Spurs under 18’s 0-2 Chelsea: (match report)

Whilst many Spurs fans were watching our historic 2-2 draw with Juventus in the UEFA champions league on Tuesday evening, you would have been forgiven for not knowing that our under 18’s were involved in their biggest game of the season that same night. Scott Parker’s inform side hosted Chelsea (competition holders) in the fifth round of this seasons FA youth cup from a wet and windy Broadhall way. I was in attendance for this one to report on a fairly one sided game, as Jody Morris’ superb side knocked us out of the competition (once again!) with a comprehensive 2-0 victory. I always knew that it was going to be a really tricky task to progress from this tie, and whilst I was proved right. I left the Lamex stadium with my head held high, Parker’s strongest possible 11 were excellent defensively. Neat and tidy in the centre of the park, putting in a typically high energy performance. Unfortunately for our lads, Chelsea had a strangle hold on the game right from the start, they were like the AC Milan of old. Impossible to break down, they made our creative players look distinctly average and it was that, which would ultimately cost us the game. Spurs got the game underway, but it was the blues who had the first sniff of goal. After George McEachran flicked Martell Taylor-Crossdale’s promising cross inches wide of De Bie’s goal. Chelsea were controlling the flow of the game, dominating possession as they moved the ball around with speed. Tariq Uwakwe rifled an effort wide from range, as Chelsea continued to show their dominance in front of goal.

This bright early spell from the blues was rewarded with just 13 minutes on the clock, after Dujon Sterling opened the scoring for the west London club. It was a good finish from Sterling which came about after some good initial build up play. Sterling picked the ball up on the edge of our penalty area before unleashing a thunderbolt of an effort into the far corner of De Bie’s goal, leaving him with no chance. Speedy wingback Juan Castillo wasn’t being picked up down the left hand side and was causing us numerous problems. Parker’s team were given no space or time on the ball, Chelsea looked so slick and efficient as they constantly swapped positions with one another. Spurs’ Jamie Reynolds was there to make an important challenge inside the Spurs box to thwart yet another diligent move. Before the blues had a goal ruled out for offside shortly after. J’neil Bennett embarked on a good surging run and crossed down the left hand side a couple of minutes later, but wasn’t able to pick Griffiths out in the Chelsea box. The Spurs striker through no fault of his own had been left completely isolated up top, unable to influence the game in the slightest. Scott Parker would have been delighted when the referee blew his whistle for half time. My interesting story from the 15 minute break was seeing former Spurs school boy turned Crystal Palace player Nya Kirby in attendance.

Spurs created a decent chance of their own shortly after the restart, when Bennett went on a good run down the right hand side. The pacy winger managed to get into a good position, but he got his shot/cross all wrong And it sailed harmlessly over Cummings crossbar. The prominent Lyons-Foster managed to get a vital block on McEachran’s effort to divert it just wide, at the opposite end. Before Chelsea essentially put the game to bed with their second of the game four minutes into the half. Coming from the resulting corner kick, McEachran once again had a shot blocked from a Spurs defender, but unfortunately for Spurs. The ball came back out this time to Marc Guehi who cooly slotted the ball home, 0-2. Chelsea almost made it 3-0 soon after, when McEachran’s inch perfect defence splitting pass set Taylor-Crossdale through on goal down the right side of the penalty area. The Chelsea strikers low effort was saved brilliantly by the feet of De Bie, who made a reactionary save. Spurs desperately looked to respond, Paris Maghoma blazed an effort over the bar as Spurs continued lack any sort of creative spark to their game. Chelsea substitute Daishawn Redan latched on to a long ball shortly after coming on. The former Ajax teenager brought the ball forwards before seeing his powerful shot deflected just wide. Chelsea continued to look the more dangerous in front of goal, fullback Reece James’ drilled an effort towards the bottom corner of De Bie’s goal, only being denied by a flying block from Skipp at the last moment.

Parker’s side then had a golden chance from Phoenix Patterson’s corner kick which picked out the rising Eyoma inside the danger zone. But the defenders powerful header was cleared off the line by Guehi. Spurs were increasingly trying their luck from range, Paris Maghoma’s fine curling effort was tipped over acrobatically by Cumming. Who was almost caught out by Patterson’s clever free kick a couple of minutes later. Chelsea’s attacking prowess couldn’t be underestimated and they ought to have extended their lead after Lamptey missed a sitter from a couple of yards out, after volleying over the bar. Phoenix Patterson tested Cumming with a late shot. As the chances continued to come Spurs’ way, when Maghoma fired narrowly over. Before Bennett’s curling effort forced a good diving save out of the Chelsea keeper in the dying moments of the game. COYS

 

Player reviews: – Jonathan De Bie: Another good performance all round from the Belgian, made some fine stops. Notably an excellent one with his feet in the second half.
– Tariq Hinds: Decent performance from the fullback, struggled to deal with the electric Castillo early on, as he was drifting into central positions. But soon adapted and put in a strong performance.
– Jamie Reynolds: Defended well, made some key challenges.
– Oliver Skipp: Tidy and efficient, good at going forward.
– TJ Eyoma: Really Impressive performance from the centre half who once again formed a really strong partnership with BLF. Eyoma was tenacious, composed and imperious in the air. A very strong all round performance from the u17 World Cup winner.
– Brooklyn Lyons-Foster: My motm, see below.
– Phoenix Patterson: The winger was kept out of the game for the large part by the tight Chelsea defence. Did however, manage to come more into the game during the last 15 minutes.
– Tashan Oakley-Boothe: Not a particularly eye catching performance from the 18 year old midfielder. Managed to start off the game well with some nice touches and turns. But faded out as the game progressed, struggling to create or make much of an impact.
– Reo Griffiths: Not his kind of game, Griffiths was left totally isolated up top and wasn’t given the service he needed in order to influence the tie.
– Paris Maghoma: One of our better players, who was one of the few who actually tried their luck from range.
– J’neil Bennett: Ran at the Chelsea defence and caused a couple of problems, showed plenty of attacking intent.
– Rodel Richards: Replaced Griffiths in the second half, dropped deep on occasions and went on some nice jinking runs.
– Dilan Markanday: Impressive cameo, was very good on the ball. Made some tricky runs down the right flank.
– Jamie Bowden: N/A

My man of the match: Brooklyn Lyons-Foster. Unsurprisingly the intelligent centre half put in another awesome display on Tuesday. Put in a flawless performance alongside Eyoma at centre half. Excellent at snuffing out danger and reading situations, the 17 year old was slick in his passing and good at getting in the way of Chelsea efforts.

Spurs: De Bie (c), Hinds, Reynolds, Skipp (Bowden 85), Eyoma, Lyons-Foster, Patterson, Oakley-Boothe (Markanday 75), Griffiths (Richards 55), P Maghoma, Bennett. Substitutes (not used): Kurylowicz, Statham.

Chelsea: Cumming, James (c), Guehi, Panzo, Castillo, Gallagher, Sterling, Gilmour, Taylor-Crossdale (Redan 69), Uwakwe (Anjorin 28), McEachran (Lamptey 85). Substitutes (not used): Ziger, Lavinier.

Goals: Chelsea – Sterling 13, Guehi 49.

Yellow cards: Spurs – Richards 82; Chelsea – Gallagher 45, Anjorin 88.

Referee: W Cartmel.

Attendance: 899.