Chelsea got their FA Youth Cup campaign underway with a 4-0 win over Dartford at Aldershot’s Electrical Services Stadium on Thursday night. A tie pitting a team which has made the last two finals of the competition against the lowest ranked club remaining was always likely to prove a one-sided affair and so it proved, as Dominic Solanke grabbed a hat-trick and Fankaty Dabo scored another as the Blues strolled…
2013-14 FA Youth Cup Preview: All Change?
No other club can claim to have an FA Youth Cup record even approaching that of Chelsea’s in recent years. The Blues have twice won the prestigious junior age group tournament in the last six years, whilst they have also lost a final and made the last four in the 2010-11 season. It stands to reason that we can expect an assault on what would be a third consecutive appearance…
Under-19s Complete Perfect UEFA Youth League Group Stage
Chelsea’s Under-19 team can look forward to playing in the knockout phase of the inaugural UEFA Youth League in the new year after rounding off a thoroughly emphatic group phase with a resounding 5-0 win over Steaua Bucharest at Cobham this evening. John Swift, Islam Feruz, Alex Kiwomya and Ambrose Gnahore were all on the scoresheet as Dermot Drummy’s side ensured a 100% group record – the only such one…
The Loan Report: December 2-8
It’s a Vitesse Arnhem kind of week. Chelsea’s Dutch affiliate club made quite the statement this past Saturday evening when they took on PSV Eindhoven in the marquee fixture of the weekend in the Eredivisie, coming away from the Philips Stadion with an emphatic 6-2 victory. With Blues loanees contributing to every one of the goals, it makes sense to begin with them. Headliners Lucas Piazon, Patrick van Aanholt and…
Under-21 Cup: Cardiff City 0-4 Chelsea
Chelsea’s debut in the inaugural Barclays Under-21 Premier League Cup saw an emphatic 4-0 win away to Cardiff City as the Blues booked themselves a home date against London rivals West Ham in the Quarter Finals. Lewis Baker’s first half penalty separated the two sides at the end of a quiet first half but a rampant display thereafter saw Alex Kiwomya and Jeremie Boga come off the bench to add…
The Loan Report: November 25 – December 1
Another week of loanee action and, as usual, we have some goalscorers to talk about as the total tally for strikes by those temporarily away from Chelsea ticked past the 60 mark… Headliners Romelu Lukaku has been responsible for a fair number of those, and in a week where he has made headlines for what he hasn’t said as much as what he has – and he’s not afraid of…
John Swift: Making Progress
When he rifled an unstoppable shot into Christian Baldinger’s top corner away to Basel on Matchday Five of the UEFA Youth League earlier this week, John Swift reached something of a landmark. His eighth goal of the season came in his 12th outing of the campaign. That’s a pretty good strike rate merely in isolation, but take into account that it had taken him his previous 70 appearances at Under-18/19/21…
The Loan Report: November 18-24
The first club action after yet another international break saw perhaps the most productive weekend of loanee productivity so far in the 2013-14 season, with no fewer than six goals being scored at home and abroad. Romelu Lukaku, Patrick Bamford, Lucas Piazon and Gael Kakuta all made their marks in impressive individual outings and each deserve a share of the headlines. Headliners Lukaku took centre stage with the marquee game…
A Giant Leap To The Small Screen
Since making its debut, the Chelsea Football Fancast has gained a cult following, winning a prestigious Football Blogging Award in 2012 for Best Podcast, and subsequently moving to live audio broadcast via Mixlr. This season however, the team said goodbye to their ancestral home at the Putney Station bar and took a giant leap on to the small screen, with the show now broadcast live on Sports Tonight Live HD…
Polish Youngster Close To Blues Deal
In the latest of what is now an annual casting of the net far and wide across Europe in a bid to snare the finest young talent ahead of schedule, Chelsea are close to sealing a deal for 15 year-old Polish playmaker Hubert Adamczyk. A small and versatile playmaker who favours playing just behind the forward, Adamczyk has had several trial periods with the Blues’ academy throughout 2013, culminating with…