Support the academy

These are trying times for Chelsea fans, watching our team perform to a level that is way below them and struggling to beat even the smallest of teams, not to mention having to endure a manager that pretty much ever fan cannot stand. But thankfully there is an answer to the woes...... follow the young stars in the academy!

Roman Abramovic has a vision for Chelsea, he wants them to be an entertaining team, playing wonderful football and being successful at the same time. What he may not realize is that it has already been achieved and the academy is providing that vision.

Last night saw a Chelsea U19's team take on a huge challenge in the NextGen series last 16 against first team foes Barcelona. The assumption was that things would go pretty similar to the first team, Barcelona will have lots of possession and Chelsea will try and hold them off and catch them on the break.  As it turned out it was just like the first team, but not in that way. As is typical in a Chelsea Barcelona game Chelsea had to play half the game with 10 men. Prior to Connor Hunte being sent off Chelsea were playing very good football, playing out from the back and keeping possession well, Barca had chances but a lot of them game from mistakes from our defence. In the first half we deserved to be 1 - 0 ahead and then had to hold off waves of Barca attacks than really led to little in real chances due to a superb defensive performance  then much like a night not too long ago in Barcelona we go down the other end and Boga produces some magic to win the game.

I would have loved to have seen this game played out for the full 90 minutes with 11 v 11 because it was a great footballing spectacle and the sending off ruined that, however i don't think there can be any arguments over the sending off, it was a very very silly challenge to make already being on a yellow.

What this game highlights is just how far we have come, Barca are regarded as having the best youth set up in world football, bringing those talents through and we went there and for 45 minutes was playing them comfortably at their own game.

If you are feeling down with Chelsea at the moment turn your attentions to the academy and you will be in for a thrilling end to the season. It is debatable how much improvement the new league set ups at U18 and U21 levels has brought around but what it has created is a bit of league excitement for the end of the season and something to really aim for.

With the win over Barcelona last night Chelsea U19's find themselves in the quarter finals of the NextGen Series with their opponents to be decided on Friday and this is a team that should fear no-one. On top of that the recent win in the FA Youth Cup sees the U18's in the quarter finals of that competition too with a ties against either Derby or Manchester City. 

In the U18's league Chelsea topped their first phase group in style and are still unbeaten in the second phase in the Elite group with 2 draws and a win and will be expected to do well. In the new set up Chelsea will need to finish in the top 3 places of this Elite group to progress to the semi finals and be in with a chance of being crowned U18's league champions a challenge that i am sure they are well up to achieving.

At U21's level Chelsea have a tougher route if they wish to be crowned U21's champions, having narrowly missed out on the Elite group they find themselves in Group 1 where they are currently top after 3 wins and a loss although they have played more games than the 2 below them but they are playing very well so far. To make the semi finals however from Group 1 they would need to finish top in the group and then play off against the top team in group 2 to join the top 3 teams in the Elite group in the semi finals. Not an easy task for sure but one that this group of players can do.

What you will always get at Academy level is great football, desire and commitment from the players and excitement. It is getting harder and harder to justify why these players are not coming through to the first team. So cure your blues blues with the academy, watch the games on Chelsea TV or the highlights on my YouTube, get down to cobham on a Saturday morning to watch the U18's if you can and go and see the U21's if you can because it is going to be an exciting end to the season for the Chelsea academy boys.