It’s been a rather action-packed seven days on the loan front with a number of teams and players in action twice. For the first time as a Chelsea player, Kevin de Bruyne is this week’s headline act. The Belgian international turned in a performance of the highest order when his team needed it most, scoring one and creating the other two goals as Genk beat Gent 3-1 in midweek to…
The Rest Of The Season
Yesterday’s goalless draw at home to Tottenham put a serious, perhaps fatal dent in Chelsea’s aspirations of a top four finish and a Champions League place for the 2012-13 season. With the Blues facing a five-point deficit and a much harder run-in to the end of the season, questions must now be asked as to what the club’s approach to the remaining eight weeks of the campaign is. The first…
Youths & Reserves Win As Mellis Departs
Chelsea’s Reserve team continued a fine week across all levels for the Blues with a 4-2 win away to Newcastle on Monday night. A brace from Romelu Lukaku – taking the Belgian to seven goals in as many games – and one apiece from Nathaniel Chalobah and Billy Clifford secured an impressive three points for Dermot Drummy’s men. They won’t be successfully defending their national title from last May but…
The Loan Report: March 12-18
It’s been another successful week for Chelsea’s young loan stars, and we’ll turn the headlines over to one who has today picked up his first winner’s medal in professional football. Ben Gordon was part of the Kilmarnock side which pulled off an improbable upset in the Scottish League Cup Final, defeating Celtic 1-0 courtesy of Dieter van Tornhout’s 83rd minute winner to secure the trophy for the first time. Gordon…
FA Youth Cup: Manchester United 1-2 Chelsea
Chelsea put themselves into a strong position in the FA Youth Cup with a 2-1 first leg victory away to Manchester United on Friday night. Goals from Amin Affane and Islam Feruz secured a vital victory for the Blues in the opening game of the Semi Final, and they will host their opponents at Stamford Bridge in some ten days time or so with an advantage to play with. As…
FA Youth Cup Preview: It’s United vs Chelsea Again…
For the fourth time in five years, Chelsea have reached the Semi Final stage of the FA Youth Cup. As has become the norm now, there’s been no shortage of drama along the way as the comeback kids have produced staggering turnarounds against West Ham United and Nottingham Forest en route to the final four. In fact, the Blues have only led for less than an hour of this year’s…
David Luiz: Back To Basics?
David Luiz is undeniably a cult hero around Stamford Bridge. His flair-filled performances have won many admirers, who leap to defend him in the face of what is often unwarranted criticism in the media. Sure, he’s a little unconventional and has made mistakes, but equally, he’s put in some very good performances, none of which get the credit they’ve deserved. However, over the last few matches, there’s been a noticeable…
Chelsea To Join NextGen Series
Chelsea have announced this morning that they have signed a three-year deal to enter the NextGen Series from next season. After the relative success of the inaugural campaign, the Blues have agreed to join a competition they were involved in trialling during the 2010-11 season when they played both Bayern Munich and Celtic in friendly matches. The NextGen Series is an Under-19 competition featuring some of Europe’s most prestigious names…
Former Blues Watch: Volume One
For the better part of the last decade, Chelsea have earned a reputation as a club which does not give youth a fair chance at senior level. Whatever the merits of that argument, it typically leads to the suggestion that players of sufficient quality are not being produced. Again, that much can be debated, but what is certain is that an ever-growing number of Blues academy products are making an…
The Loan Report: March 5-11
It was a week like many others this season the loan front as the usual movers and shakers developing away from Stamford Bridge continued in the same vein as they have for many recent weeks and months. Thibaut Courtois typically headlines the group, with the 19 year-old Belgian goalkeeper arguably the most competent and first-team ready of all Blues youngsters on loan this season. He added two more wins to…