U23 - Chelsea 1 - 3 Arsenal - 切爾西足球俱樂部 Chelsea Football Club

U23聯賽第21輪


https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2019/04/15/pl2-report--chelsea-v-arsenal

PL2 report: Chelsea 1 Arsenal 3

15 Apr 2019


It was derby disappointment for our development squad at Stamford Bridge
as three first-half goals inflicted defeat on the young Blues in Premier
League 2.


https://i.imgur.com/EcMbsem.jpg


Home comforts have been hard to come by this term for Joe Edwards's side
and a sixth defeat on our own patch in 11 league fixtures was on the cards
by half-time on a mild evening in west London. Eddie Nketiah did most of
the damage, scoring twice in 20 minutes before setting up a third for Carl
Jenkinson right at the end of the first period.


There was added urgency after the break but our attacking play lacked a
cutting edge, while luck also went against us. Substitute Tariq Uwakwe
forced the most severe work from the Gunners keeper after his
introduction, while Conor Gallagher fired against the woodwork. Daishawn
Redan's goal late on proved only a consolation as capital bragging rights
went to the visitors.


There were starts for our two most-used players in the league this term –
George McEachran and Juan Castillo – as Edwards made three changes from
our last outing away at Liverpool. Luke McCormick, Charlie Brown and
Castillo were the returning trio, with Richard Nartey, Uwakwe and Redan
all dropping to the bench.


Brown led the line in a 3-4-2-1 system that saw Gallagher and McCormick
handed supporting attacking roles from midfield, while McEachran sat
deeper alongside Billy Gilmour. Karlo Ziger continued in goal behind a
back three of Joseph Colley, Marc Guehi and Ian Maatsen, while Tariq
Lamptey and Castillo lined up at wing-back.


https://i.imgur.com/9MrBiuY.jpg


Arsenal included 27-year-old Jenkinson in their starting side and matched
our shape with three across the back, which aided their bright start. Both
Colley and Guehi were forced into early defensive work before Nketiah
fired the first warning shot across the face of goal from the left.


The former Chelsea schoolboy bagged a brace when these two sides played
out a 5-4 thriller in November and the 19-year-old was on the scoresheet
again as the visitors opened the scoring inside 10 minutes. Bukayo Saka
provided the assist with a neat pass slipped forward and Nketiah's
left-footed finish was perfectly curled beyond the despairing dive of
Ziger.


The Blues improved but struggled to fashion clear-cut opportunities in and
around the Arsenal box. Castillo's cross from the left created a
half-chance for Lamptey but Arthur Okonkwo, the Gunners keeper, was
positioned well to catch the defender's attempt. Gilmour then delivered a
deep free-kick that Colley contested but couldn't quite redirect towards
the target.


https://i.imgur.com/vmHGeqz.jpg
Brown tries to fashion space in the box for a shot


Our blunt attack contrasted with Arsenal's ruthlessness and Freddie
Ljungberg's side doubled their advantage after half an hour. Nketiah was
the man of the moment again, driving purposefully down the right before
twisting away from Maatsen and then firing a rising shot into the roof of
the net from an incredibly tight angle.


The hosts mustered another encouraging response, testing Okonkwo with a
swerving strike from Guehi, before the Arsenal keeper almost proved the
architect of his own downfall when stumbling to retrieve a pass back.
However, with the ball trickling towards the goal-line, the 17-year-old
recovered his composure and quickly regained control and calm.


Edwards's team talk was looking to be a difficult one but the task facing
his side in the second half turned even tougher when Arsenal added to
their lead in the final minute before the break. Nketiah switched from
scorer to supplier, bursting forward on the break and teeing up the
supporting Jenkinson, who had the simple task of converting from a few
yards out.


There was more purpose in our play after the restart, with an early goal
key to hopes of a comeback. McCormick was thwarted by a last-ditch block
before Okonkwo did well to dive low and push away Gallagher's bending
free-kick.


https://i.imgur.com/W9aRbnc.jpg
McCormick had the best chances for the Blues but couldn't continue his
recent scoring form


McCormick's goals have been instrumental for Edwards's side in recent
weeks, particularly in their progression to the UEFA Youth League
semi-finals, but the midfielder's shooting boots were proving less
reliable on this occasion. A left-footed effort skewed high into the
Matthew Harding End indicated this may not be our day in front of goal.
Down the other end, Ziger made an important stop to keep out Saka's
stinging drive as Arsenal threatened to add to the deficit.


The Gunners still had their sights on a second-place league finish but
their exertions eased as the game moved towards its conclusion. Uwakwe
forced Okonkwo into his best save of the night after 75 minutes, the
teenager flying to fingertip the ball over the crossbar, while Gallagher
was soon denied by the woodwork as his shot thumped against the post.
Meanwhile in our own box, Colley intervened just in the nick of time to
head clear off the line as Jordi Osei-Tutu attacked into space from
right-back.


https://i.imgur.com/xDDYicg.jpg
Uwakwe injected a sense of urgency in attack, with his parried shot
leading to our goal


With seven minutes remaining, Edwards's side finally got themselves on the
scoresheet. Uwakwe excelled in slotting the ball through the legs of Zech
Medley before taking aim for the bottom corner, forcing Okonkwo to parry
the ball back into the danger zone. Like all good strikers, Redan was
alert and pounced to turn the loose ball home for his 12th of the season.
Yet it proved too little, too late to inspire a turnaround as the Blues
dropped a place into seventh.


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https://www.chelseafc.com/en/news/2019/04/16/
pl2-reaction--edwards-explains-derby-defeat

PL2 reaction: Edwards explains derby defeat

16 Apr 2019


Joe Edwards bemoaned a disappointing derby display at Stamford Bridge as
our development squad were beaten 3-1 by Arsenal in Premier League 2.


https://i.imgur.com/MEsewX1.jpg


A slow start was punished as the Gunners raced into a three-goal lead by
the break and Edwards admitted the performance was particularly
underwhelming given recent encouraging signs.


'It was a poor performance and that's a big disappointment because we
prepared really well for this game,' he told the official Chelsea website
after the game. 'We played some great stuff at Liverpool last week and on
the training pitch this week it felt like we'd really built on that with
some of the work we'd done. Unfortunately, we didn't turn up and Arsenal
punished us.'


The loss was characterised by an unusual sloppiness on the ball from the
hosts, with Arsenal's counter-attacking threat particularly effective.


'In the first half we gave possession away far too easily, didn't make it
stick in the final third and then fall into their trap,' continued our
development squad boss. 'We started opening up more and more because we
were eager to make things happen but we left spaces and they exploited
them on the break.


'There were obviously strong words at half-time and the boys showed a
reaction but we're not going to pat ourselves on the back too much because
we know Arsenal sat back and just defended what they had.'


Freddie Ljungberg's side tinkered their shape to match the Blues and
Edwards felt his players were too slow to adjust to the unexpected tactics
of their opponents.


'Arsenal came and set up with the same system as us, which is not how
they've been playing recently, but we need to be better at adapting
quicker.'


'They were happy to defend a bit deeper and try to catch us on the break
with their pace, power and extreme quality on the break,' he added. 'Their
second and third goals were outstanding but we should be better.


'When you have two teams playing a similar system and matching up, you
then look at the players. They've got to make decisions with the ball, use
it well, but that's the complete opposite of what we did.'


Our youngsters will need to be better in their next outing, a UEFA Youth
League semi-final against Barcelona in Switzerland next Friday 26 April.


Chelsea (3-4-2-1)
Karlo Ziger

Joseph Colley Marc Guehi Ian Maatsen

Tariq Lamptey George McEachran Billy Gilmour Juan Castillo
(Tariq Uwakwe 69)

Conor Gallagher Luke McCormick
Charlie Brown
(Daishawn Redan 55)


Unused subs - Richard Nartey, Jamie Cumming, Martell Taylor-Crossdale
Scorer - Redan 83
Booked - Lamptey


Arsenal

Arthur Okonkwo, Carl Jenkinson (Cohen Bramall 62), Jordi Osei-Tutu,

Ben Sheaf (c), Danny Ballard, Zech Medley,

Xavier Amaechi (Tyreece John-Jules 78), Charlie Gilmour, Eddie Nketiah,

Robbie Burton, Bukayo Saka (Dominic Thompson 83)


Unused subs - Hubert Graczyk, Tobi Omole
Scorers - Nketiah 8, 29; Jenkinson 45
Booked - Medley


Referee - Will Finnie

Crowd - 3018


- Additional pictures courtesy of Mark Sandom and Dan Davies

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