So ends a great run for the youth team.
It was a fun ride, but the youth team crashed out of the Youth Cup last night after apparently forgetting to turn up for the second leg of the semifinal. The scoreline is a little harsh on the boys, but the usual desire seemed to be missing. There were some great chances, such as a fantastic skip through a few defenders by Aziz Deen-Conteh, but no one seemed to be willing to pull the trigger and try to score until the chance had already passed. Nobody seemed to remember how to pass to someone in blue. They would mostly pass into open space, allowing the Mancs to regain possession. A very, very frustrating evening, because the boys are better than the display they showed last night.
Reflecting upon the Youth Cup as a whole for the Chelsea boys, it's hard not to be impressed by our youth system. Dermot Drummy has done a fantastic job in charge of these kids. Billy Clifford, George Saville, Jamal Blackman, Milan Lalkovic, Nathaniel Chalobah, amongst many others... there are promising youngsters coming through the ranks. And even if they don't make it into the first team, I'm proud to see them develop their skills and abilities at Chelsea.
The cup run may be over, but the youth league will go on. And just for fun, to end on a positive note, here's the Crossbar Challenge from a few months ago: