8 replies to this topic

[Hutch]

From the official site:

Quote

RESERVES KICK OFF LIVE

The first team season is underway and 24 hours later the reserves begin their campaign too. Chelsea TV will show live Monday afternoon's home match against Sunderland.

The venue is Cobham so the game is not open to spectators but the TV broadcast begins at 2pm with the game shown again later in the day.

It is the first competitive game for Chelsea's second string since they were crowned national champions at this level back in May. New reserve team manager Dermot Drummy has a squad largely untouched by injury so many of those who featured regularly last season are available again.

Gokhan Tore and Jacopo Sala have moved to Hamburg and top scorer Fabio Borini is now with Parma, but top appearance maker Milan Lalkovic (pictured) remains, as do fellow striker Adam Phillip and midfielder Kaby.

Billy Clifford, Jamal Blackman and Nathaniel Chalobah were part of the first team pre season while Conor Clifford has just returned from his first call-up into the full Ireland squad. Central defender Tomas Kalas recently played in the European Under 19 Championships final, and right-back/right midfielder Todd Kane will be looking to build on an impressive first season as a full-time Academy player. It was he who netted a spectacular goal in last season's play-off final.

Drummy reports that one or two first-team squad members might be available to him this afternoon and is pleased with the shape his squad is in ahead of the match.

'The boys have trained really well, they pride themselves in terms of being fit. Results-wise our pre-season wasn't the best but it all changes when we start the league. Andre [Villas-Boas] will be watching with all his staff as well and we will be geared up for a win.'

Such is the nature of reserve football that Drummy is playing down the effect being champions might have on the season ahead.

'One week I could have one team out and the next week I could have another team out,' he points out.

'Players will go on loan. It was a great achievement last season and you want to win every game regardless of what team you put out, but you are a bit more realistic beforehand.

'The boys want to progress into the first team squad and they do have to learn a winning mentality. We will go out to win and it would be nice to win it again.'

LINK

[Hutch]

[Hutch]

The reserves (current champions let's not forget!) first game of the season was a good entertaining game. Even though we were well on top at times, playing some really nice football, the result could have gone either way.

Sunderland took the lead after 30 minutes, slack marking from a good cross which was headed in from very close range. Chelsea's equaliser came from Adam Philip who pounced on a great ball from Billy Clifford, rifling it into the back of the net. A few minutes later, Patrick Van Aanholt gave us the lead with an excellent piece of individual goal, running into the box and slamming the ball into the back of the net from a narrow angle.

Into the second half, Sunderland equalised again from close range, but with 10 minutes or so to go, Milan Lalkovic scored what proved to be the winning goal. Overall, we looked very good going forward but were at times a little suspect at the back.

Interesting suggestion that Daniel Sturridge might have played, in order to keep up his fitness while still suspended. On the other hand, it was "only a reserves game" and Sunderland are a big, physical side, so the risk of injury may have been the deciding factor.

Another question: Does Van Aanholt captaining the side, with Ryan Bertrand nowhere in sight, provide any kind of clue as to which of these two might be going out on loan?

[Eggy McMuffin]

Cheers for the write up Hutch.

When you say that we looked suspect at the back, was it midfielders not tracking runs or was it actually our defenders? I have high hopes for Kalas, Aanholt and Kane.

In relation to your question on Aanholt vs Bertrand, could reserve games be classed as a shop window for Aanholt? I'd rather see him go out on loan to work on the defensive side of the game, personally.

[Hutch]

Both Sunderland goals were scored from close range, the first a free header from a couple of yards out, so you'd have to put it down to poor marking/defensive lapses. On the other hand, it was their first game back so it's a little too early to be over-critical.

Agree about Van Aanholt - bundles of talent but very attack minded, and seemed to be more in evidence in the Sunderland half than in defence.

[Hutch]

Match report from the official site:

Quote

CHELSEA 3 SUNDERLAND 2

Summary
The national reserve champions began the new campaign with an entertaining win, coming back from a goal down with goals from Adam Phillip and Patrick Van Aanholt before half-time but conceding an equaliser in the second half. Milan Lalkovic won the match late on.

The Blues second string looked good going forward but there is room for improvement at the back.

Team news
The side contained many players who were at the core of the team last season but Rhys Taylor who was on loan last campaign was in goal. Patrick van Aanholt was the one member of the first team squad involved. Tomas Kalas played his first game since reaching the European Under 19 Championship final with Czech Republic and Conor Clifford his first match since sitting on the bench for the full Republic of Ireland team.

First-half
It was an uneventful start to what proved to be an entertaining game held at the training ground at Cobham. Sunderland got bodies in the way to block from Kaby early on but there was no real threat on either goal until a testing Sunderland cross was cleared over his own bar by Van Aanholt, who took a knock in the process. Whipped-in balls from the visitors would continue to pose problems.

Just past the quarter of an hour, Lalkovic played the ball quickly to Phillip but the closely marked centre-forward ran out of room before he could find the chance to shoot.

Rhys Taylor was quickly off his line to snuff out danger on 20 minutes when former Chelsea youth player Billy Knott threaded a ball into the area. Sunderland were asking as many questions of Chelsea as we were of them.

The visitors won a corner on 26 minutes which was looped towards goal by a header. Taylor did well to tip it over. The Wales Under 21 keeper then claimed the follow-up corner.

Taylor was powerless however to prevent the game's opener a minute later as Chelsea were caught open at the back. Jordan Cook popped up on the opposite wing to normal and crossed. Centre-forward Oumare Tounkara was able to head in from almost under the crossbar.

The equaliser came on 34 minutes and Billy Clifford, today playing in a wide attacking position, was the architect. He exchanged passes with Jacob Mellis and then chipped a delicate ball over the defence for Adam Phillip to control and finish. Last season's second top scorer at this level was underway.

Clifford wasn't far away from curling in a goal of his own soon after, Sunderland having just had a penalty appeal turned down.

Chelsea's second goal arrived before the break and it was another quality effort. Van Aanholt sprinted down the left and was found by Kaby who had previously shown good ability to spread the play. The Dutch left-back belted his shot across the keeper and into the far bottom corner. Before half-time, Phillip shot over from close range.

Second-half
Chelsea were only inches away from scoring within a minute of the restart when Lalkovic headed over after Billy Clifford had battled past the full-back and crossed deep.

Five minute later John Egan got up for Sunderland at the far post but headed a Knott corner wide and Chelsea came back at them again, Billy Clifford giving Todd Kane the chance to pick out Kaby. The Portuguese midfielder was denied by the fast reactions of the keeper, Trevor Carson.

Taylor then had to save from Tounkara to keep his side ahead. It was a lively opening to the second half. Van Aanholt very nearly caught Carson out with a shot from distance but having not taken chances, Chelsea allowed Sunderland to pull the scores level. Again the ball was delivered from out wide, again the defending wasn't the best, and RoarieDeacon who had only just come on tapped in.

For a spell Sunderland were in the ascendant. Taylor made a double save, denying 's follow-up attempt and Carl Magnay made an excellent blocking tackle as 9 was pulling the trigger.

Chelsea recovered composure and on 77 minutes took the lead. From his own half, Mellis spotted the chance to give Lalkovic a chase and played the ball over the top. The Slovakian's pace was always going to be enough to keep him ahead of his chasers and he finished it off with a right-foot shot.

The Blues had been the better side for a while but there was an escape when James Armstrong shot wide after Kalas hadn't initially cut out a high ball. The visitors exerted further pressure but Chelsea held on.

The manager
'I was very pleased to get a winning start,' said Dermot Drummy. 'I believe they are still getting their fitness up and we let Sunderland play a little too much for my liking, but the application was there and to get a goal late on when Sunderland had the edge for a period was great for our mentality.

'We need to work more on our game off the ball and we will do that but overall we are pleased with the goals we scored but we were a bit sloppy with the goals we let in.

'The moves for the goals were great. We do a lot of technical work and you try to get the boys to move the ball like the first team and see things on the pitch and be inventive, but they mustn't forget it isn't just about playing that type of football, they must also be hard to beat.'

Chelsea (4-3-3): Rhys Taylor; Todd Kane, Tomas Kalas, Carl Magnay, Patrick van Aanholt ©; Jacob Mellis (Rohan Ince 90+2), Conor Clifford, Kaby (George Saville 81); Billy Clifford (Marko Mitrovic 72), Adam Phillip, Milan Lalkovic.
Unused subs Jamal Blackman, Aziz Deen-Conteh.

Sunderland (4-1-4-1): Trevor Carson; Louis Laing, John Egan, Matthew Kilgallon, Michael Liddle; Adam Reed; Jordan Cook, James Armstrong, Billy Knott (RoarieDeacon 60); James McClean (Adam Mitchell 60), Oumare Tounkara.
Unused subs Jordan Pickford, Liam Bagnall, Jordan Laidler.

LINK

[midlandblue]

thanks Hutch

[ScandiBlue]

A few good performances from our lads and Sunderland were pretty decent as well. I think a few of the Sunderland side were from the youth side we beat first round last year but this side were much better at keeping the ball.

I'd like to see Rhys Taylor get a move out on loan to allow Jamal get a full season of reserves football. I'm glad that Dermot has stepped up, hopefully some of his youth side do so with him, a lot of them are of a higher standard than the bracket ahead of them in my opinion.

[mad_mac]

Cheers mate