Closed AFC Wimbledon 2-3 Chelsea

[Parky 739]

Not bad to get a win when 2-0 down in the second half..

I like having Oriel and Van Ginkel back. Gives us plenty of options and cover.

[Chelsea Buzz 487]

JT and Ivanovic up front are unstoppable

Ready for the regulars to begin trickling into the lineup as we go along with these friendlies. Just four more weeks til its for real.

Come on you Chelsea! :blue scalf:

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Very much like a preseason game, but great to see Baker have such a good game. And I just love how happy JT was with the winner!

How is that different from any of the matches they play in the U-21? Actually they face better opposition there. They know Mourinho isn't demanding their second game in the pre-season to be where they'll ace. Everybody is still with their bodies far from being ready... they aren't anywhere near sharp.

I think it's different based on the coverage. How many chances will those young players get to play under the full attention of Jose and under his instructions as well. They won't get a better chance to impress him or the Chelsea fans. Plus this is their only chance to play along side players like JT, Iva, Matic...etc. So, if I were one of those youngsters, this would probably mean a lot to me.

[MichaelDance 552]

Get in 3 - 2 for us.

[Parky 739]

I like the small stadium as well in terms of camera angles. Made it feel like I was watching it in person. Anyone feel the same ?

[Chelsea Legend 11 4,062]

Standout players for me

Boga - He is REALLY looking the business at the age of 16. So calm, great balance, explosive, decisive. He's gonna be a fantastic player in a few years, he looks so good now!

Baker - most notably his deliveries were fantastic. Still needs more technique and quality on the ball but looking like the type of player who can possibly crack the squad in a few.

Chalobah - Looked great as a CB, strong on the ball and won a fair share of battles.

[Stats 7,056]

Is Lewis Baker better at picking out a pass than Oscar already?

And I asked it in the main thread but what exactly is Van Ginkel's game? Not an exceptionally good passer, not that strong defensively, not shown himself to be a goal threat yet (although had that in the Dutch league), looks skittish most of the time...what's he actually do better than say John Swift?

I still don't think MVG is ready for the first team yet. I would compare him to Baker and say what does he do that is actually better than Baker? They play same position albeit that Baker does more. Creative, two-footed, versatile. Goal threat and good with set peices. John Swift is a better dribbler of the ball than MVG, faster, more stamina, very strong, goal threat and also versatile.

MVG is coming back from an injury but what I have seen of him, he has not shown me is any different from the likes of Mceachran. Nice tidy play, both deep-lying playmakers but not much else to their game. But I will give him the benefit of the doubt that he has not had a full season and he still needs to be observed.

[xPetrCechx 13,563]

[Parky 739]

Yea I was like who is this beast lol. He didn't even run much.

[1chelsea 864]

I still don't think MVG is ready for the first team yet. I would compare him to Baker and say what does he do that is actually better than Baker? They play same position albeit that Baker does more. Creative, two-footed, versatile. Goal threat and good with set peices. John Swift is a better dribbler of the ball than MVG, faster, more stamina, very strong, goal threat and also versatile.

MVG is coming back from an injury but what I have seen of him, he has not shown me is any different from the likes of Mceachran. Nice tidy play, both deep-lying playmakers but not much else to their game. But I will give him the benefit of the doubt that he has not had a full season and he still needs to be observed.

A question how many match have MVG played under the coaching of Jose to his injury I guess it just too little to compare it to those Baker and Swift have he just returning from injury but Jose know what he is doing and what he wants

[Jusek 2,031]

Yea I was like who is this beast lol. He didn't even run much.

He's Adebayo Akinfenwa. From wikipedia:

Style of play

Akinfenwa weighs around 16 stone and is noted for his above average strength, so much so that in the computer game FIFA 14 he had the highest strength statistic of any player on the game.

[Rom2013 446]

We are playing against really bad teams. I was expecting to see much more quality from the young players when Chelsea buys players all over the world.

Real Madrid Castilla played in the 2nd division of Spain, the same for Barcelona, and many other teams in Europe. The kids should play better against this kind of teams.

[The Chels 2,502]

All in all a good test against a bus; which highlighted just how crucial set-pieces are, especially when we have so many good in the air.

Need to stop Willian and Hazard from taking wasting them, and let Oscar/Fabregas do.

All our AMs' corner kicks, including Oscar's, tend not to get past the first man. The younger players like Boga and Baker produce much better crosses.

I like the small stadium as well in terms of camera angles. Made it feel like I was watching it in person. Anyone feel the same ?

Personally I hated the camera angle, especially when the ball was in the box as you could hardly see what was going on!

[Sheva. 5,373]

All our AMs' corner kicks, including Oscar's, tend not to get past the first man. The younger players like Boga and Baker produce much better crosses.

Oscar can get a lot of power on it though, just like his crosses and free-kicks.

Willian and Hazard just take it so weakly that it inevitably doesn't reach anyone.

[MIDOKA 28]

Great performance by Lewis Baker today, liked him alot

MVG wasn't that good in the last 2 games due to lacking game time after his injury, waiting for much more from him in the next pre-season games.

[Barbara 15,149]

I think it's premature to make any assessments - good or bad - about those players.

The motivation of those kids that played for our U-21 is much bigger than our first team players. They know they have to impress to have a chance and while I think at some level they are aware that Mourinho will understand that the second match after two weeks of training isn't what he's going to take into account when making decisions about promotion, they will also want to impress as @CHOULO19 said above.

So while I think some of them impressed last match and in this one (and not exactly the same players looked good in both), it's still a long way to go. Players such as Marco and Zoumaare looking forward to staying with the first team instead of being loaned. The situation is different for the U-21's. A loan for them could be better than being in the first team as they wouldn't have many matches and it'd disrupt their development, but still they could also feature in both (youth and senior) - just like Marco himself did at the end of last season. So their situation is more comfortable. José could pick them - 3 or 4 as he said - have them in the main squad to fill our homegrown quota, but allow them to play mostly to the U-21. I don't see it much in England, but in Brazil it used to be common for youngsters to play with the youth teams and then when the main team needed them, they were called upon and went to matches - even if it to stay in the bench.

With Kalas going on loan, and Ivanovic possibly as the primary FB/CB backup, we'll need another CB - that's Zouma best shot. I don't see any of our FB from youth staying, especially if we don't get rid of Bertrand. I do think we sould get rid of him and try to work with any of the kids. With Matic, Ramires, Fabregas and Mikel - in case he stays - we also need another two MD. Last year we had Marco, Essien and Lamps starting the season, so I think Marco and another one, maybe two, could stay. I think Ake might actually stay (he can play FB too) and probably Romeu? We're well stocked with AMs and I don't think any of the kids will have a chance to stay. If Lukaku doesn't stay, I hope we sign another striker, a different kind of backup and I also don't see any of our boys being ready for that. I'd love for Bamford to get a year of regular football and stay with us next season.

[xdottenx 20]

Is there anywhere I can see the full match?

[didierforever 7,349]

zouma was poor. salah was poor too. lewis baker is a TALENT. JT is a LEGEND!!!

romeu has been great in these 2 matches,