With Easter out of the way, the final push to the finish line in the 2012-13 season has begun in earnest, and many of Chelsea’s young loanees have high stakes to play for in the final weeks of the campaign. Many of them are fighting for high rewards – titles, promotions or European qualification – but at the bottom of League One in England, Sam Walker and Billy Clifford are…
Charlton Teen Palmer Set For Chelsea?
There was an unfamiliar name in the Chelsea Under-18 line-up away to Manchester United earlier this afternoon. Midfielder Kasey Palmer started in midfield, wearing the number eight shirt for the visiting Blues. He has thus far spent the most notable period of his career at Charlton, where he has this season been playing up with the main youth team despite still being a schoolboy. A 1997-born player, he featured in…
The Loan Report: March 25 – April 1
A busy Easter weekend across Europe has given us plenty by way of talking points for the latest instalment of the Loan Report, and we begin with a couple of new goalscorers. Patrick Bamford’s second spell at League One’s MK Dons has gotten off to an excellent start as the former Nottingham Forest man has struck twice in his last two games. A regular feature now fit after a hamstring…
NextGen Series: Aston Villa 2-0 Chelsea
Chelsea’s bid to be European Under-19 Champions fell at the last hurdle on Monday evening as they lost 2-0 to Aston Villa in the NextGen Series Final. Despite dominating the first half, two penalties from Villa’s Graham Burke saw them claim the glory and follow Internazionale into the competition’s history books. Alex Kiwomya was sent off late on for a second bookable offence to compound an ultimately frustrating day for…
NextGen Series: Previewing the Final
Twenty-four teams have been whittled down to a final two in this season’s NextGen Series, as Chelsea and Aston Villa prepare to face off on Monday evening for the right to call themselves Under-19 Champions of Europe. The all-English showpiece occasion was put together on a very Good Friday for both teams. Chelsea overcame Arsenal by the odd goal in seven over 120 draining minutes at Como’s Stadio Giuseppe Chinigaglia,…
NextGen Series: Chelsea 4-3 Arsenal (AET)
Chelsea’s academy made it a fourth successive season with a Final appearance as their Under-19 team secured a place in the NextGen Series Final after a dramatic 4-3 extra time win over Arsenal Chuba Akpom had given Arsenal an early lead but a spell of three goals in ten second half minutes gave the Blues a commanding lead as Islam Feruz, Lewis Baker and Jeremie Boga all struck in quick…
NextGen Series: A Final Four Weekend in Como
The long Easter weekend is always a busy one on the football front, but it’s particularly jam-packed this year for Chelsea. Not only do the first team face the prospect of two games in the space of 48 hours, but the club’s Under-19 team head to Italy for the final stages of this season’s NextGen Series. A Friday afternoon Semi Final against Arsenal kicks off the extravaganza at Lake Como…
Under-18s: Chelsea 2-3 Bolton Wanderers
Chelsea’s Under-18s shared an entertaining five-goal affair with Bolton Wanderers on Saturday morning but unfortunately fell to a 3-2 defeat in snowy conditions at Cobham. Jesse Starkey had given the Blues a first half lead which was cancelled out by a controversial Tom Walker penalty. Bolton went ahead in the second half but were pegged back by Ambrose Gnahore’s strike before Walker clinched the points late on. Manager Adi Viveash…
Putting A Lid On The Chalobah Contract ‘Concerns’
A subject which has reared its head every few weeks since the turn of the year is supposed contract ‘situation’ Chelsea and Nathaniel Chalobah find themselves in. The England Under-21 international has a deal which currently runs through to the end of next season. This has led to general speculation that the European Champions may lose the services of one of their most talented young players. with Arsenal purported to…
Won’t Somebody Think of The Kids?
The challenge of becoming a professional footballer is fraught with peril. The dream of becoming a first team player with a top-flight side is even more precarious. Every year children as young as eight join club academies and work their way up through the age levels until a decision has to be made by academy staff as to whether they will make it to the 16+ group – in other…