The final Loan Report of the 2012-13 season sees us catch up on the few young Chelsea starlets who are for some reason still playing domestic European football in early June, as well as the usual round-up of the two South American based youngsters. Jhon Pírez will rarely be afforded the opportunity to feature as the main man of the week, but the injury-embattled Uruguayan forward seized his moment this…
Loanee Review: Nathaniel Chalobah
To round up the 2012-13 youth football season at Chelsea, we’re reviewing every single one of the Chelsea youngsters currently on the books who have spent time out on loan during the campaign. Here, we focus on Nathaniel Chalobah. Club: Watford Appearances: 42 (5 goals) The Story Well, where do you begin with young Nathaniel? A transfer deadline day move to Watford promised much last summer but it’s safe to…
Loanee Review: Matej Delac
To round up the 2012-13 youth football season at Chelsea, we’re reviewing every single one of the Chelsea youngsters currently on the books who have spent time out on loan during the campaign. Here, we focus on Matej Delac. Club: Vitória SC (Portugal), Inter Zapresic (Croatia) Appearances: 1 (Vitória), 16 (Inter) The Story Delac’s young yet problematic career has sort of some full circle this season as he’s ended up…
Loanee Review: Jeffrey Bruma
To round up the 2012-13 youth football season at Chelsea, we’re reviewing every single one of the Chelsea youngsters currently on the books who have spent time out on loan during the campaign. Here, we focus on Jeffrey Bruma. Club: Hamburg (Germany) Appearances: 18 (1 goal) The Story Jeffrey Bruma’s two-year loan at Hamburg can only be described as a failure, even to the most optimistic follower. Consigned to backup…
The Loan Report: May 20-27
On a weekend where some of the remaining young Chelsea loanees could have experienced the glory of coming out on the winning side with huge stakes at play, they instead felt the heartbreaking side of football. Nowhere was this more on display than at Wembley Stadium on Monday afternoon, where Nathaniel Chalobah and Watford took on Crystal Palace in ‘football’s most expensive match’, with a place in the Premier League…
Natters With The Chels – Tim Rolls
In our final ‘Natters With The Chels’ this season, we had a chat with Interim Chair of the Chelsea Supporters Trust, Tim Rolls, after our final home game of the season against Everton last Sunday. TC: Are you pleased with the generally positive reception that the Chelsea Supporters Trust has had? TR: I am. We’ve only been in existence three or four months. We’ve got over a thousand members, we’ve…
Youth & Under-21 Season Review: Part Four – Best of 2012-13
As we do every year, it’s time to finish the Youth and Under-21 season review with a look back at some of the best moments of the last ten months, as we’ve been thoroughly well entertained by the next generation of Chelsea footballers once again. Youth Team Reaching the finals of the FA Youth Cup and the NextGen Series…Enjoying an eleven game unbeaten run to start the Under-18 league season…Winning…
Loanee Review: Gael Kakuta
To round up the 2012-13 youth football season at Chelsea, we’re reviewing every single one of the Chelsea youngsters currently on the books who have spent time out on loan during the campaign. Here, we focus on Gael Kakuta. Club: Vitesse Arnhem (Netherlands) Appearances: 22 (1 goal) The Story Last season was another step closer to Gael Kakuta fulfilling at least some of his potential, but at the same time…
Youth & Under-21 Season Review: Part Three – Internationals
As usual, it was another busy and hectic campaign on the international front in the Chelsea academy, with a smattering of maiden international calls for players past and present alongside the veritable wealth of youngsters working their way through the respective national youth ranks around the world. Ryan Bertrand, now a highly visible product of the academy (with over 30 appearances this season in all competitions, he’s very much established),…
Loanee Review: Romelu Lukaku
To round up the 2012-13 youth football season at Chelsea, we’re reviewing every single one of the Chelsea youngsters currently on the books who have spent time out on loan during the campaign. Here, we focus on Romelu Lukaku. Club: West Bromwich Albion Appearances: 38 (17 goals) The Story As Chelsea’s sole Premier League loanee, Romelu Lukaku has often taken centre stage this season with Blues fans afforded ample opportunities…