Monday 11 February
Chelsea 3:0 West Bromwich Albion
Not as emphatic as the score suggests but this is a welcome win nevertheless.
With Morata announcing himself fit, Conte was caught out in a bit of media manipulation but started with Olivier Giroud who looked to strike up a partnership with Eden Hazard. The first goal came as the bog striker laid off a neat ball for Eden to crash home.
We had a wait for the second, but Victor Moses stole in behind to tuck in a deflected through ball.
Hazard finished things off, skittling through and blasting the ball into the space at the near post.
West Brom had their moments but after Daniel Sturridge limped out of the attack with only a few minutes on the clock, they lacked the teeth to use on the great slices of attacking cake they created.
We will need to tighten up before Barcelona arrive next Tuesday.
Tuesday 12 February
Tottenham Hotspur U18 0:2 Chelsea U18
This was supposed to be the hardest match we have faced so far in the FA Youth Cup but, such is the domination and self-confidence of Chelsea sides in the competition, we brushed them aside.
We adapted quickly to the rutted pudding of a pitch Spurs probably thought would be a leveller. Dujon Sterling settled any early nerves with a fine strike and Marc Guehi bundled in the second. Spurs for their part barely threatened.
Fulham next.
Wednesday 14 February
Blenheim High School and Chelsea have announced an academy project that will involve A-Level studies at the High School and professional coaching. Open trials will be held at Cobham in March and the first cohort of football bluestockings will start studying in September.
Blenheim has a history of turning out girls teams and have represented Chelsea at the Premier League Schools Cup. The course has links to St Mary’s University Twickenham that has extensive sports science courses. It sounds like a very progressive and inclusive educational package that could serve as a model for player development.
Friday 16 February
Chelsea 4:0 Hull City
This was a stroll and you have to feel sorry for Hull who turned up with a long injury list and with three regulars absent because they, Ola Aina, Michael Hector and Fikayo Tomori, are on loan from us.
Any game plan they might have had blew apart within two minutes when Giroud robbed the ball from the defence and Willian curled his shot into the top corner form the edge of the box.
Pedro controlled and finished expertly before Willian added his second. Giroud stole his own first for the club as he bulleted in a cross from the other new boy on display, Emerson.
It was an undemanding debut for the Brazilian-born Italy international but he showed an appetite and determination that hold promise.
The second-half was a training exercise with Kyle Scott making an extended cameo and Callum Hudson-Odoi again looking like he was at home on the Stamford Bridge pitch.
It was, for once, a useful night to have a practice match and a good run out for those who played. Barcelona have a league match tomorrow. It might be a slight advantage but we will need all the help we can get.
Manchester United U23 0:4 Chelsea U23
The development/academy/stiffs whatever they are officially called these days have had harder days than this but a third win in four games has improved the league position as Juan Castillo gave us the lead at the break and Kylian Hazard, Reece James and Harvey St Clair added the others after the break.
Earlier in the day Willian’s finish against Brighton won Premier League goal of the month. Callum Hudson-Odoi won PL2 player of the month after only one game in that competition in January. He scooped the award for a hat-trick against Sunderland but probably also for his first-team debut and Checkatrade heroics.
Saturday 17 February
Everton U18 0:1 Chelsea U18
The U18 Premier League Cup is one of the more unpronounceable competitions we are chasing this term but we won a deserved place in the final with a simple goal from Marc Guehi that capped another dominant performance.
The draw for the cup sixth round handed us a tricky task away at Leicester.
Sunday 18 February
Chelsea 6:0 Doncaster Rovers
The women progressed smoothly in the FA Cup as Ji So-Yun gave us the lead and the second-half avalanche started when Fran Kirby finished and Drew Spence and Erin Cuthbert added the rest.
The girls made it 15 unanswered goals over the weekend as Chelsea teams build up to the most important week of the season so far.
