Youth & Reserves

For a third successive season, Chelsea find themselves in the FA Youth Cup Final; the showpiece occasion in English academy football. It’s a run unprecedented in the modern era with no team having reached three finals on the bounce since Manchester United ran roughshod over all comers in the fledgling days of the competition in the 1950s. Many fine teams have come along and occasionally featured twice but the Blues…

Chelsea’s Under-18s lost 4-0 at home to Manchester City on Saturday in a fixture which was played out at that level in name only as the Blues fielded a squad of Under-15 and Under-16 players. Due to Monday’s FA Youth Cup appointment away to Fulham, all potential inclusions in Adi Viveash’s squad for that game were rested and so it fell on his assistant Joe Edwards to lead as young…

Chelsea will go into the Barclays Under-21 Premier League playoffs as the top seed and finish the regular season at the top of the standings courtesy of a 2-1 victory over Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday evening. The Gunners went ahead in the first half as Hector Bellerin edged the hosts into a deserved lead but the Blues responded better as the game went on and goals from…

One of the more common sub-plots to Chelsea’s season has been their prolific activity on the loan front. With more than thirty players away at other clubs, their largesse in the outgoing temporary market has attracted considerable attention; not least because it’s unheard of within English football. As the Blues’ title challenge faltered with a lack of top quality striking options, critics have been quick to point out the folly…

Chelsea secured a place in the Barclays Under-21 Premier League Semi Finals on Saturday afternoon with a 4-2 victory over West Bromwich Albion at Cobham. The Blues made sure of a top four finish and a shot at the national title with a well-earned triumph despite twice having been pegged back from ahead. Isaiah Brown opened the scoring early on against his former club and Lewis Baker kept the hosts…

Chelsea defeated Arsenal 1-0 at the Emirates Stadium on Monday night courtesy of a Charlie Colkett goal that ensured a 3-1 aggregate victory and a place in a third consecutive FA Youth Cup Final. The Blues become the first club in some sixty years to achieve such a feat and will now face West London neighbours Fulham in a two legged Final at the end of April and start of…

The final few weeks of the season aren’t just a crucial time for clubs to meet their destiny, but in many years they also represent the opportunity for a player to secure or fight for his place in his national team’s squad for an upcoming international tournament. Chelsea will have a slew of players heading to Brazil at the end of May in preparation for the FIFA World Cup but…

Chelsea’s Under-21s picked up an impressive 4-2 victory away to Aston Villa on Monday evening to continue their charge towards the post-season playoff structure in the Barclays Under-21 Premier League. John Swift opened the scoring inside five minutes but the hosts responded well and were deservedly on terms midway through the first half through Daniel Johnson, but some excellent football by the Blues was rewarded with a 3-1 half time…