PSF Sutton Utd v Chelsea Under 23s Saturday 21 July -ko 3PM

[norman1]

This will be an exciting fixture that will fill our stadium with anticipation. For the neutral its a chance to see some of Chelsea's young talent.

The Club is providing a prematch lunch, sit-down 12.30pm and only £12.50 pp. So book now [e-mail] or ring the Club office.

I know a number of families from our friends Morden Little League plan to attend this fixture and they have asked me to mention they are taking part in Morden Fun Day on Sunday 22 July by providing a Beer tent and their supplier is Wimbledon Brewery see details

www.facebook.com/pg/Morden-Little-League-162179700541458/posts/?ref=page_internal

[Stewart]

According to the Woking website the Chelsea U23 side that faced them on Wednesday "Was more of an ‘Under 19’ outfit with a few slightly more senior players involved". Whatever side we play on Saturday hopefully we will at least match their result and better the 753 that turned up on the night.
Hopefully Johnah Ayunga and Josh Taylor have recovered from the injuries and are in the squad.

[surreyu]

Yeah I think it may be a weaker squad than what they have brought here in the past due to their tour of Australia, they've had to pull in a bunch of the academy kids to cover those not back from World Cup duty. There is also an U19 European tournament going on at the moment in which Chelsea will have lost some players to
Here's a list of those who won't be making an appearance on Saturday

[jr]

Loftus-Cheek played against us a couple of years ago so you can be sure they'll be a decent test. Hudson-Odoi is only 18 so it'll be interesting if he's there or with the first team squad

[surreyu]

Jul 20, 2018 16:55:49 GMT jr said:

Loftus-Cheek played against us a couple of years ago so you can be sure they'll be a decent test. Hudson-Odoi is only 18 so it'll be interesting if he's there or with the first team squad

He’s in Australia with the first team

[Stewart]

One of their players will likely to be a future star, I wonder if we will spot who it could be?

[Amber Aleman]

FT Sutton 0 Chelsea 2

This was a low-key game of few chances, which had something of the feel of a training match, played on another warm afternoon. The attendance was given as 750.

Sutton started the stronger but the Chelsea youngsters gradually grew into the game. They had a penalty easily saved by Jamie Butler in the first half. Both goals were scored by Charlie Brown, the first a tap-in early in the second half and the other on the break with almost the last kick of the match.

[Del]

We didn't seem to have the guile to break Chelsea down at the back.Apart from that we played reasonably well.

[pinewalker]

Jul 20, 2018 18:31:57 GMT Stewart said:

One of their players will likely to be a future star, I wonder if we will spot who it could be?

Well Charlie Brown certainly stood out with both goals.  He played the full 90, was quick over the ground, sure footed with the first time shots.  But his main attribute may well be his reading of the game and thus early anticipation of where he needed to be, to get in front of the defender.  I did not notice any other stars.  

It is very hard to be objective about Sutton's showing.  Unlikely that we had a first choice team on the pitch at any time with Taylor and Bolarinwa absent.  Certainly not in the first half when Craig laboured up front. 

When we did get close enough to shoot - players were passing the ball and the responsibility.  Nobody tried to dribble through, the only route seemed to be stick it out wide to a winger or fullback and try and get a head on the cross.  The keeper - as you might expect for somebody hoping to inherit the gloves of Cech and Courtois - was tall and quick to pluck the crosses out of the air, so that tactic produced nothing.

Our set-pieces were poor. The bus queue routine for corners could have learned much from the 470/408 stop outside WCGS in my youth - when the bus was more likely to leave without the clippie than without a full load of boys.  Chelsea had them well held - can we give it up now please?  The dummies parked behind the dugouts might indicate that we practice free kicks at goal, but you would never guess from the shots sailing 6 feet over.

I wonder if we could borrow Charlie Brown for peanuts?

[localboy86]

I notice Kenny Davis wasn’t in the squad agin yesterday - is he injured?

[surreyu]

Jul 22, 2018 10:25:56 GMT localboy86 said:

I notice Kenny Davis wasn’t in the squad agin yesterday - is he injured?

Yeah he was around yesterday and Ian Baird said he was injured in his interview

[Amber Aleman]

Although this was hardly a dirty game, the Chelsea players weren't averse to making cynical fouls to foil promising Sutton moves. And a challenge on Dale Bennett near the end meant that he was unable to finish the match. It's a shame that talented youngsters feel they have to resort to those sort of tactics, but I suppose we shouldn't be surprised. Unfortunately, Sutton failed to achieve anything with the free kicks we were awarded.

[VCLXI]

Just out of interest because I wasn't there, how many Chelsea 'fans' were in attendance?

[markf]

A 2-0 defeat in a psf to a young side on paper doesn't look great but not sure either side was that great yesterday on another torturous afternoon, heat wise.

Jamie B guessed right to make a penalty save in the first half before they got a tap in from a left wing cross and a break away right on time. Ref had to book their no3 for what was not just a cynical foul but a nasty one too while Dale Bennett was victim of another unnecessary challenge.

Not sure U's made the 'keeper work at all except for catching practice but there was some nice football played particularly in the first half.

Good to see Dundo pick up his mementos before the match and a gate of 750 was probably more than I expected.

[jencor]

If you counted those supporting behind the goal, about 20!! 😂😂😂