and in doing so, have helped reveal something Chelsea are potentially working towards. It’s no secret that the club regards its 1991-93 generation as one of the finest to ever come through the youth academy. They made good on their promise last season in winning a first FA…
With the loan contingent reaching double figures this week, the loan report will suddenly become a lot longer. With that in mind, let’s dive straight in. The story of the week was undoubtedly a trio of Blues youngsters joining Vitesse Arnhem in Holland under a relationship forged between the two clubs as a result of friendly relations between Roman Abramovich and new Vitesse owner Merab Jordania. Nemanja Matic, Slobodan Rajkovic…
In watching Chelsea defeat Stoke 2-0 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday afternoon, Blues supporters were left pondering something. Had normal service resumed, or was this a blip in Carlo Ancelotti’s ‘playstation football’? After notching 21 goals in their three previous outings at home, expectations were high, but those who chose to temper them with more realistic goals will have come away with a feeling of satisfaction. For whilst Thomas Sorensen’s…
Let’s get one thing out of the way early. Chelsea aren’t going to score six again tomorrow. It can’t happen. Can it? Ahead of the Blues’ second home game of the season, the talk of the town has been just how many Carlo Ancelotti’s boys are going to pot against Stoke City. Not helped by the seven they notched against Tony Pulis’ side last April, and the Potters’ poor start…
Far be it from us to be presumptuous, but Chelsea and Wembley have been seen together more times in recent years than many celebrity couples. It’s almost become something of a second home, which bodes well going into the coming season. The 2010/11 Champions League Final takes place in HA9 next May, and the road there started in earnest this afternoon with a typically laborious Group Stage Draw. Carlo Ancelotti’s…
Reports emerging from the Netherlands this lunchtime have three of Chelsea’s young players heading to Vitesse Arnhem for season-long loan spells. Nemanja Matic, Slobodan Rajkovic and Matej Delač are all in Arnhem ahead of confirming the deals, potentially as early as this afternoon. The Serbian duo have been in training with the rest of the squad this morning whilst the young Croatian goalkeeper Delač has been undergoing a series of…
Chelsea’s Reserves learned an important lesson on Monday evening at Stamford Bridge. A lesson, in fact, they could do well to take from the first team they’re aspiring to join: when you’re on top, be ruthless. One of the finest 45-minute performances you’re likely to see anywhere opened the campaign in front of a lively crowd but the young Blues went into the break with just a Fabio Borini goal…