This isn’t the Conor Gallagher Report just yet, but it could well be, as the stylish midfielder scored for the third week in a row to get his Charlton Athletic career off to the most flying of starts. He was joined on the score sheet this week by two of his former academy team-mates, each of whom have made much-needed positive early impressions, and one long-time member of the Loan…
Under-18s: Southampton 0-1 Chelsea
Throughout Chelsea’s recent successful seasons at academy level, the first few matches haven’t always laid a marker for what was to come. The odd hiccup early in the campaign has been a bit of a common feature and so, for Ed Brand’s latest crop of youngsters to come out of their first three matches with nine points, including trips to Arsenal and Southampton, is a very encouraging sign for the…
Development Squad: Chelsea 3-0 Liverpool
The headlines will lead with news that Michy Batshuayi and Antonio Rüdiger guided Chelsea’s Development Squad to a 3-0 win over Liverpool on Monday night but, make no mistake about it, this was a confident and swashbuckling team performance that offered all manner of encouragement for the season to come. Certainly, having two seasoned pros in the ranks helped, and Batshuayi grabbed a brace, but there were also promising outings…
The Loan Report: August 12-18
For the second week in a row, Conor Gallagher takes centre stage in the Loan Report, as he produced another decisive performance for a Charlton Athletic side already looking comfortable in the Championship. Headliners After scoring his first professional goal last weekend at home to Stoke, the reigning Academy Player of the Year was back at it this time around away to Barnsley. He struck his second goal of the…
Under-18s: Chelsea 4-3 West Ham United
The start of a new season is a typically exuberant time, full of excitement and possibility, before the grind of the ten months that follows begins to take effect. Thar wide-eyed wonder at what might be possible brings out both the best and worst in people and, in academy football, that typically means scintillating moments of promise mixed in with no little error. Throw in playing in front of Frank…
Development Squad: Derby County 0-1 Chelsea
At any given time, Chelsea have a stunning array of individual talent running through the academy, but the collective is more powerful than any single player can ever be. We’re just two games into the new season as far as the Development Squad are concerned but, on the evidence to date, we’re looking at a group capable of mixing it with anyone. They might lack for numbers, and they’re going…