Tuesday 9 October
Fran Kirby scored against Australia but incompetent officials denied England a string of other chances including an erroneous offside flag when the ball was in the net again and Australia snatched a draw.
Meanwhile, Ramona Bachmann and Switzerland qualified for their World Cup in France next summer as they snatched an away-goals victory over Belgium.
Wednesday 10 October
John Terry is to be Dean Smith’s assistant as the former Brentford boss takes over at Aston Villa. Their first match is next weekend at home to Swansea City.
Jorginho played as Italy stumbled to a one-each with Ukraine. Andre Shevchenko led the Yellow’s to what would have been a narrow win but for a fluke Italian goal. Roberto Mancini has a lot of work to do to turn Italy round.
Thursday 11 October
Ethan Ampadu took on the might of Spain and, despite losing, he really showed his class before being substituted with a knee problem just after the break.
Friday 12 October
Croatia 0:0 England
How we lost a World Cup semi-final to this shower is anybodies guess. We had the chances to win in this bizarre, behind closed doors friendly but in reality both sides cancelled each other out. Ross Barkley looked to be in form but Mason Mount stayed on the bench.
Saturday 13 October
Ola Aina and Nigeria beat Libya 4-0 while Andreas Christensen only had ten minuets at the end of Denmark’s 0-0 in Dublin.
Sunday 14 October
Chelsea 0:5 Arsenal
There comes a time for every system where an obdurate opposition defend deep and catch you on the break and now it has happened to Emma Hayes’ side. It will be interesting to see how we break out of our current malaise.
Monday 15 October
Spain 2:3 England
We don’t often even give a grudging nod towards England but sometimes they surprise you. As we said of Chelsea women at the weekend: “there comes a time for every system where an obdurate opposition defend deep and catch you on the break and now it has happened to …” Spain.
England remembered how to counter tonight and two goals for Raheem Sterling and one for Marcus Rashford sealed an unlikely win. Marcos Alonso didn’t enjoy the evening nearly so much as Ross Barkley who set up the third goal with a cute dink to Kane who squared the ball for Sterling to finish.
Mason Mount was wasted on the bench but Nathanial Chalobah, once of this parish made his debut as a late sub. The academy boys at Cobham will have been cheering another off the production line, even if he signed for Watford last summer.
Tuesday 16 October
Olivier Giroud and N’Golo Kante both played as France came from behind to beat Germany. Fittingly the game between Belgium and the Netherlands finished in a draw. While Andreas Christensen was played as a holding midfielder in Denmark’s game against Austria. A match, the every improving Danes won 2-0.
Wednesday 17 October
Chelsea 1:0 Fiorentina
A narrow edge to take into the second-leg but an entertaining night of football. The winner came from a dubious penalty as handball is awarded more often for any contact however obviously accidental.
We shouldn’t complain Karen Carney slotted the kick as the women buzzed around Kingsmeadow clearly determined to make up for the poor show at the weekend.
The Italians defended well and their goalkeeper made a string of important interventions to keep the score down to just the one.
Meanwhile at Wembley, Shahid Khan has withdrawn his offer to buy Wembley before an FA Council could throw out the proposals and after allegations of corruption from a former Fulham employee.
Thursday 18 October
Karen Carney has been subjected to rape and death threats on Instagram last night after scoring the winner in a Champions League tie against Fiorentina. Phil Neville and the FA called on Instagram and other social media providers to do more to protect people from the random splutterings of pathetic losers but we doubt they will change any time soon.
Saturday 20 October
Chelsea 2:2 Manchester United
Oh, he thought he’d got it, Jose has had to watch his teams taken apart here in recent years and this time looked like he’d finally won back at Stamford Bridge only for Ross Barkley to stab home an equaliser with the last kick of the game. Jose didn’t let his frustrations show as he leaped out of his seat to congratulate Marco Ianni who had jumped out of the technical area to share a cheerful word with the Portuguese.
It has all looked so much easier in the first period as Antonio Rudiger headed in Willian’s corner and we dominated the play.
United hit back through a couple of lucky goals that were the direct result of their more aggressive play. The referee colluded to the extent that they allowed United to play on while Alonso was injured on the six yard line.
Justice was served by the equaliser and in truth we looked the better side but they looked the more physical. And we know which we would rather watch.
Manchester City U23 1:4 Chelsea U23
Finally clicking into gear the development squad blasted City apart with three goals in ten-minutes at the end of the match. George McEachran had given us a first-half lead but it was Charlie Brown’s 74-the minute goal that sealed the points. Tariq Uwakwe headed the third and Juan Castillo finished things off before their consolation.
West Ham United U18 0:5 Chelsea U18
We get criticised for loaning out so many players but the truth is that each year group we train keeps getting better and better.
Tino Anjorin opened the scoring and Henry Lawrence and Marcel Lewis both showed quick feet to score. Theirno Ballo thumped in a header for a 0-4 lead at the half.
Ballo scored his second just after the restart and we could have added another few.
Elsewhere, Tammy Abraham headed the only goal as John Terry got his coaching career off to a winning start as Villa overcame Swansea.
Sunday 21 October
Birmingham City 0:0 Chelsea
Another frustrating nil each for the women is difficult to explain. They are creating the chances but not sticking them away. It doesn’t help when their ’keeper plays a blinder and saves a penalty.
