Post by QPR Report on Jan 30, 2010 7:41:17 GMT
After knocking out Dean Parrett's Spurs in the last round, Portsmouth with Liam O'Brien in gola, lost to Chelsea in the FA Youth Cup on Thursday
Chelsea - YOUTH CUP REPORT: CHELSEA 1 PORTSMOUTH 0
Posted on: Thu 28 Jan 2010
A dominant Academy side progressed to the next round of the FA Youth Cup this evening by beating Portsmouth thanks to a Conor Clifford goal.
In front of an impressive crowd at Stamford Bridge, the youth team produced a strong performance to overcome a sturdy Portsmouth side in difficult conditions in west London.
As the rain poured down, Clifford and Josh McEachran's performances stood out in what was a strong team display all round.
Chelsea came into this game on the back of a 4-0 thumping of Nottingham Forest in the fourth round. Before that came a 2-1 win over Charlton Athletic.
Portsmouth meanwhile had secured two 1-0 wins in the previous rounds. The first came against Huddersfield while their fourth round win was against Tottenham.
Captained once again by Clifford, Chelsea's starting line-up was unchanged from the one which faced Forest apart from the absence of Jeffrey Bruma, who was replaced by Billy Knott in the back line. Knott played left-back with Aziz Deen-Conteh moving into the centre.
Within the first five minutes Chelsea had come closest to scoring. Jacopo Sala managed to nod a corner kick goal-ward only to see it ricochet off the post before being cleared from danger.
Within another five minutes, despite pressure at both ends, Chelsea would be in the lead.
It was the captain who opened the scoring. After dancing pas two Pompey defenders, Clifford laid the ball off to Marko Mitrovic who tapped back into the Irishman's path.
The resultant shot was powerful but clinical as it flew into the back of the net despite neither of Clifford's feet being on the ground as he connected. It was his second goal in two cup games after he netted against Forest in the previous round.
With the lead established the midfield trio were proving troublesome. Kaby Djalo's quick feet released several balls down the left flank, one of which Billy Knott converted into a dangerous cross for Mitrovic.
Unfortunately the Pompey keeper managed to catch the ball before Mitrovic connected with it head first, but the pressure was beginning to build around the opposition's box.
Portsmouth had plenty of football left in them though as Gael Nlundulu broke down the right before forcing an acrobatic save from Sam Walker who forced the ball out for a corner.
That corner then forced another good save from the Chelsea keeper as Nadir Ciftci headed the ball towards the left corner, only for Walker to snatch from the air.
Chelsea retaliated with some clever football, culminating in a McEachran turn on the edge of the box as the midfielder created space for himself to launch a shot. Under pressure, it span across the face of goal and out wide.
By half time there was no doubt who was the stronger side as Chelsea dominated possession. Portsmouth had created chances but Chelsea were looking comfortable on the Stamford Bridge pitch.
The second half began much as the first finished, with Chelsea controlling the game. It took only three minutes for the Blues to produce a real chance on goal when McEachran sent the ball skimming inches past the post from 20 yards.
Then Mitrovic threatened, breaking into the box and sending the ball ricocheting off the post before Gokhan Tore forced Liam O'Brien to prove his keeping capabilities as he fed off a McEachran through ball.
Soon after Clifford was at it again. Following a clever one-two with McEachran the captain broke into the box and slid a shot goal-ward, only for O'Brien to deny the Blues once more.
Pompey tried to retaliate with a Nlundulu effort foiled by Walker being the best chance they created during the second half.
Intent on finding a second Chelsea threatened further. During the final 10 minutes Mitrovic hit the post once more with a long range, 25-yard effort before Sala had a goal disallowed for offside.
In the end the game finished 1-0 in Chelsea's favour. It was a confident performance from the young stars as they earned their place in the next round.
'Portsmouth gave us a real tough test,' explained youth team manager Dermot Drummy after the game.
'They were organised and really competed. They played direct football as well and we had to be on our toes and move the ball quickly.
'We played some great football, hit the woodwork a couple of times, their keeper has pulled off some great saves and we scored a fantastic goal through Conor Clifford.
'But we also learned tonight that to play you have to compete and the mentality was fantastic,' he added.
Chelsea (4-3-3): Sam Walker; Billy Clifford, Daniel Pappoe, Aziz Deen-Conteh, Billy Knott; Conor Clifford (c), Josh McEachran; Kaby Djalo; Jacopo Sala, Marko Mitrovic, Gokhan Tore.
Portsmouth (4-4-2): Liam O'Brien; Peter Gregory, Lennard Sowah, Billy Goddard, Perry Ryan; Sam Magri, Gael Nlunduku (James Seeley 77), Florent Cuvelier, Nadir Ciftci; Carl Walshe, Pablo Navas Alors (James Jennings 66).
www.chelseafc.com/page/LatestNews/0,,10268~1948271,00.html
Portsmouth News - Blues Academy bow out to Chelsea
By Dave Kemp
Pompey Academy missed out on a place in the quarter-finals of the FA Youth Cup as they lost 1-0 to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last night.
The London side now face a trip to either Liverpool or Watford in the last eight.
Aliu Djalo set up Chelsea skipper Conor Clifford to go clear on 12 minutes and thunder the ball into the roof of keeper Liam O'Brien's net.
From then the result wasADVERTISEMENTnever in any real doubt as Chelsea took a firm
grip on the contest.
Nadir Ciftci had Pompey's best efforts with a couple of long-range drives that flew over the crossbar.
Gael Nlundulu was lively early on with his penetrating runs, but paid for failing to deliver from good areas.
He chose to go it alone rather than create opportunities for either Ciftci or Carl Walshe in the penalty area and found himself the victim of tough yet fair challenges.
In the second half Chelsea ran Pompey ragged in an effort to get the extra goals their play deserved.
But while it was never going to be Pompey's day, fortune didn't exactly shine on Chelsea striker Marko Mitrovic.
He twice thundered efforts against bar and post before firing wide from three yards with the goal at his mercy.
Through the gloom of what must be considered a poor Pompey team performance, several of the side did themselves justice.
Defenders Lennard Sowah, who has featured in Avram Grant's first-team squad recently, and Peter Gregory were in strong form.
Gregory twice hoofed the ball off the line with O'Brien beaten, to deny Mitrovic and fellow striker Josh McEachran.
And while young Sam Magri, Perry Ryan and influential skipper Florent Cuvelier continually frustrated the nippy Jacopa Sala and Djalo, O'Brien gave another display of his undoubted ability.
His performance was of similar quality to his match-winning show at Spurs in the previous round of the competition.
Sadly though, in the final analysis, one goal was enough and Pompey will surely learn from the experience and endeavour to enjoy a lengthy run in the competition next season.
Chelsea Academy: Walker, B. Clifford, Pappoe, Deen-Conteh, Knott, C.Clifford, Sala, Djalo, Mitrovic, McEachran, Tore. Substitutes not used: Saville, Haxhia, Devyne, Sampayo, Rodgers.
Pompey Academy: O'Brien, Gregory, Sowah, Goddard, Ryan, Magri, Nlundulu (sub Seeley 77), Cuvelier, Ciftci, Walse (sub Smith 46), Alors (sub Jennings 70). Substitutes not used: Harris, Tsovolos.
www.portsmouth.co.uk/frattonlatest/Blues-Academy-bow-out-to.6025798.jp?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+FrattonLatest+%28The+News+-+Fratton+Latest%29&utm_content=Yahoo%21+Mail
And Portsmouth fan comments re Liam O'Brien
boards.footymad.net/forum.php?tno=424&fid=203&sty=2&act=1&mid=2123041793
Chelsea - YOUTH CUP REPORT: CHELSEA 1 PORTSMOUTH 0
Posted on: Thu 28 Jan 2010
A dominant Academy side progressed to the next round of the FA Youth Cup this evening by beating Portsmouth thanks to a Conor Clifford goal.
In front of an impressive crowd at Stamford Bridge, the youth team produced a strong performance to overcome a sturdy Portsmouth side in difficult conditions in west London.
As the rain poured down, Clifford and Josh McEachran's performances stood out in what was a strong team display all round.
Chelsea came into this game on the back of a 4-0 thumping of Nottingham Forest in the fourth round. Before that came a 2-1 win over Charlton Athletic.
Portsmouth meanwhile had secured two 1-0 wins in the previous rounds. The first came against Huddersfield while their fourth round win was against Tottenham.
Captained once again by Clifford, Chelsea's starting line-up was unchanged from the one which faced Forest apart from the absence of Jeffrey Bruma, who was replaced by Billy Knott in the back line. Knott played left-back with Aziz Deen-Conteh moving into the centre.
Within the first five minutes Chelsea had come closest to scoring. Jacopo Sala managed to nod a corner kick goal-ward only to see it ricochet off the post before being cleared from danger.
Within another five minutes, despite pressure at both ends, Chelsea would be in the lead.
It was the captain who opened the scoring. After dancing pas two Pompey defenders, Clifford laid the ball off to Marko Mitrovic who tapped back into the Irishman's path.
The resultant shot was powerful but clinical as it flew into the back of the net despite neither of Clifford's feet being on the ground as he connected. It was his second goal in two cup games after he netted against Forest in the previous round.
With the lead established the midfield trio were proving troublesome. Kaby Djalo's quick feet released several balls down the left flank, one of which Billy Knott converted into a dangerous cross for Mitrovic.
Unfortunately the Pompey keeper managed to catch the ball before Mitrovic connected with it head first, but the pressure was beginning to build around the opposition's box.
Portsmouth had plenty of football left in them though as Gael Nlundulu broke down the right before forcing an acrobatic save from Sam Walker who forced the ball out for a corner.
That corner then forced another good save from the Chelsea keeper as Nadir Ciftci headed the ball towards the left corner, only for Walker to snatch from the air.
Chelsea retaliated with some clever football, culminating in a McEachran turn on the edge of the box as the midfielder created space for himself to launch a shot. Under pressure, it span across the face of goal and out wide.
By half time there was no doubt who was the stronger side as Chelsea dominated possession. Portsmouth had created chances but Chelsea were looking comfortable on the Stamford Bridge pitch.
The second half began much as the first finished, with Chelsea controlling the game. It took only three minutes for the Blues to produce a real chance on goal when McEachran sent the ball skimming inches past the post from 20 yards.
Then Mitrovic threatened, breaking into the box and sending the ball ricocheting off the post before Gokhan Tore forced Liam O'Brien to prove his keeping capabilities as he fed off a McEachran through ball.
Soon after Clifford was at it again. Following a clever one-two with McEachran the captain broke into the box and slid a shot goal-ward, only for O'Brien to deny the Blues once more.
Pompey tried to retaliate with a Nlundulu effort foiled by Walker being the best chance they created during the second half.
Intent on finding a second Chelsea threatened further. During the final 10 minutes Mitrovic hit the post once more with a long range, 25-yard effort before Sala had a goal disallowed for offside.
In the end the game finished 1-0 in Chelsea's favour. It was a confident performance from the young stars as they earned their place in the next round.
'Portsmouth gave us a real tough test,' explained youth team manager Dermot Drummy after the game.
'They were organised and really competed. They played direct football as well and we had to be on our toes and move the ball quickly.
'We played some great football, hit the woodwork a couple of times, their keeper has pulled off some great saves and we scored a fantastic goal through Conor Clifford.
'But we also learned tonight that to play you have to compete and the mentality was fantastic,' he added.
Chelsea (4-3-3): Sam Walker; Billy Clifford, Daniel Pappoe, Aziz Deen-Conteh, Billy Knott; Conor Clifford (c), Josh McEachran; Kaby Djalo; Jacopo Sala, Marko Mitrovic, Gokhan Tore.
Portsmouth (4-4-2): Liam O'Brien; Peter Gregory, Lennard Sowah, Billy Goddard, Perry Ryan; Sam Magri, Gael Nlunduku (James Seeley 77), Florent Cuvelier, Nadir Ciftci; Carl Walshe, Pablo Navas Alors (James Jennings 66).
www.chelseafc.com/page/LatestNews/0,,10268~1948271,00.html
Portsmouth News - Blues Academy bow out to Chelsea
By Dave Kemp
Pompey Academy missed out on a place in the quarter-finals of the FA Youth Cup as they lost 1-0 to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last night.
The London side now face a trip to either Liverpool or Watford in the last eight.
Aliu Djalo set up Chelsea skipper Conor Clifford to go clear on 12 minutes and thunder the ball into the roof of keeper Liam O'Brien's net.
From then the result wasADVERTISEMENTnever in any real doubt as Chelsea took a firm
grip on the contest.
Nadir Ciftci had Pompey's best efforts with a couple of long-range drives that flew over the crossbar.
Gael Nlundulu was lively early on with his penetrating runs, but paid for failing to deliver from good areas.
He chose to go it alone rather than create opportunities for either Ciftci or Carl Walshe in the penalty area and found himself the victim of tough yet fair challenges.
In the second half Chelsea ran Pompey ragged in an effort to get the extra goals their play deserved.
But while it was never going to be Pompey's day, fortune didn't exactly shine on Chelsea striker Marko Mitrovic.
He twice thundered efforts against bar and post before firing wide from three yards with the goal at his mercy.
Through the gloom of what must be considered a poor Pompey team performance, several of the side did themselves justice.
Defenders Lennard Sowah, who has featured in Avram Grant's first-team squad recently, and Peter Gregory were in strong form.
Gregory twice hoofed the ball off the line with O'Brien beaten, to deny Mitrovic and fellow striker Josh McEachran.
And while young Sam Magri, Perry Ryan and influential skipper Florent Cuvelier continually frustrated the nippy Jacopa Sala and Djalo, O'Brien gave another display of his undoubted ability.
His performance was of similar quality to his match-winning show at Spurs in the previous round of the competition.
Sadly though, in the final analysis, one goal was enough and Pompey will surely learn from the experience and endeavour to enjoy a lengthy run in the competition next season.
Chelsea Academy: Walker, B. Clifford, Pappoe, Deen-Conteh, Knott, C.Clifford, Sala, Djalo, Mitrovic, McEachran, Tore. Substitutes not used: Saville, Haxhia, Devyne, Sampayo, Rodgers.
Pompey Academy: O'Brien, Gregory, Sowah, Goddard, Ryan, Magri, Nlundulu (sub Seeley 77), Cuvelier, Ciftci, Walse (sub Smith 46), Alors (sub Jennings 70). Substitutes not used: Harris, Tsovolos.
www.portsmouth.co.uk/frattonlatest/Blues-Academy-bow-out-to.6025798.jp?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+FrattonLatest+%28The+News+-+Fratton+Latest%29&utm_content=Yahoo%21+Mail
And Portsmouth fan comments re Liam O'Brien
boards.footymad.net/forum.php?tno=424&fid=203&sty=2&act=1&mid=2123041793
