CHELSEA FANS: Chelsea Youth

<span class="summary-text">Chelsea rose two places in the Under-21 
Premier League with a deserved victory in Aldershot. The Blues opened 
the scoring after 18 minutes as Jordan Houghton’s header flew beyond the
 goalkeeper and they maintained the lead until half-time.</span><br />
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Chances were fashioned at both ends in the second half but substitute
 Tammy Abraham’s introduction proved significant as he struck twice late
 on to seal the win.<br />

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<h3>
Team news</h3>
Adi Viveash made five changes from the side that started the 
Under-21s’ last outing against Tottenham three weeks previously, with <b><a href="http://thechelseaofficial.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_9.html" target="_blank">Jamal Blackman</a></b>, Dion Conroy, Andreas Christensen, Alex Kiwomya and Jeremie Boga returning.<br />

Conroy and <b>Christensen</b> formed the central defensive partnership with <b><a href="http://thechelseaofficial.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_9.html">Blackman</a>
</b> in goal and Fankaty Dabo and Ola Aina at left-back and right-back 
respectively. Ruben Loftus-Cheek and captain Jordan Houghton comprised 
the midfield trio with Boga starting in the number 10 role. Izzy Brown 
(pictured below) led the line up front supported from out wide by 
Kiwomya and Reece Mitchell.<br />

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<h3>
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First half</h3>
There was plenty of possession and probing from the young Blues in 
the opening 15 minutes but little in the way of threat to Everton keeper
 Russell Griffiths. That was until Kiwomya and Brown had a 
two-versus-two situation on the break, though with one pass too many the
 chance was snuffed out.<br />
<br />

The hosts were not so wasteful moments later as they grabbed an 
18th-minute lead courtesy of their captain. Boga’s corner from the left 
was delivered deep and hooked back into a danger area by Christensen, 
where midfielder Houghton provided the headed finish to put his side 
ahead.<br />
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Kiwomya came close to doubling the home 
side’s advantage midway through the half as he met Brown’s cross with a 
brilliant improvised flick, though Griffiths did enough to palm the ball
 away to safety.<br />
<br />

The Toffees grew stronger and were able to work themselves into some 
decent positions in the final third, though a lack of a final ball was 
limiting their threat to Chelsea’s lead. David Henen demonstrated the 
point from the left as he beat Aina on the outside but delivered a cross
 that was claimed comfortably by the Blues keeper.<br />
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Late in the half, Aina lashed a shot over the bar before Dyson went 
as close as Everton had come all evening, heading Henen’s delivery 
narrowly wide.<br />

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<h3>
Second half</h3>
The second period started with more intensity and Viveash’s side 
could have secured a two-goal advantage inside the opening 10 minutes. 
Kiwomya threatened dangerously down the right wing but his centre was 
pushed away by Griffiths, before Boga was handed a great chance to 
ripple the back of the net.<br />
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Loftus-Cheek initiated a quick Blues break as he fed Brown and the 
striker in turn supplied Boga in the box, however the Frenchman could 
not control his finish and the effort flew agonisingly over the bar.<br />
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A quiet game burst into life with a flurry of chances in the final 
half hour as Henen tested Blackman and then substitute Harry Charsley 
went close. He latched on to Liam Walsh’s forward pass but blazed over 
the crossbar.<br />
<br />

Blues sub Tammy Abraham was denied from close range as the young 
Toffees failed to clear a dangerous corner, and then Loftus-Cheek shot 
wide at the end of a powerful run from midfield that saw the 19-year-old
 leave three defenders in his wake.<br />
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The hosts did score a second goal with six minutes remaining and it 
was inspired by the substitutes. Boga advanced towards goal centrally 
and passed to the left for Palmer, who drove beyond his defender and 
drilled a low cross into the six-yard box. As so often this campaign, 
Abraham was on hand to turn the ball beyond Griffiths.<br />
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The in-form forward wasn’t finished there either as he pounced in 
stoppage time, beating the keeper to a clever little chip forward by 
Boga and slotting inside the post, netting his 38th goal of the season 
and securing the Chelsea victory.<br />

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<h3>
<br />
Reaction</h3>
Assistant manager Andy Myers reflected afterwards on a strong 
performance from the team and indicated it is evidence the players are 
still determined to challenge at the top end of the league. Speaking to 
the official Chelsea website, he said: ‘We’ve haven’t played for a while
 and have slipped down the league table in that time so obviously it’s 
important we win our games in hand.<br />
<br />

‘We knew we needed to win tonight because we’re still trying to 
challenge at the top of this league and it was a very good performance. 
We had a couple of players who were involved in the FA Youth Cup final 
last week and quite a few who haven’t played for a while so it was a bit
 of a mix. A friendly game we played last week really helped put us in a
 good position for tonight though.<br />
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‘We’re pleased to have Ruben and Andreas involved away from their first team duties and they both did very well.<br />
<br />

‘It’s going to be a difficult few weeks ahead with lots of games but 
the boys are prepared for that. They know that playing games in a short 
period of time is all part of being an elite footballer at the top level
 so they have the chance to show they can handle that now.’<br />
<br />

Next up for the Academy is the second leg of the FA Youth Cup final 
against Manchester City at Stamford Bridge. Joe Edwards’s side lead 3-1 
after the first leg and are looking to retain their crown for the first 
time since the 1960s. Tickets are currently available (maximum of 10 per
 person), priced at £5 for adults and £3 for seniors/juniors.<br />

<br />
<b>Chelsea</b> Jamal Blackman; Ola Aina (Jay Dasilva 90), Dion Conroy, 
Andreas Christensen, Fankaty Dabo; Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Jordan Houghton 
(c); Alex Kiwomya (Abraham 63), Jeremie Boga, Reece Mitchell (Kasey 
Palmer 73); Izzy Brown.<br />
<b>Unused subs</b> Mitchell Beeney, Kyle Scott<br />
<b>Scorers</b> Houghton 18; Abraham 84, 90+3<br />
<b>Booked</b> Brown<br />
<br />

<b>Everton </b>Russell Griffiths, Gethin Jones, Antonee Robinson, 
Liam Walsh, Tyias Browning, Brendan Galloway, Jonjoe Kenny, Tom Davies 
(Sam Byrne 68), Calum Dyson (Kieran Dowell 85), David Henen, Callum 
Connolly (Harry Charsley 56)<br />
<b>Unused subs</b> Ryan Ledson, Connor Hunt<br />
<b>Booked </b>Davies<br />

<b>Attendance</b> 488<br />
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By Sam Poplett<br />
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Pictures courtesy of Mark Sandom, Dan Davies and Ian Morsman<br />
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Under-21s report: Chelsea 3 Everton 0

Chelsea rose two places in the Under-21 Premier League with a deserved victory in Aldershot. The Blues opened the scoring af...

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<h2>
<span class="summary-text">After watching the Under-19s lift the UEFA
 Youth League title this week in Switzerland, Chelsea’s head of youth 
development Neil Bath has been reflecting on the achievement.</span></h2>
<br />
The young side beat Shakhtar Donetsk in the final on Monday following
 a semi-final victory over Roma three days earlier, and they impressed 
throughout the tournament. <br />
<br />
Speaking to the official Chelsea website, Bath said: ‘It really is a 
fantastic accomplishment to have won this competition. It is the 
pinnacle of youth football in Europe, with the top clubs involved, so 
the win is a huge credit to everybody involved.<br />
<br />
‘Adi Viveash [the Under-19s manager] and all the backroom staff 
deserve massive congratulations, as do the players, many of whom have 
been with us right from the start of their development. However, we must
 always acknowledge in these moments the enormous team effort that has 
gone into the development of this group of players.<br />
<br />
‘From the scouts who bring them in at a young age to the staff at 
Cobham whose job it is to then develop them, it is a complete group 
effort and therefore everybody involved in the Academy should be 
incredibly proud.’<br />
<br />
Bath highlighted the conduct of the players on and off the pitch in 
Switzerland, reporting many locals praised their style of football 
during the semi-final and final in Nyon.<br />
<br />
‘Our football has been great and I think the people who came to watch
 the two games and to support us have really enjoyed themselves. We’ve 
also been complemented about the manner in which the players and staff 
have conducted themselves on and off the pitch this week. That’s just as
 important to me as winning on the pitch.’<br />
<br />
Bath (pictured below far right) says the achievement is not just a 
reflection of Chelsea’s work in development but also an indication of 
the job being done in England in general.<br />
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‘We had eight English players starting in both games and, topped up with
 a few of the best foreign talents, that has always been our strategy in
 development. The win is great for English football as well;<br />
it’s a 
reward for the hard work going on in English academies and centres of 
excellence. English football now has the European club Under-19 
champions and the European international Under-17 champions – that says a
 lot.<br />
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‘Ultimately, it’s a wonderful success for the club and a great reward
 for the support we’ve had from the top to the bottom; from the board of
 directors to senior management and staff and right the way through to 
everybody who has worked with these players at one point or another over
 the last 10 years, plus all their families.'<br />
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Chelsea’s Under-18s are in action at Stamford Bridge later this month
 when they take on Manchester City in the FA Youth Cup final second leg.
 The game takes place on Monday 27 April, kick-off 7.45pm. <a href="http://www.chelseafc.com/tickets-membership/buytickets-online.html">Tickets are currently on general sale (maximum of 10 per person) priced at £5 for adults and £3 for juniors/seniors.</a><br />
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UEFA Youth League reaction: Team work rewarded

After watching the Under-19s lift the UEFA Youth League title this week in Switzerland, Chelsea’s head of youth development Neil...