Exactly one year before Armando Broja made his Chelsea first-team debut against Everton, he was a second-half substitute for a toiling Under-18 team heading for a 3-0 defeat to Arsenal, who were about to end the academy’s four-year reign as South section champions. Far from showing glimpses of the potential that would see him become one of the club’s twenty-five youngest debutants, he was so far off the radar that…
The Loan Report: Taking Stock
There was almost no loanee action last week, and there will none for the foreseeable future, as the Coronavirus public health situation continues to develop around the world. With the regular Loan Report therefore on hiatus, it provides us with a useful opportunity to take stock of this season’s army, and consider what lies in store for everyone when football eventually resumes. A Blue Tomorrow? Every loan army group can…
Academy Debutants – Who’s Next?
When Armando Broja entered the field of play at Stamford Bridge towards the end of Chelsea’s handsome 4-0 win over Everton a fortnight ago, he became the eighth academy debutant of Frank Lampard’s maiden season in charge. The Albania Under-21 international followed in the footsteps of Mason Mount, Reece James, Billy Gilmour, Tino Anjorin, Ian Maatsen, Marc Guehi and Tariq Lamptey in what has been a record-breaking campaign for academy…
The Loan Report: March 2-8
Matt Miazga leads the way in this week’s Loan Report after he celebrated a recent return to action with a goal; one generally unbecoming of centre back but, as we’ve discovered this season, he’s not like most centre-backs. Headliners His only previous goal this season came in October, when a spectacular stoppage-time volley secured Reading three points at home to Preston. The American international then missed six weeks of the…
Development Squad: Chelsea 1-0 Everton
Clinton Mola and Tariq Lamptey are gone. Charlie Brown, George McEachran and Marc Guehi have departed on loan. Levi Colwill may be done for the season injured. Faustino Anjorin, Billy Gilmour and Armando Broja are with the first team and Marcel Lavinier is trialling elsewhere. Chelsea’s Development Squad continues to be decimated by most fair standards but, as they beat Everton 1-0 courtesy of a late Luke McCormick penalty, they…
The Loan Report: February 24 – March 1
The usual protagonists were back at it again this week as the Loan Report moves into March, which means the final stage of the season is pretty much here. Headliners It’s been a pretty good season for Iké Ugbo so far; despite the tumultuous off-field affairs at struggling Roda, he’s been able to kick-start a career that had seen him endure three unsuccessful loan spells in England. He made it…
