The Blues Brief

Article by e-Chelsea Correspondent Robert Wake

e-Chelsea Weekly News Round Up

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On The Pitch

07 March – Chelsea Youth 0-3 Fulham Youth. A young Chelsea team featuring ten schoolboys were comfortably beaten by our west London neighbours at Cobham, with goals from Dean O’Halloran, Patrick Roberts and Aaron Redford.

08 March – Chelsea U21’s 1-0 Middlesbrough U21’s. Dermot Drummy's Under-21s moved into third place in the league table with victory on a mild spring afternoon in Aldershot. A second half goal from substitute Isak Ssewankambo settled the game and gave the young Blues their third consecutive league win.

08 March – Chelsea 4-0 Tottenham Chelsea recorded their third straight league victory to move seven points clear of Arsenal and Liverpool, and nine clear of Manchester City at the top of the Premiership table. After a lacklustre first-half in which the visitors played the more controlled football, Chelsea put in a much improved display after the break. The Blues took the lead on 55 minutes. Jan Vertonghen slipped under pressure from Andre Schurrle, and in attempting to clear the danger, only succeeded in playing the ball into the path of the alert Samuel Eto’o, and the Cameroon International gratefully accepted the gift, sliding the ball beneath Hugo Lloris. The game was effectively over as a contest four minutes later. Eto’o broke clear and was brought down by Younes Kaboul, who, in conceding the penalty was adjudged to have denied a clear goal-scoring opportunity, and was sent off by Referee Michael Oliver. Eden Hazard calmly stepped up to wrong-foot Lloris from the spot to double Chelsea’s advantage. With the game drawing to a low-key close, Chelsea struck twice in the last few minutes, both goals owing much to some desperate Tottenham defending. Firstly, on 88 minutes, Sandro dwelled too long on the ball deep in his own area, and was robbed by substitute Demba Ba who gleefully slammed home from close range. A minute later, Kyle Walker, almost on halfway, played a ridiculous back-pass toward Lloris, Ba, running back from the by-line, intercepted and calmly rolled the ball into an unguarded net. The final score flattered The Blues, but they took full advantage of Tottenham’s red card and defensive failings.

11 March – Newcastle Youth 2-3 Chelsea Youth. Chelsea’s youngsters continued their recent successful history in the FA Youth Cup with an exciting victory over Newcastle at St James’ Park. The Blues struck first on 18 minutes through Dominic Solanke, before the hosts replied through Olivier Kemen and Adam Armstrong to lead at the break. The visitors responded well after the interval and levelled on 52 minutes through Alex Kiwomya. Chelsea won the game with a peach of a goal from Jeremie Boga. The young French midfielder showed his quality beating two players before arrowing an unstoppable drive into the top corner from fully 30-yards. Chelsea will now meet Arsenal over two-legs in the semi-finals.

Looking Ahead

15 March – Aston Villa v Chelsea. FA Premier League. Villa Park, Saturday 15th March, 17:30hrs (GMT), Live on Sky Sports.

18 March – Chelsea (1) v Galatasaray (1). UEFA Champions league, Round of 16 second leg, Stamford Bridge, Tuesday 18th March 2014, 19:45hrs (GMT), Live on ITV.

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