Monday 8 January
The FA Cup fourth round draw had us as the penultimate tie, again, this time Norwich or Chelsea have a home draw with Newcastle United. Yeovil Town managed to pluck a home tie with Manchester United.
Tuesday 9 January
Portsmouth 1:2 Chelsea U21
Checkatrade glory for the young blues as Charly Musonda’s brace sent us through. Charly’s first goal after a flowing length of the pitch move was cancelled out by Portsmouth in injury time but the diminutive Belgian stepped up with a flashing free-kick to seal the tie with the final kick.
Andreas Christensen signed a new four-and-a-half-year contract, which will keep him at the club until all of HG Well’s predictions have come true.
Wednesday 10 January
Chelsea 0:0 Arsenal
From a glorious cup night at Fratton Park to a really quite dull defensive tussle. There is almost no incident to comment on. Our finishing was off par for the second game in a row and we now face a one off game up at Ashburton Grove to decide who will face Bristol City in the final (minnows Manchester City could still qualify).
The real talking points were about the video assistant referee system and even that had precious little to do. They even decided against a penalty when Fabregas was barged off the ball when he appeared to be, well, barged off the ball.
Thursday 11 January
A new Chief Executive called Guy Lawrence will start in February. Guy, it seems, has been a big cheese/wheel/thing (delete as you see fit) at Vodafone and has past experience in sport having been vaguely connected to Toronto FC. Guy’s main job will be to increase this and shave a few pennies off that and boost revenue streams from Asian beer suppliers and put up with irksome and disrespectful attention from football fans.
Our development squad’s significant progress in the Checkatrade Trophy has been rewarded with a home quarter-final against Oxford United. The game will take place at the Bridge the week after next.
Friday 12 January
The war of words between Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte seems to have died down. Both men, goaded by the press, refused to escalate the spat. All in the incident amounted to two grown men making a few play ground taunts about clowning on the touchline and we though it best to ignore it unless they got into each other’s families.
Saturday 13 January
Chelsea 0:0 Leicester City
Another blank and a match in which they had the better chances. Cesc Fabregas did bring a couple of saves from Schmeichel but even after they went down to ten-men we struggled to create real openings. Another clean sheet is something but a slender straw at which to clutch.
Chelsea U18 2:2 Aston Villa U18
A late equaliser capped a frustrating afternoon for the U18s as a sturdy Villa side cancelled out goals from Tino Anjorin and Martell Taylor-Crossdale.
Sunday 14 January
Chelsea 0:1 Manchester City
The Continental Tyres cup semi-final ended in more frustration as we fashioned three great chances to score but went down to the only goal of the game.
Sunderland U23 0:5 Chelsea U23
Finally a few unanswered goals in Blue this weekend. Ike Ugbo, Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ethan Ampadu all scored before the break before Hudson-Odoi rounded off his hat-trick with a fine strike and a penalty.
Elsewhere and Liverpool beat Manchester City 4-3 to catch us on points and overtake us on goal difference.
