News on Tuesday confirmed what has long been suspected around Chelsea. Dominic Solanke, unable agree terms on a new contract at the club, will become a free agent on July 1st, and has agreed to join Premier League rivals Liverpool. The disappointment is palpable yet the predictability of it somewhat tempers the frustration. All paths have been leading up to this since the start of the season as Chelsea’s stance…
The Loan Report: May 22-29
The final Loan Report of the season contains joy and despair in equal measure, with big matches at home and across Europe closing out the campaign for the remaining Chelsea players out on loan. We start at Wembley. Headliners It’s been a season for the ages for Huddersfield Town, who defied pre-season expectations of a mid-table finish at best to fight for promotion from the outset. After making their way…
The Loan Report: May 15-21
The penultimate Loan Report of the season doesn’t have any goals, but instead ties up a host of loose ends in a campaign that has seen more than 70,000 minutes played over more than 1000 matches by in excess of 40 players, some of whom are still playing for silverware. Headliners Juan Cuadrado, however, claimed two trophies this week as Juventus completed an Italian league and cup double. By winning…
Development Squad: Reflections on the 2016-17 Season
Neatly juxtaposed alongside the euphoria and excitement that typically comes with a Chelsea Under-18 season is the reality of the challenge the same players face when they make the step up into Under-23 Development Squad football. The journey isn’t linear and the jump isn’t the same as it is from Under-16 to Under-18 football. They’re now playing against opponents often well into their 20s, occasionally against seasoned pros returning from…
Under-18s: Reflections on the 2016-17 Season
In the immediate aftermath of the Under-18s’ 13-0 drubbing of Brighton in February – their win in more than 50 years – Jody Morris remarked, ‘imagine if we’d have had our shooting boots on today’, without a hint of sarcasm. In setting the highest of standards for his youngsters, the academy product from West London who made the same journey his young charges are now embarking upon – all the…
The Loan Report: May 8-14
For a while this week it appeared that a diminished Chelsea Loan Army might finally see their streak of scoring in every full week of the 2016-17 club season come to an end. Then Lewis Baker netted with his final touch in a Vitesse shirt to score the 126th goal of a mammoth campaign by the loan group, setting a new club record in the process. Headliners Vitesse finished the…
Chelsea’s Record-Breaking Under-18s
What a year it’s been for Chelsea’s Under-18s. Jody Morris’ side swept all before them in the 38 year-old’s first season in full charge of the youth team after stepping up from Assistant Manager last summer, and they did so in record-setting style. Previous markers were sent crashing and modern-era bests were established as the Premier League Southern section and National titles were added to yet another FA Youth Cup…
Under-18s: Chelsea 3-0 Reading
It was truly an historic Friday. League titles were secured by Chelsea at all levels, with Antonio Conte’s first team following in the remarkable footsteps of Jody Morris’ Under-18s, who completed the third and final leg of an unprecedented treble as they beat Reading 3-0 at Cobham to add the Under-18 Premier League crown to their Southern section and FA Youth Cup triumphs. For Michy Batshuayi, see Conor Gallagher, Harvey…