| FA Youth Cup -- Chelsea 18:49 - Dec 1 with 502 views | bwildered |
Alas today's crop of youths could not emulate the class of 2004 and cause a cup exit of this seasons holders .
The young U 's were a goal down within a minute when the Chelsea striker run on to sloppy play and scored on off the far post .
Despite the set back the U's earn a early corner which is not cleared and the U's slot home .
Any thoughts of being level are soon dispelled when Chelsea striker runs at the U 's holding off his man and shots home to punishes the U's for not closing down tighter.
A rapid start within ten minutes,but thereafter the game settles down, with Chelsea looking more composed with the second with some crisp passing.
On the half hour mark Chelsea striker slips his man and gets to the by line where he is fouled by his marker and the responding penalty is tucked away to give the holders a two goal lead .
This almost becomes three when a placed shot hits the base of the post on half time.
After the break a shot ten minutes cannons off the bar and is cleared by the U's defence but the youths respone with a good work in winning the ball and the feed wide where a great ball across the box is hit home at the far post and the U's are now back in the game .
The holders seem to settle at this score line and look to knock the ball about but the young U's are scenting a leveller and almost get one but when a cross is met in the box it is directed straight at the keeper.
Several subs are used and the Chelsea camp start using time delay tactics to slow the game down . With minutes to go a quick break after winning the ball in midfield sees the visitors keeper make a vital near post save which sees his side home to victory .
So the young U 's bow out of the Youth cup without disgrace and although the score line might make the game tighter that suggests ,no lack of effort and commitment can fault the U's performance.
Perhaps overwhelmed at the start and conceding early did not help the cause, I might seem harsh and one has to remember the lads age the U's one has to remember are opponents are a top academy out fit and have a premium in pick of youth team players throughout the country ,so great credit to the lads today and where rewarded in there efforts in a crowd just over 1,000.
Despite the result a entertaining game, and a great learning curve of the players in their future careers .
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| FA Youth Cup -- Chelsea on 10:31 - Dec 2 with 480 views | noah4x4 |
Shame the First XI were away on a jolly. This was guile & skill versus guts & character. A few might have learned something.
In the first half, Chelsea were leagues ahead (as they should be) with slick passing, brilliant control and especially first touch and positioning. Reminded me of Milton Keynes a week ago when the franchise was humming all over us. The U's boys were marking zones and hence chasing ghostly shadows. So it was U's 1-3 Chelsea at half time, and had Joe Dunne been there, I envisage him again saying 'it might have been ten'.
The half time whistle blew - allowing Tony Humes and Wayne Brown to get into the heads of our youngsters and give them a Plan B" (which was sadly lacking at MK Stadium). The U's started brightly.
Instantly, the U's looked better drilled, and were marking men not zones, and were also pushing up higher preventing Chelsea from so easily playing it from the back. Once again this reminded me of what MK Dons did to us, except this time it was a U's side piling on the pressure. Soon, the blue and white stripes were rewarded by a superbly carved goal and it was 2 -3 and game on. There followed 40 minutes of intense entertainment where although the U's were second best as regards guile, agility & skill; they won the effort, perspiration & guts battle; and hence the half 1 - 0. The First XI to please note and be inspired by such courage.
U's piled on pressure in the closing minutes, and with Chelsea professionally running down the clock (including some cynical fouls, rightly booked), it had us musing, what happens if a draw at 90 minutes - extra time? With the rugby deadlocked at England 0 - 0 New Zealand (sounds boring), we were baying for more of the round ball, such was the second half entertainment.
But no luck, Chelsea sneaked it, and we were in the pub early enough to see England's first points and a glorious victory over the All Blacks, whilst the 'proper' Chelsea came a cropper at West Ham. It strikes me that we have far more to be encouraged about than the other CFC given the highly credible performance of our youth.
But what a shame that the First XI couldn't be bothered to turn up, when over 1,000 fans did, and may again for Mondays U 21 game versus Charlton and to ask the awkward questions at the Season ticket holders Q & A event. Guess many of you can't attend, so please use this thread to post questions, and I will see if we can get them on the agenda.
[Post edited 1 Jan 1970 1:00]
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| FA Youth Cup -- Chelsea on 15:58 - Dec 7 with 424 views | RSCOSWORTH |
Thanks for the reports and views guys, sounds like we were a little unlucky but at least you got to see an entertaining game. |  |
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