Youth Cup Returns

This Saturday will see the return of FA Youth Cup football to Chelsea Football Club. We are of course reigning Champions having won last year in a thrilling campaign of top class matches and some memorable football not least the comeback against Nottingham Forest having been three down at half time to come back and win 4 - 3 was just incredible.

This years campaign starts at the Weston Homes Community Stadium (no relation) and Colchester United are the opponents. The game is unfortunately being played at the same time as the first team are playing West Ham. Having said that the Youth Cup will be live on Chelsea TV given the game is the same time as the West Ham game makes that very unlikely and at the moment the schedule is showing the live commentary for the West Ham game as you would expect. This is very disappointing as Chelsea TV has been incredibly poor with it's live game coverage.

Last year's team was a very talented bunch but arguably this year's will be even better and there is an incredible pool of players to choose from, some of whom have moved onto the U21's and some who are having an amazing unbeaten season with the U18's. The competition is open to all players born between 1st September 1994 and 1st September 1997, this gives us a list of players like this:

Mitchell Beeney
Ben Killip
Sam Bangura
Alistair Gordon
Nortei Nortey
Fankaty Dabo
Nathan Ake
Alex Davey
Andreas Christensen
Jonathan Muleba
Adam Nditi
Ambrose Gnahore
Kevin Wright
Jordan Houghton
John Swift
Tom Howard
Ruben Loftus-Cheek
Jesse Starkey
Dion Conroy
Isak Ssewankambo
Lewis Baker
George Cole
Reece Mitchell
Chike Kandi
Alex Kiwomya
Islam Feruz
Jeremie Boga
Connor Hunte
Charlie Colkett

There are probably some names I have missed also but looking at that list there are plenty of names left over from last year's winning team: Ake, Davey, Nditi, Swift, Baker, Feruz, Kiwomya. Plus there are players who have been doing well this season the likes of Boga, Loftus-Cheek, Christensen all making appearances for the U21's.

With such a talented group of players there is a good chance of a decent run in the cup again and it would be amazing to retain the trophy. Ade Viveash will have a tough choice picking the starting 11 for this competition but that can only be a good thing. I am sure we will be entertained again this season and hopefully we can lift the cup again.