The team selection was always going to be interesting with this group and it is a strong team even though there were a couple of players out with injury which i will get to. The new faces in the Youth Cup team were Mitchell Beeney in goal, Fankaty Dabo at right back, Jordan Houghton at centre back, Ruben Loftus-Cheek in midfield and Reece Mitchell on the right wing. The returning players were Alex Davey, Adam Nditi, Nathan Ake playing the holding role in midfield, John Swift, Lewis Baker and Islam Feruz.
The game certainly started with a flourish with 3 goals scored within 6 minutes of kick off. Islam Feruz scored the first of the day after being put through one on one and placed a tidy finish in the bottom corner. Next up was some poor defending from a corner which saw the ball pinball about in the box before falling to a Colchester player to slot it home. Lewis Baker took Chelsea back in the lead though with some fine work down the left flank beating a couple of players and driving the ball home.The next goal was again some good work by Feruz who upon trying to beat his defender was brought down in the box and the penalty was awarded, Lewis Baker stepped up and put it away comfortably.
Chelsea for the majority of the game were very comfortable and playing within themselves, they should have put away a number of chances that game their way to totally bury the game but didn't. The football that was being played was of a very high standard and they were very pleasing to watch. However as the game dragged on Colchester caught us on the break and a delightful ball played right across the defense caught everyone out and Colchester got one back. Immediately after Chelsea should have scored the exact same goal, the ball in from Nditi met by Feruz but the striker put it just wide. After that things were a little uncomfortable and Cochester who looked dead and buried earlier suddenly had a new lease of life. But we was able to hold on and progress to the next round.
Lessons will be learned from this game and no doubt performances will improve but we are going to be a very difficult team to beat. Looking at the players missing i would think that Alex Kiwomya and Jeremie Boga when fit will be in the starting 11 and will add another level of quality but this team is very good. Lewis Baker looked a class above and was my man of the match, Islam Feruz is going to cause any defenders nightmares and Nathan Ake wherever he plays is top drawer.
So now we await the drawer for the next round, but like i said we are a top team and no one is going to want to drawer us.
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