Chelsea’s 2011-12 FA Youth Cup campaign got underway in successful fashion on Wednesday night with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Doncaster Rovers at Staines Town’s Wheatsheaf Park. In keeping with last season’s form in the competition, the Blues went behind to a very early goal but responded well and goals from John Swift and Lucas Piazon – his first for the club – ensured safe passage into the fourth round….
With a number of young Chelsea players currently battling a range of injuries, it’s time for a brief look into how the stricken lads are getting on in their fights back towards full fitness. Centre-back Daniel Pappoe will miss out on captaining Adie Viveash’s team in their FA Youth Cup tie at home to Doncaster Rovers tomorrow night with a knee problem suffered away to Liverpool in late October. He…
The FA Youth Cup has been kind to Chelsea in the past few years as the Blues have won the competition once in addition to (ultimately unsuccessful) runs to both the final and semi-final. The 2011-12 campaign gets underway this week with a ‘home’ tie against Doncaster Rovers, to be played at Staines Town’s Wheatsheaf Park ground. It’s a somewhat unusual choice of venue, but FA regulations demand that matches…
After a busier couple of weeks on the loan front, things returned to a state of near normality in the past seven days, with a series of solid if unspectular outings alongside your usual helping of frustration. It was a case of the defensive players making an impact this week with clean sheets for both Tomas Kalas and Jeffrey Bruma, whilst goalkeeper Sam Walker enjoyed better days than they generally…
George Saville, Chelsea’s young versatile midfielder, revealed on Twitter this afternoon that he has signed a new long-term deal with the club. The 18 year-old has signed a four-year contract to extend his stay at Stamford Bridge until the summer of 2015. It’s a big show of faith and commitment from the club to a player who continues to develop and impress. In his eleven appearances for Dermot Drummy’s reserve…
Reports in Poland this week suggest that 16 year-old goalkeeper Dominik Dyk is close to sealing a move to Chelsea, perhaps as early as this week. Przeglad Sportowy revealed that the youngster arrived in England on Sunday and will put pen to paper on a scholarship deal on Thursday. The deal has been struck involving famed ‘super agent’ Pini Zahavi. Dyk has been playing competitive adult football since the age…
Conor Clifford scored the first goal of his fledgling professional career in another week of highs and lows for Chelsea’s young loan starlets. The Irish Under-21 international capped the final week of his month-long spell at Yeovil Town by scoring for the first time in senior football in Friday night’s FA Cup victory away to Fleetwood Town. Clifford – playing at the top of a midfield diamond – scored midway…
So, Sam Hutchinson is back. You’ll all have seen by now that Chelsea announced on Thursday that the young defender has penned an eighteen-month contract after a similar length of time ‘officially’ retired from the game. Supporters are obviously delighted to see such an obviously passionate young man – and a Chelsea fan to boot – try and make another concerted attempt to take full advantage of his undoubted abilities,…
Reserve team football can often be uninspiring, lukewarm affairs, but a pulsating West London derby was played out on Monday night at Motspur Park as Fulham and Chelsea shared four goals in a game of two halves. First half strikes by Orlando Sá and Tom Donegan had Billy McKinlay’s team well in control but a fantastic turnaround capped by goals by Milan Lalkovic and Nathaniel Chalobah earned the Blues a…
Defender Jeffrey Bruma and Thibaut Courtois were both amongst the headline makers this weekend in an eventful seven days on the loan front. Bruma notched his second goal of the season for HSV as Thorsten Fink’s side continued their recent good form, but it was bad news for Courtois, who was sent off early in the Madrid derby. The giant Belgian custodian went into his first career match at the…