With all the World Cup participants yet to return to Cobham for pre-season training there was always the possibility that Carlo Ancelotti would give a few youngsters the chance to play on Saturday.
However, one youngster who made the team sheet might well have been more than a little surprised to get a start.
Josh McEachran earned rave reviews in our successful FA Youth Cup campaign last season and is marked down as one for the future.
At 17 years of age, the lad who has been at Chelsea since he was 8 (does that make him due a testimonial next season?) certainly has time on his side.
But, given his chance on Saturday, Josh didn’t disappoint.
Playing in front of a large crowd, so large it’s the first time I can recall a friendly being late kicking off due to crowd congestion, young Josh showed glimpses of the remarkable talent he possesses.
Playing in the hole behind the striking partnership of Daniel Sturridge and Franco Di Santo, as early as the third or fourth minute he showed a sublime piece of skill with fleet of foot to create space and bamboozle two Palace players closing him down.
As Chelsea pushed Palace back young Josh seemed to be at the heart of everything, probing passes, deft flicks and even the commitment to regain possession when one dalliance on the ball saw it lost.
The youngster even had the audacity to claim an assist for Michael Essen’s fine strike laying the ball back into his path so the Ghanaian could smash it home from eighteen yards out.
Yes there were errors, some ambitious long passes went astray and one dart into the box saw Josh not completely able to control the ball first time but when he was withdrawn, shortly after the goal, he’d done enough t more than justify his inclusion in the starting eleven.
With the next game scheduled for Friday, and a fixture against Ajax Amsterdam, we’re not sure if Josh will get a starting berth, especially if Yossi Benayoun has overcome the injury that kept him on the sidelines on Saturday, but remember the name because if young Josh continues his remarkable progress it’ll soon be on everyone’s lips!
However, one youngster who made the team sheet might well have been more than a little surprised to get a start.
Josh McEachran earned rave reviews in our successful FA Youth Cup campaign last season and is marked down as one for the future.
At 17 years of age, the lad who has been at Chelsea since he was 8 (does that make him due a testimonial next season?) certainly has time on his side.
But, given his chance on Saturday, Josh didn’t disappoint.
Playing in front of a large crowd, so large it’s the first time I can recall a friendly being late kicking off due to crowd congestion, young Josh showed glimpses of the remarkable talent he possesses.
Playing in the hole behind the striking partnership of Daniel Sturridge and Franco Di Santo, as early as the third or fourth minute he showed a sublime piece of skill with fleet of foot to create space and bamboozle two Palace players closing him down.
As Chelsea pushed Palace back young Josh seemed to be at the heart of everything, probing passes, deft flicks and even the commitment to regain possession when one dalliance on the ball saw it lost.
The youngster even had the audacity to claim an assist for Michael Essen’s fine strike laying the ball back into his path so the Ghanaian could smash it home from eighteen yards out.
Yes there were errors, some ambitious long passes went astray and one dart into the box saw Josh not completely able to control the ball first time but when he was withdrawn, shortly after the goal, he’d done enough t more than justify his inclusion in the starting eleven.
With the next game scheduled for Friday, and a fixture against Ajax Amsterdam, we’re not sure if Josh will get a starting berth, especially if Yossi Benayoun has overcome the injury that kept him on the sidelines on Saturday, but remember the name because if young Josh continues his remarkable progress it’ll soon be on everyone’s lips!
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