Chelsea Reserve & Youth Team

[Bob Singleton]

Talk that Heerenveen are interested in taking Charlie Webster on loan for the season.  Could be a good move for him. He's looked good in the various academy sides and has trained with the first team squad from time to time this season.  Dutch league is quite technical so would help on the skills side. Then hopefully a loan to a decent Championship side to "toughen up"  before possibly returning to Cobham to make a stake for a permanent squad place?

[Bison]

56 minutes ago, Bob Singleton said:

Talk that Heerenveen are interested in taking Charlie Webster on loan for the season.  Could be a good move for him. He's looked good in the various academy sides and has trained with the first team squad from time to time this season.  Dutch league is quite technical so would help on the skills side. Then hopefully a loan to a decent Championship side to "toughen up"  before possibly returning to Cobham to make a stake for a permanent squad place?

I'm sure Webster only has one year left on his contract? Unless he signs an extension he can't go out on loan.

What an incredible talent. Being that good at 18 years old is crazy. 

Doing things Chilwell and Cucurella couldn't do if their lives depended on it. 

[Bob Singleton]

5 minutes ago, Bison said:

I'm sure Webster only has one year left on his contract? Unless he signs an extension he can't go out on loan.

 

Correct. Old contract ran out this summer but he signed a 1 year extension in January.  I can see him as the sort of player Pochettino would like, so hopefully he'll be convinced to extend his stay further.

 

[ROTG]

Well done to Levi  for making the England senior team. Please do not listen to Marc career advise.  😄

[Bison]

Amazing news.

[Bob Singleton]

2 hours ago, Bison said:

Amazing news.

Good news indeed.  Hope we can extend Charlie Webster's deal beyond summer 2024

[Bob Singleton]

 

[Ham]

This makes so much sense. He'll instill a sense of what it takes and the kids will love the fact that they're dealing with JT every day. 

💙

 

[Bob Singleton]

Was about to post the same

[chara]

Bet you all smiled as much as me after reading the JT news.... nice antidote of sorts for the sour taste of the MM saga.😁

[RDCW]

Excellent news. He is back where he belongs.

[ROTG]

 

Not a good day at the office

[chiswickblue]

2 hours ago, ROTG said:

 

Not a good day at the office

Not good, but the team was missing at least 6 players due to their involvement with the first team.

[ROTG]

3 minutes ago, chiswickblue said:

Not good, but the team was missing at least 6 players due to their involvement with the first team.

Cheers - Kind of eluded to that under the Wimbledon match forum 

why the club didn’t leave the players with U21 is a bit strange IMO, especially when both teams Wimbledon & MK Dons are in the same division  

[chiswickblue]

9 hours ago, ROTG said:

Cheers - Kind of eluded to that under the Wimbledon match forum 

why the club didn’t leave the players with U21 is a bit strange IMO, especially when both teams Wimbledon & MK Dons are in the same division  

To be fair I don't think they really moved anyone up from the U21s specifically for this match, it's just that given all of the injuries the likes of Bergström, Humphries, Moreira and Burstow are already with the first team. Several of them would probably be on loan rather than with the U21s if the first team allowed it. In general it's a young U21 team and they also have some injuries.

[Bison]

I miss being able to fire up a YouTube stream and watch academy boys play on a Friday night. It was a good way to see the emerging talent and learn about their games. Surely the cost of streaming academy games wasn't that much for the club?

Edited September 22, 2023 by Bison

[Ham]

57 minutes ago, Bison said:

I miss being able to fire up a YouTube stream and watch academy boys play on a Friday night. It was a good way to see the emerging talent and learn about their games. Surely the cost of streaming academy games wasn't that much for the club?

It's like they've forgotten. No explanation as to why they aren't all on the 5th Stand.  City are streaming it. 

[Ham]

 

 

[Floyd25]

Was able to catch the game on the City app as we’re not interested in showing the games anymore. Was very impressed with that performance, in particular Matos who I’ve not seen play before, reads the game exceptionally well, Dyer likewise technically very good and only 16, winning goal from Brooking was fantastic. 

[Ham]

16 minutes ago, Floyd25 said:

Was able to catch the game on the City app as we’re not interested in showing the games anymore. Was very impressed with that performance, in particular Matos who I’ve not seen play before, reads the game exceptionally well, Dyer likewise technically very good and only 16, winning goal from Brooking was fantastic. 

It can't win goal of the month for Chelsea without them streaming it though. 

50 yard run and finish. 

[Bison]

58 minutes ago, Ham said:

It's like they've forgotten. No explanation as to why they aren't all on the 5th Stand.  City are streaming it. 

City were steaming it for £5. We had it good but no more. 

[paulw66]

Did anyone see that stat the other night, after Colwill made his England debut, that 13 out of the last 50 England debutants had spent either all or most of their footballing education at Cobham.

26%

That's absurd. When Roman set up the academy all those years ago, it really was a long term project that has yielded a LOT of fruit.

[ROTG]

4 hours ago, paulw66 said:

Did anyone see that stat the other night, after Colwill made his England debut, that 13 out of the last 50 England debutants had spent either all or most of their footballing education at Cobham.

26%

That's absurd. When Roman set up the academy all those years ago, it really was a long term project that has yielded a LOT of fruit.

Also a lot of praise should go the Frank Arnessen and Micheal Emenalo for keeping the project going when head coaches were not so keen on the idea. 
 

it took ~10 - 15 years for it to yeld fruit, should the same expectations be give to the first team project 😀

[Dwmh]

1 hour ago, ROTG said:

Also a lot of praise should go the Frank Arnessen and Micheal Emenalo for keeping the project going when head coaches were not so keen on the idea. 
 

it took ~10 - 15 years for it to yeld fruit, should the same expectations be give to the first team project 😀

Arnesen was here 2005-10. Emenalo 2010-17.

So the big question about success is which is true?

• A.  Arnesen and his coaches found some magic sauce to Marinate ordinary youngsters
• B.  Competent coaching from 8 years onwards leads to stars
• C.  We got our pick of the best 8 years olds about 2006/7 

Looking at successful chelsea players now, and we are talking from
(useful fuller link for this that can be sorted by age:  https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/fc-chelsea/jugendarbeit/verein/631)

Born 1996/97:  RLC, Boga, Clarke-Salter, Tomori, Abraham, Solanke

Born 1998:  no one of interest

Born 1999:  Mount, James, (Declan Rice)
Born 2000:  Lamptey, CHO, Gallagher, Guehi

Born 2001:  Anjorin, Broja, Gilmour
Born 2002:   Livamento
Born 2003:  Vale, Gilchrist, Colwill, (Musiala)
Born 2004:  Hall

I've left out the  likes of Ake, Christensen or Maatsen who arrived at the age of 16+.

We do seem to have had an early wave of talent, but the really good outcomes seem to have been from 1999 = players who were 8 in 2007  & 2000.
I know players may still surprise us, but to me only Colwill and Musiala

For my money the evidence supports B and for 2005-2010 C, but not A.
Solid Training from 8 worked for Chelsea but it works for other clubs too.
Chelsea grabbed the lions share of very young talent from 2006-09 but are only getting a fair share of it now, with talent being spread around more.

Saka for example joined Arsenal aged 7.  Bellingham joined the U-8s at Birmingham.  Grealish joined Villa at 7.  I recognise that club U-8 teams meant a different level of commitment at different clubs back then, but it does appear that proper coaching of kids from the age of 8 does have a big impact on player development.*

 

We do seem to have had an early wave of talent, but the really good outcomes seem to have been from 1999/2000 = players who were 8 in 2007 &8.
I know players may still surprise us, but to me only Colwill and Musiala are standing out now.   I can't see anyone standing out in younger ager groups

 

 

*Either that or the ones that succeed are the ones who are so committed to football that they want to join a big club and play without their schoolmates an hour's travel away at 8 (and/or have parents that committed).

[ROTG]

5 hours ago, Dwmh said:

Arnesen was here 2005-10. Emenalo 2010-17.

So the big question about success is which is true?

• A.  Arnesen and his coaches found some magic sauce to Marinate ordinary youngsters
• B.  Competent coaching from 8 years onwards leads to stars
• C.  We got our pick of the best 8 years olds about 2006/7 

Great response and not challenging anything you say, with the exception of more praise should be given to both Arnesen and Enenalo for their structuring of the academy and continuing to keep Roman believing in it.

On the coaching side Bath and Co need recognition for achieving so much and continuing the success.