TheChels.net – Chelsea FC Youth & Reserves
“Go see the French lad, he’s the star.” If Michael Ballack was having a little fun with reporters back in 2007, it certainly didn’t feel like it. Brendan Rodgers’ Reserves had just lost to Birmingham City at Brentford’s Griffin Park despite fielding six future senior internationals alongside the former Germany captain, who was on the comeback trail after injury, but Gael Kakuta was already well on his way to becoming…
“The rule is, jam to-morrow and jam yesterday – but never jam to-day.” “It must come sometimes to ‘jam to-day’,” Alice objected. “No, it can’t,” said the Queen. “It’s jam every other day: to-day isn’t any other day, you know.” “I don’t understand you,” said Alice. “It’s dreadfully confusing!” Silly season is upon us and, by that, I mean the time of year when people grow sillier in the face…
The final Loan Report of the season takes a wider look at the Class of 2020-21 and what might come next for each of them. Youngsters Trending Upwards A bunch of talented youngsters did their cases the world of good this season and primed themselves to take further steps forward in 2020-21. Conor Gallagher was a regular in West Brom’s midfield for almost the entire campaign and, despite the Baggies’…
The most tumultuous, unpredictable and challenging season of (many of) our lifetimes has drawn to a close at academy level, and it almost goes without saying that navigating life in general during a global pandemic has been far from easy but running a youth development programme during that time has come with specific challenges that have tested the resolve of staff, players, families and friends more than ever before. When…
April’s Loan Report takes a look at some of the players Chelsea might be looking to move on this summer in an effort to trim some of the excess fat around the first-team squad. It’s an endeavour that has never quite proved to be as easy as idle speculation on social media would have you believe, and it serves to highlight the work ahead for Marina Granovskaia and her team…
March has been a generally quiet month on the loan front and, with the international break in full swing, we’ll take this opportunity to give a quick one-liner on every single loanee currently out and about as we gear up for the last part of the club season. Ethan Ampadu Chris Wilder is out as manager at Sheffield United and Ampadu’s attention will turn towards his next move once the…
This Saturday (6th March), Chelsea’s Under-18s welcome Tottenham Hotspur to Cobham for an Under-18 Premier League match you can watch live and exclusive across Chelsea platforms. It’s been some three years since Chelsea last broadcast a league match for this age group and, while they have continued to lead the way in live FA Youth Cup football, it’s a welcome return to a format they showed for much of the…
February’s saying goodbye, March is upon us, and the footballing winter is about to move into early Spring. That means the business end of the 2020-21 campaign is about to begin in earnest, and a host of Chelsea loanees are coming into form just at the right time to give themselves a very interesting summer. Armando Broja: Europe’s best teenage goalscorer Yes, it’s true. 19 year-old Armando Broja has more…
The first Loan Report of 2021 brings about an update on an exciting January, plus a round-up of the winter transfer deadline day deals that did or didn’t happen. Deadline Day • Jack Wakely joined Brighton until the end of the season in a move that will see him join the Seagulls’ Under-23 squad. The big defender had a successful trial there early in the new year, following a stint…
It didn’t last as long as anyone wanted, but the Frank Lampard era at Chelsea came to an abrupt end on Monday, throwing the immediate future of the club at all levels into a brand-new era of uncertainty. As Thomas Tuchel prepares to enter the fray, we’re forced to take a step back and ask what it means for everyone, but particularly the academy, which has faced often insurmountable challenges…