Academy... Top of the League

By 41 Years A Blue
October 2 2006

The Academy continued their winning ways on Saturday with a 1-0 victory over Charlton Athletic at Cobham and the victory was more pleasing due to the fact that ex-Chelsea player Damien Matthew is coach of The Addicks boys.

Not too long ago Matthew was at Chelsea, in charge of the U16s, so he knew a few things about us.

The only goal came from Tomi Saarelma thirteen minutes from time. Miroslav Stoch cut in from the right and The Addicks 'keeper could only parry the ball. Tomi nipped in with one touch and then another touch saw the ball cross the line.

Saarelma was a substitute and replaced Football Icon winner Sam Hurrell with twenty minutes to go. The new series of Football Icon starts this Friday and who will be your favourite?

Coach Ruud Kaiser was pleased about some aspects of the performance and not too pleased about others. He said, "We struggled. We played the first-half at a tempo too slow. Charlton Athletic were really, really well organised defensively, with Damian Matthew as their coach, of course knowing exactly how we play.

"We kept giving them time to re-organise. We should have been passing and moving all the time, two touches. So we didn’t create a lot of chances. But Charlton didn’t create at all, and in the second-half we were better."

Charlton's only real chance of note came late in the second-half when Academy 'keeper Russell wa forced to rush off his line to clear. An unhappy Ruud said, "James came out and cleared or it would have been 1-1!"

The Academy are clear at the top of the table as the 'other 100%' West Ham United were defeated by Norwich City 5-2.

Chelsea: (4-2-1-3) Russell; Ofori-Twumasi, Worley, Bridcutt (c), Elmer; Fernades (Bertrand h-t), Simmonds; Tejera; Stoch, Cummings, Hurrell (Saarelma 70).

 

COME ON CHELSEA

41 YEARS A BLUE

BTW!! The Reserves are in action on Wednesday night away to Portsmouth and there will be FULL coverage of the match, LIVE on the message board.