Chelsea FC

Under 12 Blues

Chelsea Blues Match Reports 

 
 
 

Round 18 v Casey Comets 2-2 draw

full matchday photos found here - MANY thanks to Peter

FINALLY. The end of season had arrived and the boys had one last chance to get on the pitch as a team and have a great game. Calum had to call a few early changes with 3 of our strongest defenders missing (Dutchy, Kaillid and Max) for the game and their absence had left a great big hole for the boys to fill. So the first half saw Aidan and Danny back to where they had started the season and Dan was called up to the midfield to flex his muscles against a Casey team who no doubt remembered him from their last bruising encounter earlier in the year.
The last match of the year is always a celebration of a great year more than anything and the boys made sure they enjoyed every moment out there today with EVERY player showing some great skill throughout the match at one point or another. In the end the game felt like a carbon copy of the away fixture earlier in the year with Casey scoring the first two goals on the counter attack and then the Blues taking control to completely dominate possession but somehow not get that last winning goal. A LOT of credit must go to Casey's goalkeeper this time around for he had improved out of sight from the last encounter and was really the difference between a 4 or 5 goal win today. The result was not through a lack of trying and while it may have felt like a win gone missing it was a brilliant fast paced game to cheer the boys on and a fitting way to finish the year.
No Ulysses this week - definitely a War and Peace though. Buckle up for a long read.

Jesse started the game where he left off last week and was very aggressive at the ball and dominating midfield to forward and causing Casey a lot of problems. He started pushing through-balls onto a waiting Charlie and Miguel that were centimeter perfect and making the rest of the team already start lamenting the fact that we can't keep him next year. What a brilliant way to finish off the year Jesse and your skills on the ball running at REAL pace have improved out of sight throught the year.

Dan finally got his chance in the midfield and he took it with both hands. His first half was a real PB performance and like a dog finally let off the leash he was running absolutely everywhere - a few Casey players had indeed remembered him from last time and were a little hesitant when they saw him charging at them, but on the other hand there were a few giving as good as they got... and Dan loved it! Unlucky not to score after he got through their defense with a clear shot on goal, today was evidence if there was ever any needed that next year Dan will be spending a lot more time in the midfield. If my memory serves me correct Dan ended up being the ONLY Chelsea Blues player to play every single game this year and week after week never took a backward step. Dan take a bow you are were a real champion this year and I for one loved watching your development as a player.

Danny was back to his old stomping ground of right back early in the match and he continued to do just what he always did 'way back when' - running more than any other player and bruising as many legs and feet as he could as he kept Casey well away from the goals down their left wing. Danny was devastated to let in a VERY unlucky own goal as he went to defend a heavy hit cross but that just shows how passionate Danny is about his performance and the team he plays for. It also shows just how much in the play he always is - front and centre and giving it his all. It took a chat at half time to let him know that an own goal is never really anything other than bad luck and that all the team expects from Danny is what he has given all year - 100% at every contest. In the second half Danny got to run forward and he continued his late season running program by running rings around Casey - in fact the Blues' first goal resulted from Danny running past nearly every single Casey player down to the goal line, back around a few more and then from the tightest of angles drilling it past the keeper. It was pretty special stuff and brought a great big cheer from the crowd (after a moment of 'did that just happen' silence?. It also brought back Danny's big smile too which was one of the other highlights of the year - the joy that Danny plays the game with! What a year Danny - unbelievable improvement and a few real standout matches along the way.

While Miguel was keeping busy in the first half holding up Casey's attempted runs, he was the Blues player that spotted ealy in the second half that Casey had flooded the backline to try and keep their lead. So while other players were trying to run through a double deep defense, Miguel took it upon himself to start hitting long bombs with his dangerous left boot - while many of these were blocked at the point of impact when he didn't get to it quick enough there were enough that took flight to scare Casey and these were a real joy to watch - especially the kick that resulted in the Blues' second goal that picked up pace through the air and looked like it was going to sail over until it dipped under the crossbar at the last minute for one of the goals of the year. The Chelsea Blues bench was right behind the kick and saw the magic of it all the way in. What a great finish to Miguel's year with a second half PB performance. Hopefully he can pick up next year where he left off from and when he gets that right boot of his involved in the play a bit more he will be close to unstoppable as he gets in moods like he was today.

Darby was sent forward for the start of the match with two tasks - distribute the ball well and make sure he also got back and defended if needed... and on occasions he took this to extreme levels during the first half by running the length of the field and back - from crossing the ball in from deep in a pocket to the next minute clearing the ball in the last line of defense. In fact some of the parents were left wondering if he knew which way the team was running at one point as he kept playing the ball backwards while waiting for a player to offer a run up the wing. Luckily us parents just watch the game and don't play it as he seemed to have it all under control in the end. Darby ended up the year where he started by keeping the goals warm in the second half and doing little more than cheering the boys on so that Dom could get one final run on the pitch. Great season Darby - whether you were in goals, down back or up forward you have put in great games in every position you have been asked to play. Who knows what position you will end up next year?

Dom sure had a tough first half in goals as Casey made a few quick breaks through the defensive line and a very unlucky own goal doesn't help ANY keeper - the absence of Dutchy and Kaillid were really felt in this first half as it was left to Alex and Deion to try and hold the fort against a few speedy wingers. But Dom made sure he let his frustrations out in the second half and gave as good as he got as he covered a lot of ground with the ball running at the goals having half a dozen chances on goals. 2 or 3 times he was shut down at the last second (and on one occasion the last split milli-second). One rebound strike had everyone holding their breath as it bobbled up out of the keeper's reach but just shaved their crossbar as it went over the wrong side. So close! Dom's run was so dangerous in the second half that he drew the season's first yellow card from the opposition as he was clumsily brought down just as he was through on an open goal. So close Dom!

Denis continued on today like Denis always does - controlling the ball from defense and feeding it out to the wings - or holding up the opposition as they try to get past him. It really is hard to believe Denis is a first year player such was the ease with which he played the ball. Mr consistency played that midfield position nearly every week he was on the field and backed himself to run the wings when he did see an opening. If he can get a touch of aggression in his play and know it is ok to run through players he will be dominating games in no time. If he is keen to play on with us next year there will be a starting position in the same spot for him ready to go - and just maybe he can sneak forward every now and then and really cause the opposition some pain, because when Denis is running with the ball at pace he makes it look SO easy.

Speaking of players who make running with the ball look easy, let's talk A and Z.
Aidan started the game in the backline just like his early season apprenticeship. But unlike early in the season, today he had a stack of confidence behind him and he KNEW that whatever was thrown his way he would be able to handle it. Other than a couple of times when Casey's faster players got around him Aidan wasn't beaten in a one on one challenge and he got to stretch his legs running down the wing as the game wore on. The unluckiest player not to score a goal for the whole year, Aidan is ready to start next year already and is going to be a great left forward for the team into the future.

Zion as our trusty right wing had some AMAZING running games this year and was possibly ever more impressive when he was put down back in a defensive position - and for the same reason: his pace with the ball. There isn't a better site than Zion with his hair bouncing around behind him running at real pace after pushing the ball wide and challenging the opposition to a sprint. When Zion starts taking his run straight at the goals and not too wide he will be scoring PLENTY of goals as i can't actually recall too many times when he has actually been run down from behind. We will also miss his crazy irish robot impersonations at training over summer too ;)

Charlie had a great game today - a really consistent effort for the whole match. Late in the match he was fighting his way through 3 or 4 defenders at a time as Casey pushed everyone back and he wasn't going to give in at all - even if he was running through the middle of a pitch that looked more beach than grass and making it almost impossible to play the ball in front of him easily. Charlie's one-two play has been some of the best team things to watch all year and he has been part of most of the best team goals of the year - whether it be Charlie and Jesse or Charlie and Darby or Charlie running at and through the defensive line and finishing off some great work by Miguel or Denis, Charlie has made that forward position his own for the whole year. More of the same next year please Charlie!

Alex had a tough last match of the year with his partner in crime Dutchy not standing by his side which resulted in him covering a lot more ground than normal - and in true Alex style he did it and did it very well in his usual understated no fuss way. Much like Aidan, Alex started in defense pretty unsure of what was going on around him but his improvement has been very obvious for all to see. His ability to chase down ANYONE - even the fastest players on the opposition who were used to getting their own way - would have Alex sidle up next to them at pace and somehow look like he was jogging. It always felt like something out of the Roadrunner as Alex cruised on past players who were sweating up a storm and puffing and panting away. As the year rolled on Alex had the defensive plays worked out and started running with the ball with enough confidence to get past plenty of opposition players. When Alex decides the time is right to push the opposition around and he finally believes in his own skills he will be a brilliant defender for any team. Just like Jesse Alex is going to be a BIG loss next year (and one we don't really have a replacement for at the moment) - not just for his work on the pitch but for his maturity off it on the training track - a real gentleman that some of the other class clowns in the team could learn from!

And last but very certainly not least is Deion - who flew under the radar most weeks simply because he did his job so well. I've said it so many times already this year but when players run at Deion thinking they are going to waltz around him there is nearly always only one result - Deion running away with the ball and the opposition on the ground. As players started dropping like flies in the winter months Darren called on the big guns to fill in up forward and Deion's match against Mt Martha was a big reason why the team nearly got away with an unlikely result. With a bit more match fitness behind him Deion can easily work his way through the midfield next year as he has the cleanest passing ability out of everyone on the team - he only needs a split second to spot an opening and hit it. It was great to see Deion sneak back in goals for a couple of times this year to prove that he hadn't lost any of his goalkeeping skills - even after such a long break from doing it.

But what of the missing players?
Ever the team man, Dutchy was way too sick to play but he was still to be found sitting on the bench cheering the boys on - he was devastated to miss the last match of the year! Dutchy had a great season in defense this year and even got to branch out and have a few games in goals too which he is keen to work on over the summer ready for next year. Only his second year playing and he took his game up a notch again this year with his decision making on the ball - there were times this year that he was unstoppable running out of defense. If it was up to Dutchy we would be playing 12 months a year.

Kaillid was too sick to even leave home today and it was a real shame for him to not be there right at the end as Kaillid's improvement was one of the highlights for me to see this year - for someone who started the year a little bit unsure of the players around him and where he fit in, he sure did end the year with a string of brilliant games - his back half of the season was as good defensively as anyone on the team. His strength of the ball undisputed. His commitment to doing the team things unquestionable. How good is he going to be next year? (Not rhetorical - Answer = pretty damn good)

Max may have been sunning himself up in Queensland but he would have been missing having a kickaround with the team - he took to the game from the very start and was not intimidated by anyone. His skills really picked up during the year and his confidence followed very quickly. With a year behind him he is going to be one to watch next year as he continues his improvement with the ball at his feet.

 

So that's it for the year. A great season that, as promised from the very start, would not be win / loss focused but would be all about player improvement - with well over half the team as first year players it really couldn't have been about much else - and Calum stuck true to his word and made sure the players were spread across the pitch. We had 9 different goal scorers with 4 equal top scorers in Charlie, Darby, Dom and Miguel. We also didn't manage one single game were all 16 original players made it on the pitch together so that shows just how much the team had to adapt every week to different positions - apart from the defensive duo of Dutchy and Alex and the team really needs to thank them for being rock solid all year in defence and their commitment to the team weas a major reason why the scores were close most games - the Chelsea Blues had more drawn matches than anyone else in our league and the boys managed to push the clear top 5 teams (OK, lets exclude Harrisfield from that...) to close results like very few other teams could. Yes there are plenty of areas for improvement but that is the exciting part ahead for this team as they continue that improvement across the park.

Many thanks should go to all the parents for their commitment to getting to the games nice and early every week. I have had conversations with many of you trying to counsel you through your expected post-season 'blues' as you struggle to fill in your Sunday mornings and it's great to know that you have loved it as much as the boys have. Many thanks to Peter for the amazing photos. Thanks to Goran, Pablo and Darren for running the lines and not getting in too many arguments with the opposition while doing so. Darren gets two gold stars for suffering through a brutal 4 weeks as coach in miserable weather with very few players and keeping the boys improving while doing so. 
But Calum gets all the credit for showing up every Wednesday and Friday and then on Sunday in all kinds of weather (even if the parents were shivering on the sidelines hoping that tonight might be the night he cancels!) and training the boys up while keeping his cool for the whole year. A bunch of 12 year old boys together for a whole year? What could go wrong, right? The job is yours for as long as you want it Calum - and our thanks are yours forever.


 
 
 

Round 17 v Hampton Park (0-4 loss)
full matchday photos found here - MANY thanks to Peter

Wonderful weather. Great ground. Friendly opposition (it's not often one of the kids on the other team wishes you good luck as you run past them - and you're not even playing!).
The Chelsea Blues gave it their all for the last away match of the year and left the field proud in their efforts knowing they did everything they could. I would love to spend a long time complementing every single one of the boys on today's efforts but fear this rambling report may finally cross some line of common sense and descend into Ulysses. So instead I offer you this:

The first half was a wonderful effort by all players on the pitch - a real free flowing fast game that today's referee may have wished he hadn't shown up to. The Chelsea Blues had most of the ball and while a couple of goals against the play from some truly amazing individual efforts (and some REAL pace!) from Hampton Park occured, that shouldn't take away from the style of play the Blues fought not only the first half but the ENTIRE game out with. Very attacking. Very positive. Always looking to run the ball forward.
The defenders were starting to use their play out of defense as the start of some long running attacks through the midfield - Alex, Deion and Dutchy all imposing themselves at the right time and not just stopping and then thinking of the next play - but having the confidence in themsleves and their team mates to work out the next play while on the run to keep the play moving away from danger. Dutchy's deliberate long clearing kicks were there to see once again as he hit the wings for players to run onto and he had a lot of ground to cover as he was defending the centre of the pitch and out the back left and right as Alex spent his time chasing down some speedy players. Deion kept his string of great games going today also and continued on his recent habit of running the ball out of defense once it was won - Deion has the knack of holding the ball in tight when running with it and is very rarely ever dispossessed. He is one of the best in the team at distributing the ball and a big pre-season should see him sit comfortably in that midfield group playing the ball forward with his pinpoint precision. Having played for many years his experience has helped the entire defensive group all year and for that Deion deserves a huge pat on the back.
 

Special mention must go to the wingers in the first half - especially Zion and Dom - who time and again (once the midfielders fed them the ball) ran around the Hampton Park defense and took the ball deep into attack as their skill on the ball was too much for Hampton Park's back half to actually handle. Hampton Park to their credit did push the boys very wide and they were always 2 kicks from goal before they had a chance to look up and see if anyone was there for the cross. It was when the boys went direct through the middle - more often than not thanks to Denis or Miguel or Charlie - that the real scoring pressure was applied. Zion covered more ground than anyone else on the pitch today without a doubt and Dom's control of the ball charging through the centre reminded everyone watching what the team had missed while he was off winning hockey trophies.
Aidan was doing a great job also but was suffering from players with a bit of tunnel vision in the middle of the pitch not looking up to see the open space he had worked himself into. He spent the second half running down the right wing with little help trying to fend off 4 or 5 defenders or running into an open left pocket to not be spotted in time to be able to run into an open goal. As the rest of the team start looking for better options when they get the ball then Aidan will be ready to pounce as he already knows where to run. Aidan is still holding the mantle as 'unluckiest player not to score this year'.
Denis had a great game controlling the midfield with his usual calm style - pushing Charlie forward with a through ball here or Miguel wide with a running play there; today was the kind of day that made the Blues realise what a loss Denis was in the deep dark rainy days of June and July. One more week to go Denis - let's see a couple more of those aggressive runs through the opposition and at the goals and finish the year with a well deserved goal or two! In fact the whole midfield group was on top of their game today - Miguel holding up so many attempted attacking plays from Hampton Park that they really didn't know what to do late in the game. One of the great joys this year is watching Miguel shuffle a hard won ball out to the left with the outside of his boot and then launch himself off on another running play down the field.
Max finished up the year with a great Max styled game (TM) - physical pressure / brutality on the ball carrier, lunging at the loose ball to get possession back and a lot of sideways running to cover both sides of the pitch. We have loved having you on board Max and can't wait to have you back in the new year to go again!


Kaillid played another wonderful defensive game in a long run of wonderful defensive games - his improvement not only as a player but as a TEAM player has been great to track and hopefully he continues on to next year and starts where he is leaving off this year. Like a few other players in the Blues team, once he starts building his confidence levels up and backs himself to not only run through a play but to keep the ball and keep going he will be dy-na-mite.
One player who deserves credit for possibly being the most consistent player on the pitch all year is Dan - ALWAYS guaranteed to give 100% at every play and not back out no matter how bad the odds, Dan was out there again making sure that if Hampton Park were to get around him they would do so at a cost. Dan's skill on the ball has improved out of site during the year and he is part of a 'defensive' unit along with Kaillid and Max and Deion that may not look intimidating but become so by the end of the match week after week. Hampton Park suffered this same fate as players who started the game running at Dan and Kaillid ended the game happily passing sideways and letting someone else 'deal with them'.
Jesse was brilliant at attacking the ball and showing the rest of the team how it is done. While we sure did miss having Danny running around on the pitch today, Jesse did his best to make up for the loss and had a great game by running at the ball with real pace and aggression in any 50/50 play instead of holding back a touch - and it was this pace that got him to the ball more often than not to be able to push the ball further along to a waiting Charlie or Miguel or Dom or Aidan. Jesse is definitely ready for the big leagues of Under 14s next year if the last month or so is anything to go by. Our loss will be their gain for sure.
As will our loss of Alex whose pace was the only thing that could slow down the 2 Hapmton Park players that made a break down the wings over and over. Try as hard as our boys could it wasn't physiologically possible to keep up with these guys - except for Alex who not only kept pace but mowed them down once or twice. Let's hope that Alex really starts to believe what we as a team know - just how important he is in defense, and with that boost of confidence comes a bit more mongrel so that he can start pushing players around the way that Dan and Kaillid and Deion (love) doing. Again the Under 14s gain will be our loss and one that we will struggle to cover next year.

It was during the second half that the team's defensive play became a bit scrappy on a few occasions as the team fell into a few old habits - of bunching up instead of defending space (quite a few photos show a dozen Chelsea players to one opposition player) and of treating goalkicks as a chance to catch their breath instead of making room and calling for the ball out of defense. Too many times it was left to the left and right back to receive the ball deep on the sideline as Hampton Park blocked the middle of the pitch with no one willing to get involved or have players follow them to make space. The few times players did make space the ball came out with speed and made it to the other end of the pitch so well that these were the team's best chances to score all day - which proved this was a great play to work on for the future. The first half saw Darby play a wonderful ball out in front of Miguel to run onto, who in turn fed the ball out in front of Aidan who took it across to Zion who weaved some Zion magic and shot on target but it just went a bit too high. The same again in the second half with Darby throwing the ball over a wall of players to an open midfield led by Denis which led to a wonderful team effort to get Charlie on goal. Darby has been working hard on making faster decisions out of goals in the past month or so and he had chances to practice this in the 'real world' today when the Blues were awake to the offer... and the team did in fact literally run with it.

 

Unlike previous weeks the Blues didn't drop off anywhere near as much due to a lack of match fitness as the game wore on - in fact it was Hampton Park calling on subs every 2 minutes near the end of the game to try and slow it down as the Blues finished full of running with plenty of attack at the goals. Charlie was storming the front many many times but Hampton Park were awake to his run and sitting 4 players in his way every time which opened up space all over the pitch for others to run into. The boys just lacked that final touch to get on the scoreboard today with many players inching closer but just not close enough. Charlie was the one player that came as close as anyone but just shaved the post in a lunging effort with his left foot to finish off one of many great team plays through the middle of the pitch.

It took 2 or 3 very talented players to get through the Blues and get on the scoreboard today - a couple of unstoppable hits in the first half and a couple of loose defensive efforts in the second half was all that resulted in goals. The Blues had more than their fair share of the play and dominated large sections of the game with some wonderful running play. Speaking to a Hampton Park official after the game he acknowledged that while they certainly did have a few gifted players, they had also been trying all year to get the team as a whole to play to their positions and having a real tough time of it, so boys be proud of the fact that the team structure and play is being noticed by not just your coach and super-proud parents. One more match to go and it's all over for the year. When you turn up to the match on Sunday just remember everything you have learnt this year as a team and be proud of every one of them... and then get out there and give it all your all and make sure you have fun.

Oh yeah, didn't I say I would keep this one short? Oops.

 
 
 

Round 16 v Langwarrrin 2-4 loss
full matchday photos found here - MANY thanks to Peter

Sport is played just as much in the mind as it is on the pitch and today was a great example of that. 12 year old boys are a little bit too 'free spirited' to be considered robots and today was a perfect example of this.
Whether it was the focus of trying to look gorgeous for the camera pre-match, or whether it was the fact that the boys thought today would be a bit easier than previous weeks (having already beaten today's opponent previously) I guess we will never know, but the Chelsea Blues didn't hit the pitch ready to play so much as wander on and have a bit of a look around. By the time they had realised they were right in the middle of a battle it was time for oranges and they were 3-0 down. With so many first year players in the team it takes all players to be switched on at all times to keep up with some of the more experienceed teams and today would be the first time all year it felt like the balance was tipped over the wrong way and the end result was a lack of spark all over the pitch which made it way too easy for Langwarrin to call the shots - for with only a few exceptions it felt like the first half was little more than a casual warmup and a great big head start for the opposition. No more needs to be spoken of this 25 minutes :)

Calum got the boys in, got them to re-focus and made a few structural changes and they were back on the pitch to start again and see what they could do to redeem themselves. 2 minutes later and 4-0 down and the worry beads were being reached for - but not for long because the boys had had enough and had lifted a gear (many gears in fact). Some of the boys responded by getting angry and were throwing themselves at every contest possible (blood spilt by Jesse and Dan, one hell of a bruise to the forehead for Deion, no doubt multiple bruises to the legs of Dutchy and Max and Dan) and the rest of the boys responded by running and running and making it to those second and third efforts. As bad as the first half felt was as good as the second half was to watch and many many players really shone.
Dutchy had an a-grade second half and he was an angry man - so disappointed was he at the way the backline had played in the first half that you could see the look in his eyes as he hit the pitch after half time - he won EVERY SINGLE contest he got to in the last 2O-25 minutes and was throwing his legs into every play around him and making sure the opposition felt every one of his tackles (which he is not normally known for). It really was a beautiful thing to watch and another reminder as to just how much playing in this team really means to him. I loved every minute of it Dutchy and it was your best half of the year hands down.
Max was angry. Boy did Langwarrin feel the wrath of Max - running at the play as though anyone in front of him was not really there and clashing with them front on and bulldozing his way through. There were a few wonderful plays were he pushed his way through two or three defenders while keeping the ball with him to play it on out the other side which really did make Langwarrin back off and give Miguel and Charlie more time on the ball than they were entitled to. This is when Max is at his best and when the rest of the team around him really lifts.
Dan doesn't get angry - he is too much of a mild mannered kind of guy. But Dan can play angry, and today Dan was slightly peeved come the second half. Langwarrin was left to deal with Dan on the rampage coming out to greet the ball (and whoever happened to be near it at the same time) - so much so that I did spot the opposition actually back off coming towards the ball when they saw it was Dan on the way out to greet it. As the season rolls on his clearing kicks are getting better and better and are on their way to be as reliable as Deion and Dutchy - what a wonderful three prong attack out of defense those three are if you lined them up in a row and told them to charge in unison.
Kaillid and Deion also continued their mid to late season form. Since the wet season hit these 2 have been brilliant on the pitch, both during training and on matchday and today was no exception for the very large majority of the match. Deion plays with all heart and his being forced off the pitch late in the game after a heavy head clash was the direct result of his 'see ball go for ball' attitude that makes him so important in the team defense. It takes a lot of courage to go for a ball when you have no idea what is coming the other way - and to not flinch while doing so is even more impressive so much respect to you Deion. Kaillid is one of the many first year players in the team (a team made up of 2/3 first year players amazingly enough) who have really come on in leaps and bounds and we can only hope he plays on into next year as he has become an important defensive player sweeping up out the back of the midfield area - and more and more so as the weeks roll on which has allowed other players to get into the game from his stopping role - but what is even more enjoyable to see is how this confidence is helping Kaillid control the ball when he does get it and THIS is what is bringing those around him into the play. Max and Denis and Jesse are seeing more ball than ever from the boot of Kaillid.
Aidan and Jesse and Zion and Danny ran all day - let's give them credit for that - they ran all day (first AND second half) and put in a full match performance. All three of these boys were shining lights in the first half and kept the team in touch come half time so much thanks really needs to go to them for that if nothing else.
Aidan was inspiration down the right and then left wing - I counted a dozen times he ran the ball up to the last defender, stood him up and got around him with pure skill on the ball. I've said it before but how unlucky was Aidan not to score today - he was on the spot ready to hit in that second goal if Miguel was not a foot in front of him - and his being there actually dragged defenders away from Miguel to give him a free shot on goal as Langwarrin started to mark
him closely due to his efforts all day. Big game Aidan - talk about finishing the season off with a bang!
Just like last week Jesse and Zion really did give it their all when the ball got to them - their pace on the ball is always surprising to the opposition and it always takes the next line of players to hold them up. Jesse's commitment to get to the ball just before half time by lunging at a play he had no right to which resulted in a heavy knock to him really was inspirational and almost felt like the moment the rest of the team decided that they had better wake up and get moving too. And while Danny had a quiet first half due to the ball seemingly avoiding him and not the other way around he still did all he could in blocking space and getting to the next play down the line. Danny got into the play a lot more come the second half and Langwarrin seem to have learnt the lesson of Berwick last week and chose more physical ways of dealing with the run of Danny out of the midfield.
 

After a tough first half in goals with a lot of pressure coming at him non-stop Dom finally got out on the pitch for a run after a long absence due to his hockey heroics - and by the end of the match it was like he had never left, making a few runs straight at the goals (one being very unlucky not to result in a goal with a heavy last touch taking it too close to the keeper). Dom hasn't lost his pace on the ball and I sense another goal or even two from him by the time the season wraps up.
Alex, like most of the back half of the team, had a tough first half of the match but refocused himself and came out fighting in the second half. Alex gave it his all and even managed to sneak forward late in the game and help oush the play dangerously close to goals which was great to see. Charlie and Denis worked their way into the game during the second half also and Charlie really was causing some havoc from the middle out - his first touch strength and follow up really does catch a lot of teams out and today it happened yet again - setting up play out on the wings and almost hitting the scoreboard himself (once again well defended by Langwarrin's keeper after a heavy last touch). Denis' running game lifted a level midway through the second half and his confidence lifted with it and he started roaming depper and deeper forward which is where his touch on the ball is most dangerous as defenders see his control and start to break out in cold sweats.
How much did Miguel enjoy that second half? His first goal was amazing - a wonderfully hit corner that rebounded back to him as he follwed it in and BANG! a heavy strike over everyone's head and into the top left corner of the goals. It really was unstoppable. Not too different to his goal against Casey other than it was so well hit that no one even had a chance to get near it this time. One well deserved goal was followed up not long after by another as Miguel swooped onto a ball well fed out from our midfield. If the first goal was all about power then this second one was all about poise as Miguel took his time and slotted it past the keeper after waiting for him to make his move. Two big goals Miguel and wonderful for all to watch.
Darby was back in goals for the second half after a few weeks 'off' and it was business as usual - he made a couple of great saves coming out and blocking the angle as Langwarrin ran into goal - even using his face to save one goal I was reliably informed. His Jedi mind tricks were on show when defending a penalty spot kick as Langwarrin hit the post not once, but twice on the follow up play and then on the third attempt Darby was there to keep it out. He helped the defensive line stay calm and focused and once again worked very well with Dutchy organising the troops ahead of him. It was a great hitout ready to prepare him for next week's match against Hampton Park when he will likely be a very busy little goalkeeper.

So while the match was a missed opportunity at a win it was also a great lesson in how much spirit and fight there is in this team - 4-0 down and many teams would just call it quits and let the scoreline turn ugly. It was a credit to the Blues that come the end of the game it was down to a great goalkeeping performance from Langwarrin's keeper that the scores didn't end up even with the amount of ball and run the boys ended the game with - and winning the second half was a minor victory after the head start they had allowed Langwarrin. Much to work on out of this match but also much to work with due to their heart and fight.

  

 

Round 15 v Berwick Tigers 0-2 loss

full matchday photos found here - MANY thanks to Peter

The first time the Chelsea Blues played Berwick Tigers was a 6-0 loss after giving up too many goals in the first half through some unstructured play while still learning how to play as a group. Today was a chance to show all their supporters just what they had learnt over the season and try and give Berwick a real scare in the process. And by the end of the match the boys had managed to tick both boxes very convincingly.
Our go to linesman Goran remarked before the game that today was probably the best looking team the Blues had been able to put on the pitch for the entire year as far as number of players available and the positions they were being played in (don't worry boys, no doubt it was implied that you all LOOKED wonderful) and he certainly had a point. With a full squad of 15 players on board (even if a few of them were fighting off a bit of illness) and the sun shining, the boys had every reason to be optimistic with what was to come, but by the end of the game even they would have been surprised with just how close they had come to causing a major upset against a team who is riding high second on the ladder and being the only team to have taken points off of the unstoppable Harrisfield. 

Every player that hit the pitch today played to their full potential and was a reason why the TEAM played well as a group, and while the occasional mistake was made by all of them (they're not robots you know) they all picked themselves back up and made up for it straight away. Looking through the list of players on the day it was easy to see the improvement in all of them from the first time these two teams met and midway through the second half when the scores were still tied at nil all it was clear that Berwick's bench were starting to get very concerned about just how the match would end up.

The first half was a real scrappy hard fought beast of a thing with both teams holding up play and not many chances being created by either team. The midfield and wingers were really holding the ball up well and Berwick were having to figure out a different way to get through. Danny was Mr Everywhere once again and was sweeping across the ground to help out every time Berwick thought they had found a chink in the armour. Danny would continue to do this all day, and by midway through the second half was running deeper and deeper into attack and almost becoming unstoppable. So unstoppable in fact that it would take for Berwick to try a few 'different' approaches to defending Danny for them to finally succeed in forcing him off with an injured leg (I believe the call was 'don't worry Danny - they couldn't beat you so they had to butcher you instead!'... and no arguments from anyone dressed in blue and white).
The whole defensive line were great all day - Dutchy, Alex, Deion especially: Alex running the wings wide and continuing to hold up play like he has become famous for - AND continuing his recent habit of backing himself to run the ball out of defense if he sees the gap open up in front of him, Dutchy sitting back as the ever trusty last line and positioning the ball into the right areas with his long clearing kicks and Deion playing a bit higher today to meet and greet in Deion's ever reliable 'make my day' style which never ends well for the person that is NOT Deion.

 

In fact every Chelsea Blues player made today the day to do better than usual what they had been doing all year - Zion running the right wing and dragging extra defenders to him every time(and looking so graceful every time he does it too!), Miguel doing the same out on the left, Denis calmly controlling the centre of the park and feeding the ball out where needed, Aidan completely bossing the front left (in fact we may have a PB award on Aidan's efforts today if we really think about just how much of the play he had - and then to go back in defense in the second half and continue to do the same!) and Dan, Max and Kaillid bruising and bursting through the lines. Every player deserves their own highlights page today.
The Pokemon boys continued on from last week - Charlie up high and Darby sitting in behind him - and while a lot of the ball was played around them in the whirlpool in the first half, when their time came in the first half of the second half (no, really, that's a thing isn't it?) they were there and ready to go - they caused Berwick a few close calls running through the middle at goal and feeding off each other, but could just not get the few metres closer to be able to pull the trigger. Miguel was running wild in and around the packs for most of the day and Berwick were not handling his body strength too well. Dan was using his deceptive pace to beat Berwick to the ball in one on one battles and proving that the team cannot function without his intervention - today Dan was backing up the play by spotting a target to direct the ball to and keep the play flowing. Kaillid continues his mid to late season confidence boost by playing another pearler of a game - seemingly appearing in the right spot at the right time way too many times to be accidental. Either Kaillid has that special knack of seeing the play 2 steps ahead or we have a budding clairvoyant in the ranks. His body strength over the ball - similar to Deion and Max - is what makes him all the harder to get around when you find him toe to toe with you. Jesse for the 3rd week in a row was LOVING the freedom of a running role - check out the big smile in those photos if you need any more proof - and his control running with the ball is all the better for the amount of time he is spending running at the defense and backing himself in.
Something that became obvious by the end of the day was the control of the ball through the midfield - with ALL the boys confident enough to hold the ball up and assess an option before playing it on (well done team - it takes a lot of confidence to see players running at you but to also give yourself that split second to think first) - and oftentimes actually playing the ball BACK to the defenders if that was the best option - a real milestone moment as far as team structure is concerned as this is what all attacking play is based on - Denis and Darby especially passing the ball a long way back if needed rather than into the legs of oncoming traffic - which brought Deion and Dutchy's huge kicks into play more than any other week this year. Max was brilliant at making space for this to happen by running into open space himself which took a couple of players with him, or blocking Berwick off the ball and giving other team mates the time they needed. These seemingly smaller things are what together made this such a great team game to watch - there was no ME ME ME going on out there in the middle.
Finally it took a free kick from just outside the box that cleared the wall and caused Dom to not site it until very late in its flight for the first goal to go in, and the second goal coming from the only real bit of clumsy play from the defensive line 5 or so minutes later. Inside and around this 5 minutes Dom pulled off the save of the day jumping to deflect a heavily hit ball over the crossbar that 9 times out of 10 would have hit the back of the net before even being spotted - great save Dom! (I bet you could hear your goalkeeper coach Fonz in your ear telling you to put the first goal out of your mind and focus only on your next opportunity - mind you Fonz may NOT have said it that PG rated). Not only that, but Dom also managed to block a penalty spot kick and follow up and clear it out of trouble. It was great to finally have you back on the pitch Dom.

 

In the end it probably came down to a bit of match fitness more than anything - for today was very similar to the Mt Martha game - every player on the pitch giving it their all but as tired legs showed up late in the game the boys dropped off their run at the opposition a fraction and this allowed them that little bit more time on the ball. The team relied on every single player today and would not have played as well if even one of them wasn't there.
A big pre-season of running the tan awaits the team to bring them up to the level of a few of the top teams. A few boys need to practice how to throw the ball back in. A bit more practice on the opposite foot is needed for a few of them. When you think about it there are only a few things that seperate the boys from continually competing with the top teams from this year and heart and commitment is certainly NOT one of them - and if they stick together as a group and continue on from the great base they have started at then it will happen, without a doubt. Once again the Blues support crew were out in large numbers and proving that a successful team is not only restricted to those that take the pitch but also to those around them (I hear that the oranges were of a high quality today for example). The Chelsea Blues have given an awful fright to the teams that currently sit 2nd, 3rd and 5th on the ladder and in a couple of weeks we play the 4th placed Hampton Park to challenge ourselves once again. Not only that but this coming week we play a much improved Langwarrin team whose only loss in the past 6 weeks was to the undefeated ladder leaders so the challenges just don't let up!
Great work again boys - one of the best team efforts all year - let's keep it up for the last few remaining matches of the year and finish on a real high.


 
 
 

Round 14 v Aspendale 3-3 draw

full matchday photos found here - MANY thanks to Peter

Today the boys started their return matches for the year and first up were Aspendale - our closest neighbour and the team closest to our skill level - so it was bound to be an exciting match. Would the boys be able to stand tall on National Tree Day? (groan)
The first half had the boys kicking into a brutal wind - so strong in fact that at one stage when Darby put the ball down for a goalkick the wind picked it up and it started rolling unassisted. It was this strong wind that had some of the team a bit worried and put them slightly off their game as Aspendale were able to clear the ball very easily if the midfield were able to make any running across the halfway line.
Danny was up for the fight and was almost a lone figure running up the right hand wing - time and again forcing 3 or 4 defenders to him and more often than not making it into the box. There was a feeling of inevitability for Danny today - coming closer and closer to scoring in the past month, Danny woke up this morning and declared that today was his day to score. The first thing your (verbose) match reporter said to Danny was 'hiya Danny' (oh, and then he said 'today is your day to score Danny - i just KNOW it'). So Danny was going to give it everything in the pursuit of his first ever goal just so that he could say to himself 'I told you so'. Jesse was out wide on the left wing running the ball deep into attack while trying not to be blown backwards - once again enjoying his time out in the open and not sitting forwward. Kaillid and Dan playing high defensive games had good first halves as they continued to do what they have been doing for the past month - slowing up the play and giving those behind them a chance to get into the game with the time gained. They are making as solid a duo as Alex and Dutchy have and are becoming super reliable holding down their favourite positions.
The defence did indeed have their work cut out for them in the first half and they fought on as best they could with the occasional soft clearance out of the box making it a bit too easy for Aspendale from such close range - Darby did what he could by diving on the loose ball heading his way and providing a very memorable save to a heavy ball that was sure to hit the top right of the net, but in the end the team was to be 2 goals down come half time. With all the ball that Aspendale had in the first half that was a great result in the context of the game and one that would have the team still in it to win it when they switched over to be running with the wind.
Calum brought the boys in and had a few choice words to say to them about their 2nd and 3rd efforts and defensive pressure. The boys listened. But would the boys understand and also respond?
 
Zion bravely put his hand up to cover the goals (our 5th keeper for the year) as his confidence had to have been sky high after another great defensive half which allowed Darby a run out on the pitch. The boys were off ready to go! The weather at their backs for the second half and there was enough confidence that they could turn the game around and get a result!

...five minutes into the second half and that confidence was a little bit shaky as Aspendale went 3 goals up with a counter attack play straight through the middle that left the goalie one on one with a rampaging Aspendale player and there was little that could be done to stop it.
Aspendale had their tails up but the Blues had had enough - it was time to go on the attack. Deion (captain for the day) and Max in the middle were to be the first to say 'no more' and they stood their ground to stop Aspendale running riot through the middle. How nice was it to have Denis back in the middle to control the play (lime green mittens and all)? That extra bit of calm in the centre that the team had been missing was back today, for Denis was there to mop up and feed the ball forward to Darby and Charlie or out wide to Miguel on the left who was running rings around the opposition (much like he had the first time these two teams met). All that was needed was for Miguel to move the ball on a bit quicker before he reached a fearful waiting defender and there would have been no stopping him as Aspendale really weren't sure how to defend his strength on the ball.
Alex and Dutchy joined up in central defence again and like always when they are side by side they became as good as 3 players and that pretty much sealed the "corridor of counter attack" (TM) for the rest of the match. This forced Aspendale wide which brough Kaillid, Dan and Miguel into the play a lot more as Aspendale tried what they could to get that winning goal on the board.
But it was time for our forward half to shine - with Danny FINALLY rewarded for all his hard work all year when a tight shot taken deep in the 'pocket' stumbled through the goalkeepers legs and across the line for possibly the most deserved goal of the year. Danny jumped up and down cheering, your match reporter turned to Danny's dad and said 'want to know tomorrow's lotto results?' (OK, he really just gave him a virtual high five) and the Blues were back in the game and ready to keep the pressure on.
And just like in other weeks, one goal usually leads to another fairly quickly - 5 or so minutes later after some serious attacking pressure from the entire team it was to be Charlie's turn to pounce on an attempted clearance and muscle his way through a wall of defenders while somehow keeping the ball at his feet (a trick that Charlie seems to have mastered based on the amount of times he has done it this year) to get a shot away on goal that could not be stopped. Some real belief now amongst the boys and especially Charlie - he was up for the fight and hadn't finished yet.
It was to be the two 'old' Chelsea boys Charlie and Darby to combine for goal of the day and to level the scores 5 minutes later. These boys have been playing together in the same team since Under 8s so between all the Pokemon talk and giggling they have managed to pick up the odd trick or two (like where they each run to on the pitch) and it was to prove crucial information as Darby came running through the middle and hit a perfect ball between a few players to Charlie's feet just outside the box. Charlie held the ball up, sensed the follow up play and turned to put the ball on into space brilliantly between the 2 Aspendale defenders on top of him (just like in the Skye match in fact). All that was left to do was for Darby to run onto it and hit the top left corner of the net at some serious pace (wind assisted of course). Well done boys - a brilliant goal to finish the scoring for the day...
 
For the last 5-10 minutes were to be pretty even as Aspendale dug in to keep the game to a draw.
This was when our defenders REALLY stood up and took over. Dan made some amazing defensive plays in these last crucial minutes as Aspendale tried time and again to run down that right wing but they could not get past him at all - even when he was outnumbered he always forced the ball foward or over for a throw in at the very least. Kaillid made a few great plays when it counted also. Even the midfield was to be found back helping out with Danny, Deion and Darby clearing out a few possible attempts on goal. Dutchy stood up when it counted and not only took the goalkicks but also called the shots, marshalled the troops, moved the chess pieces etc etc. In amongst all the heroics from the team there was one bit of play late in the game that I do remember - an Aspendale player flying down the left hand wing and getting around 2, 3 and 4 Blues players - it might have been time to worry but I could see who they next needed to get around. I could have closed my eyes and seen the play unfold exactly the same way - both players coming together and Deion continuing on with the ball at his feet and the other player a bit wobbly and looking behind him to find out what had happened. Perfect!

In the end you would have to say that it was a fair result - both teams had taken advantage of the wind at their backs and the game had been played at a very fast pace. Chelsea had put their goals on the board through some great attacking play while Aspendale had managed to get through to be one on one with the keeper a few too many times to be denied. Some lessons for the team in amongst all the great stuff - to fight a match out for the full 50 minutes and to make sure 2nd and 3rd efforts are given at all times - it shouldn't always be left up to the defenders to cover passing coming through the midfield - as our midfielders start to learn what is required of them running back the other way this will make it easier for the whole team to defend as one. And also - how good was it to have subs on the bench again?? 2 extra players being a HUGE help as the game wore on!
 
Q: What better way to celebrate a wonderfully entertaining game than with cupcakes? 
A: There isn't one
For while most people celebrating a big birthday would be struggling to crawl out of bed the next day before the afternoon, the Chelsea Blues super-coach was up and out at 8am ready to make sure the boys gave it their all - and the least we could do in return was provide him with a wonderfully out of tune Happy Birthday and cupcakes all round thanks to Shane (and a bit of help by Edie). Happy birthday coach!


 
 
 

Round 13 v Casey Panthers (1-5 loss)
full matchday photos found here - MANY thanks to Peter

The Chelsea Blues have suffered from a serious case of lack of players in the past fortnight and today was to get even worse with the game starting with no subs on the bench and a few players picking up niggling injuries during the game - I spotted Max mentioning a sore back at halftime, Zion hobbling around in the second half and Denis suffering from some expected jetlag after 24 hours back from his big flight. Add to that the fact that the boys were playing on our full size senior pitch today - a pitch that felt as wide as it did long - and it was going to be a tough match.
Much like last week the opposition showed up with a full bench of 5 subs - and whenever the ref blew his whistle for subs during the match it was pretty demoralising to see Casey swap half a team at a time while the Blues made the most of the time to try and catch their breath.
So no Aidan, Alex, Charlie, Dom and Josh today. It was to be a few big outs and the boys had a real struggle in the first half with their central defence gone - Dutchy back in goals and Alex off sick - by halftime it had become very clear just how much the team had grown to rely on this dynamic duo to cover a lot of the opposition's attack as Casey continued to run the ball through the centre of the pitch (mind you the sheer size of the pitch today made it much harder than previous games this year as the boys had a large area to try and defend).
Max out on the right and Zion on the left were doing their best to cover Casey's run up the wings and slowing the play down brilliantly - Zion back to his defensive best making every play a real challenge for the opposition and Max picking up where he left off from last week which was brilliant to see. Dutchy continues to improve in goals with every chance he gets and other than one solitary fumble on the goal line he did everything the team could have asked in his usual super positive way - and now that he is starting to work out his angles and where to stand to block attacking plays his confidence is starting to show as well. Let's not forget just how large the goal mouth was out there in today's match. Well done Dutchy - but come half time it was just as clear that you were really needed back in central defence - and it was time for Deion to step up in goals again after last week's efforts demanded another go at it (4 keepers in one team... how lucky is the team / how unlucky are the boys who are keen to give it a go). The two goals that went in during the second half were unstoppable and Deion held strong for the rest of the time - one of the goals was the new clear goal of the year contender - yet another beautifully hit header from a cross in as the boys tired and struggled getting back to defend corner plays. Other than that Deion proved just how trustworthy he is in front of goals and made the defenders stand tall knowing he had them covered if needed.
It was so great to finally have Denis back today and his control of the ball was there to see in the first half as he helped set up Darby and Kaillid. Not surprisingly after all his travelling and a sleepless night thanks to jetlag he had trouble running out the second half - coming back to a game on this pitch with no subs was a brutal thing and he did as much as he could running back into defence to help cover a few Casey runs. His touch has not deserted him one bit so look out next week Aspendale.
Kaillid also picked up where he left off from last week and was doing an inspirational job around the middle of the pitch - putting pressure on Casey carrying the ball and commiting himself to the play time and again - and just like last week there was a lot of physical presence on the ball and run in his legs - it's great to see that this is Kaillid's new benchmark and he is sure to carry this on for the rest of the year.
Darby in the centre and Miguel down the right wing were causing all kinds of trouble for Casey in the first half and were linking up for some of the year's best 1-2 plays over and over - not just once or twice but continually. Casey didn't seem to have any idea how to combat their run and carry as they made it from deep in their own half to the box on many plays but were just missing that player waiting in the box to finish it off.
 

 

On the right hand wing however it was all up to Danny and was he in fine form today. While he finished up last week against Harrisfield with some length of the field running, today he started the same way and did not stop - at least a dozen times taking the ball the length of the field to the goal line and then back around with a cross into the goals. Not only that but late into the second half he was there in his own defensive box helping Dutchy and Dan mop up as the game opened up and allowed Casey a few counter attacks of their own. As far as skill and flair and sheer gut running goes no one has played better all year than Danny did today and he came as close as he had all year to getting on the scoreboard - throughly deserved it would have been too. A clear PB performance Danny and the best player on the pitch all day.

With Charlie off sunning himself at the snow it was left to Jesse to cover up forward and he really did lift today. Once Darren had made the call at halftime to drop him back to midfield with the instructions to 'get the ball and run in a straight line at goals' it really did seem it was as simple as that as Jesse ran and ran... and ran. He kept coming at Casey and eventually they couldn't hold him out any longer as he made a wonderful shot across goal to cap off all his hard work. His best half of football all year and it was wonderful to watch.
Dan warmed up into the game and by the time the second half came around he was at his damaging best - sweeping across the backline and helping Dutchy hold out Casey's run through the centre - between he and Kaillid they did a mountain of work and made sure that the second half was an even and close fought battle between both teams. Dutchy was brilliant back in his favourite position of central defence - I counted a half dozen times where he was faced with 3 or 4 Casey players running riot at him and he managed to keep his cool and find his way through it will great skill. It was this calm in the second half that brought home just how valuable he is to the team.

So another tough day at the office for the boys and it really was the lack of players that caught up with them in the end. For while Casey held control of the ball very well all day it was clear to see that even they had trouble running the game out on the large pitch with their 5 extra players - come the second half the Blues had much more possession of the ball and a few close calls on goal that just missed - Miguel, Danny and Zion unlucky not to join Jesse on the score sheet. The boys played a strong team effort for the entire match and came off at full time happy knowing that they couldn't have done much more.
Let's hope that this is the end of their tough run - with barely an extra player in sight and with all the games played on large pitches it has been a real challenge but one the boys have not flinched from, with many of them rising to the challenge and improving their game in the process. We salute Darren for looking after the boys in some very trying conditions and he somehow manages to hand them back to Calum in better shape than when he received them with newfound confidence in many of them that will make the last 5 games of the year all the more enjoyable to watch.

 

   

Round 12 v Harrisfield Hurricanes (0-10 loss)

full matchday photos found here - MANY thanks to Peter

Today's conditions (appropriately) were a perfect storm. The Chelsea Blues are not known for playing well in the wet and today was as wet as it would get all year by a long way. Add to this the fact that the boys had no subs and up against the ladder leaders with 5 keen subs ready to come on it seemed like everything was against the boys. In fact the weather was so bad that the ref refused to show up so a Harrisfield official stepped up to do the job!

...well we had a sub for 5 or so minutes. Zion showed up and gave it his all but we knew something was wrong when Harrisfield started waltzing around him too easily - if there's one thing Zion gives you it is a full 100% in chasing back and helping out the team. He came off for a breather and tried to get back out there again but the same thing happened. So Zion spent the rest of the match indoors under a towel shivering and trying to get warm. Word back from team Zion late in the day was that he got home and spent the rest of the day fast asleep trying to fight off his illness. Huge effort Zion and thanks for giving it your all when you shouldn't have even been there!
No Denis, Dom, Miguel, Zion or Josh it was to be. So while no subs made Darren's job easier in some respect it was also impossible to move around the chess pieces to get the boys going (and allowing a breather to the runners in such slow and heavy conditions). Harrisfield did indeed start like a hurricane and the boys were in a bit of shock 10-15 minutes in after the first 3 or 4 goals had been conceded, but from this point on the backline started to breathe and gave themselves a bit more of a chance on the ball and playing the way they have been taught all year: Alex and Dutchy started working out which play to attack and Danny was able to hold their run down the right hand wing a bit more. Darby did what he could with the onslaught running at him (Harrisfield were playing some AMAZING crosses into the box that were hard for the defenders to get to) and there is a great shot of him mid-air trying to stop one of the goals but it just going over his fingertips (blame genetics on that one - sorry Darby) to show that while the goals were going in more than just as many were being stopped due to his strong efforts. In fact from that 10-15 minute period on it was only a goal right on halftime that seperated the teams in the first half as the boys showed what they could do as a defensive unit.
But what about Zion's trusty spot of right back you ask - who could possibly step up and cover the big loss that was? Well let's award a few PBs for the day - because in amongst all the rain we could clearly see a few real standout performances.
Max had the kind of game we all knew he was building to all year - pushed back from midfield to the last line of defence he probably ran more today than he had for the rest of the year put together to cover the relentless attack of Harrisfield. He was at it non-stop running down players and as the game wore on started having the confidence to turn them inside out and bring the ball back into attack. He and Kaillid were linking up over and over to get the ball from deep in defense to over the halfway line again and again. Max did everything he possibly could have done for the entire match and proved that he had the fitness to do it - PLUS he was putting his body in the way in every contest, getting knocked down time and again but not letting it slow him down. Late in the game as other players were understandably tiring he was still to be found deep in attack taking the throw ins. I don't know what else to say Max - two gold stars minimum for you and a real shining light today.

Kaillid - Max's 'go to' player out of defense - also put in a clear PB performance. While he started around midfield he worked out midway through the first half that he was doing the team no good waiting for the ball and dropped back closer to the line of play to help clear possession... and then worked out again that even more was needed for the team to hold out today's opposition and started running both sides of the field as an extra number to hold play up as needed. It was a real selfless effort all day - and while he did slow down near the end of the game this was simply further proof (if any was needed) as to just how hard he worked for the entire match. What was also inspiring was how much (just like Max) Kaillid was willing to not only put his body on the line but also give back as much as he received, pushing the opposition off the ball at crucial times. The team owes Kaillid a real debt of gratitude for his play today.
Putting their body on the line? That leads me on to Dan who ALSO had a PB performance. Dan shines when there is no appointed FFV referee it would seem, becuase much like his game against Casey earlier in the year Dan seemed to take today personally. He commited his body to every contest no matter how likely it was that he would win the ball. Many times he was the lone wolf in midfield who was determined to stand there and face off against 4 Harrisfield players running at him - especially as the game wore on and players started slowing down. Was there any chance he could stop 4 running players all by himself? Most likely not, but that wasn't going to stop him giving it his all and at the very least slowing the play down to allow Alex and Dutchy more chance further downfield. That is REAL teamwork and don't think it wasn't noticed Dan. Some amazing and inspiring stuff all day long and another gold star for your collection.

The halftime whistle came not a moment too soon and everyone retreated to the change rooms (read: broom closet) to try and dry out and hover around the bar heater 10 foot up on the wall. One of the crazier images from the day would be a bunch of kids standing on chairs with the arms reaching up to the roof to get some feeling back into their fingers - with it being 7 degrees outside and the constant rain it's hard to believe they were willing to get back out there (well, most of them were pretty keen....).

The brigade forward of the ball had a tough match in the torrential rain - Aidian, Jesse, Charlie and Deion. Deion was just itching to get into the game and kept dropping back further and further so the call was made to swap him back further and further into the game. So far back in fact that he started the second half in goals to allow Darby a run at left back and bring Danny up into midfield. Deion was our trusty goalkeeper a few years ago and in the second half turned back time to prove he still had the skills to pay the bills - and Darren and the rest of the boys thank him for 'taking one for the team' and defending his goals as hard as he could. Darby did indeed spend the second half at left back and often was still thinking of defending his goals making a couple of crazy last line of defence saves: a wonderful karate kick sending a very heavily hit ball way over the crossbar and 30 rows back. Thankfully he remembered the gloves weren't on and kept his hands by his side. Danny ran his heart out up that left wing all game - a few times in the second half after he was moved up the field he took the ball and weaved his way around 4 or 5 Harrisfield players from one end of the pitch to the other - spinning out of trouble when seemingly pinned against the sideline like a player with many years experience behind them. His development as far as his skill on the ball is amazing to witness. His confidence on the ball even more so. I remember standing next to his dad during a practice match against Aspendale and Danny turned to him 10 minutes in and asked how he was doing as he was unsure himself - from that very moment to yesterday is hard to believe is just 3 months!
Danny was able to bring Aidian into the game a bit more in the second half and as Dan and Kaillid came into the game more it allowed Jesse and Charlie to run forward and put some pressure on finally. It was a strange finish to the game for while the boys started slowing down and allowing in 1 or 2 easier goals, it appears that Harrisfield - even with their extra players - were also not able to run back and defend as much either. A few corners and free kicks closer to goals were headed our way as their defensive line simply hit the sideline or tried to clear it long. The goal wasn't to come but much credit to the boys - they kept coming and were not going to simply cave in no matter what the score was.
And that is the message from today's match really - no matter how many teams we play and no matter how strong the opposition, the boys continue to play the game the way they are being taught - and both Alex and Dutchy are great examples of this so let's give them some deserved credit to finish off. While both of the boys started slowly and were under some serious pressure early on, they thought about it, worked their way through it and by the end of the game were controlling the ball out of the backline much more than their opposition numbers were able to. Yet again the boys played off against a defensive line that stood on the edge of the box and charged at the play and either kicked it as far as they could or hit the line if the boys tried to run the wings. The Blues did it their own way - Alex happy to calmly run around the players and take the ball with him (in fact in one run he made it deep into our attacking area winning a well deserved free kick close to goal) and Dutchy happy to back him up and sweep the ball left and right as was needed.
So 10 goals in the end? I'll be honest - when I saw the match book state that I was pretty surprised - it really felt like 7 goals at the most so that's interesting to note I guess.

The weather was crazy. The opposition too good to be playing in the same league as the Blues. No subs meant that a lot of the boys were exhausted by half time but STILL they ran out the match with their heads held high. It's hard not to be proud of them as a group. And let's not forget the parents standing on the sidelines for the entire match cheering the boys on and to Pablo for running the lines and especially for Darren stading out in that rain and urging the boys on - while it was hardly the ideal way to be spending an early Sunday morning the boys made it all worthwhile. 


 
 
 

Round 11 v Mt Martha (0-3 loss)

full matchday photos found here - MANY thanks to Peter 

So today was to be a very big test against one of the top teams of the league. A team that has only conceded 5 goals for the entire year and not conceded a goal in their last 6 matches. With a very large and wide pitch that the boys were to play on and down to only 1 sub for the entire match, this was going to be a VERY big test.

Decked out in their red away strip (and after being told by the ref to tuck in their shirts before the match would start - another shirt tucker? so strange) the Chelsea Blues were given their final instructions from fill in coach Darren and they hit the pitch ready to give it their all. A few tweaks were made to the starting lineup with Deion given the freedom to play forward and Jesse dropped back into midfield so that he could try and keep an eye on some of Mt Martha's speedy midfield - which, the boys were soon to discover, were pretty much the entire lot of them! In fact 2 or their players (their no 9 and 11 I believe) were probably the 2 most skillful players the team had set eyes on all year and were able to weave their way around the pitch at will for most of the day.
What Mt Martha weren't counting on was the commitment of the entire Blues team and this 'full court press' wasn't allowing them to play their usual game style - as the first half wore on Mt Martha became more and more frustrated and were becoming more ragged in their attacking attempts to try and get around the Blues. The first half was non stop running from end to end and the pace of the game was hard to believe from both teams - a really entertaining match to watch from the sidelines.

Come half time and the scores in a nil all deadlock and the coaching huddles couldn't have been more different. "Whispering death" Darren getting the boys in close and telling them that not only were they unbelievable in the first 25 minutes, but that they had Mt Martha in a panic and if they could just get an early goal the game could turn in the Blues favour. Coming from Mt Martha's huddle meanwhile we could simply hear 'I need some goals boys'.

The second half started with more of the same from both teams, however it was to be the lack of subs and the super effort of the first half that would wear down the boys eventually and allow Mt Martha more time on the ball, which in turn gave their more skillful players split second chances that they took 3 times in the second half - two of the goals were unbelievable to watch and were unstoppable once the play had been made: their first goal a clean strike from outside the box that hit the very top left corner of the goals and their third goal a deliberately hit header from a perfectly weighted corner cross (a clear goal of the year that had both sets of parents cheering). The Blues continued to have trouble defending corner plays late in the second half as some of the tiring legs were having trouble running back to man up and allowing Mt Martha plenty of room in the box but Alex, Dutchy and Darby were playing well enough to cover so many opposition players for the most part. In fact it was only the second goal that resulted from a bit of scrappy defensive play in the box with too many Chelsea legs on top of each other that the coach could have been critical of for the entire 50 minutes of the match. But let's be honest - there really was nothing to be critical of because the boys gave it everything today - a bunch of exhausted boys that ran themselves into the ground.

So how did they manage it? Let's break it down from A(idan) to Z(ion)

Aidan was left up on the left wing for the entire match and given instructions to 'keep doing what you have been for the last few weeks' and with that vote of confidence from the coach he really shone today in what was a PB performance. For the entire first half he was crucial in slowing down Mt Martha's run along their right wing and was the player who kept his cool when running the ball back into attack - he knew when to run and carry and when to stop and turn into the centre.

Alex had what was also a PB game - no doubt whatsoever. The camera does not lie, and based on the test of which player is in the most photos from the game this cannot be disputed. He was in EVERYTHING from start to finish and based on the amount of defending the boys had to do today there is no doubt that his and Dutchy's cool heads while on the ball were crucial in making sure the rest of the team followed along and did not panic with a lot of bodies around them at every contest. While other players around him slowed down and faded as the game went on Alex stayed strong and saw the match out - he backed himself more to run the ball downfield before playing it off and started making decisive clearances downfield when there was nothing on offer. Alex is proof that Calum's training is paying off - while other teams we have played (including today's opposition) have defenders who hit the sideline as option a on every play, our defenders are showing as much skill on the ball as the oppositions midfield and causing them all sorts of trouble. It was this play out of defense that started a few forward runs in the second half that caught Mt Martha off guard - one of which ended with a strike across goals by Deion that beat that keeper and was only inches off resulting in what would have been a much deserved team goal. Gold star Alex - in fact maybe two!

 

Charlie worked hard in what could have been a quiet game as most of the ball was to be in the back half and midfield - but today he was up for the fight and covered a lot of ground when the ball was played through midfield - it was a long pitch and his continual running (even when he looked out of the play) helped keep the ball in attack when the boys created their chances. He made sure Mt Martha's defense had to work hard to beat him to the ball and he didn't give up one single time.

Dan didn't stop running all day either - Mt Martha's super speedy wingers had real trouble getting around him - they would take off and THINK they were past him but then before they could play the ball on Dan would still be there pressuring them by forcing the error or causing the ball to bobble back out into play. Both he and Danny were frustrating the faster opposition players by getting there just in time and making them have to play the ball off or lose possession. A great game once again by Dan and one of his best for the year.

Danny was working over Mt Martha's faster players by keeping at their shoulders - no matter how far or fast they ran they just couldn't shake Danny and they had to work out a different way to try and get past him (which by the end of the game seemed to involve passing the ball off before they got to him to be honest). Danny came, saw and conquered. The end.

Darby did everything humanly possible today to keep Mt Martha out of goals - diving on the ball as players came at him with speed, coming out of goals to block off the angle when presented with a 1 on 1 play and catching every single ball that came at him. As the team tired in the second half the opposition came at him faster and faster and the ball was hit at him with more precision and speed and he did an amazing job for the entire match.

Deion enjoyed his freedom forward today and made the most of the chances that were presented - his passing was invaluable in helping keep team runs going and he was the last one in a long line of players for a length of the field run that almost resulted in the perfect team goal, however the angle was just to sharp to not only get it past the goalkeeper but also into the goals. More proof that all the Chelsea Blues can slot into any position - forward or back, Deion's strength on the ball is a real asset.

Dutchy played another brilliant game. When the opposition is fast is when Dutchy comes into his own and the amount of ground he covered today had him completely out of breath by the end of the game - his long clearing kicks caught Mt Martha out on a few occasions and played our midfield out into open space. Dutchy and Alex together make a perfect defensive duo and have some voodoo going on where they never seem to go for the same ball or the same play - somehow one of them knows when to go and the other knows when to stay back.

Jesse started in the midfield behind Charlie and had a lot more running to do today than he normally would have up forward and seemed to relish the chance to get his hands dirty. In fact halfway through the first half he popped up in our defensive box as the last line of defense making a critical save as a Mt Martha player thought he was through on goals. Jesse's run all day was so important that it throws another challenge back onto the coaches in just where to play him. Backing up from last week's amazing game in attack he proved every bit as valuable to the team in the midfield.

Max played a classic stopping role in midfield and continued to force Mt Martha wide for the whole match - there where less than a handful of times that they managed to get through the centre of the ground for the entire match and the team can thank Max and Jesse for their solid pressure from start to finish.

Miguel played a high line on the right for the entire first half and was involved in getting the ball across halfway many times and causing Mt Martha much heartburn - once again Miguel's strength on the ball troubled many of the smaller Mt Martha players and also caused Mt Martha to sit back deeper in defense as they could see how dangerous he would be if he did get through.

Zion was unstoppable out on the right and didn't slow down all day. His touch on the ball continues to improve and he is starting to get a toe to the ball around the defense and back his pace to beat them out on the other side - and because of this is starting to become more dangerous every week. Not one single person could have questioned his commitment for the entire match and he would have slept very well after the match.

Many thanks to Darren for stepping up to the plate and coaching the boys in the month that Calum is swanning around overseas - from today's efforts the boys are in great hands and are going to learn a lot to impress Calum with on his return!

This was every bit the team performance as the Westernport game was - a large pitch with little rest against a very fast and skilled team - take a bow boys - you pushed them the whole way and come the end of the game their coach acknowledged to Darren just how well you had played. It took some real class for Mt Martha to get on the scoreboard and in the end it only came down to a few small moments that seperated the two teams. Enjoy the week off and rest up ready for an even tougher challenge when you take on the undefeated ladder leaders at their home ground.

Round 10 video review FOUND HERE

 

 

 

Round 10 v Skye (5-0 win)
full matchday photos found here - MANY thanks to Peter 

No Dom? No Denis? No Josh? No worries!

With 3 of our fastest players on the ball missing it was up to the rest of the boys to step up to the plate and take on the challenge of securing our first points at home for the year. Once again the weather was amazing and the parents and supporters were out in HUGE numbers to watch the boys put in their best 50 minute team performance of the year. Once again there was some confusion before kickoff with the ref agreeing that blue and white v blue and white didn't constitute an issue with clash strips and the teams were fairly easy to tell apart - as long as it wasn't overcast, or didn't rain, or no one fell over, or... ;)

For the first time this year the boys were switched on from the first whistle (after winning the toss and insisting the teams swap ends) with our midfield squad ready to run and hold possession. It was impossible to find fault with any single player today on the two key points of getting to the ball first and putting in second (and third) efforts. Max was huge in the centre today and played a personal best game for the year - and as his confidence soared he started taking the ball with him further and further and breaking through to play it on to help out Charlie and Jesse. His strength on the ball caused Skye a lot of trouble in trying to stop him - he was rewarded with a run forward late in the game and started inching closer and closer to getting a shot away on goal. Awesome game Max and have a gold star for your efforts!
Today was the day for Jesse and Charlie to shine. After a few frustrating weeks they made the most of the ball getting downfield and were running together and playing each other into some great positions - Jesse's run was just too quick for Skye and he was continually out on the right and hit a few perfect shots into the square (one that Charlie was just inches from putting into the net for what would have been a clear goal of the year) and just kept on running and running. A few clumsy tackles were made on both of the boys to try and slow them down and the Blues were finally awarded a penalty spot kick from one of Jesse's unstoppable runs late in the game.
Charlie's passing was a clear highlight of his game today and on a handful of occasions (if not more) he laid off a pass into open play for a team mate to run on to (one resulting in our second goal that was even more impressive for the fact that it was on his left foot) and his weaving in and through traffic time and again was proving that it isn't just dumb luck - it happens so many times in a game for it to be anything but great ball control in very tight spaces - and when Charlie is 'on' there is no one in the team who does it better.
Both of our forwards had personal best games and deserve huge pats on the back for their non stop running - and as just reward they both hit the scoreboard: Charlie with a great defensive play from a Skye kick in - to attack the ball and run on at pace, get past a few players and calmly slot past the keeper - and Jesse with one of his many runs (not so wide this time) straight past a tiring defense and to chip the keeper.
But wait there is (so much) more. Miguel was unbelievable today and another gold star is to be handed out for a personal best game - and especially in the first half when the game was there to be won. He was being fed a lot of great ball out wide on the left and he was running onto it at pace and not missing a step. His control on the ball means he can focus more on where he is headed so he had time to size up where to run and caused a lot of mayhem for their right back (much like his game against Aspendale, there may be one or two 12 year old opposition players waking up in cold sweats for the next week reliving Miguel running straight at them time and time again). Unlucky not to score today, Miguel made sure the ball spent a fair bit of time very deep in our attacking half and also made sure that the ball didn't get past him coming back the other way.
Aidan on the left and Zion on the right were hard to stop today - Zion spent all day running non stop out wide on the right wing (I am pretty sure Skye stopped trying to defend his runs by the end of the game and dropped an extra player back to wait for him instead of the futile attempts at catching him they had been trying in the first half). Aidan kept close to the left sideline and once again his cool head made it appear that he had more time on the ball than the players around him. He kept dropping the shoulder and getting around his opposition player and making sure the ball kept moving. As the game wore on and the opposition wore out he started getting closer and closer to goal (sure there were more players dropping back in the second half but Aidan's control on the ball makes sure he can dodge and weave with the best of them) and was so unlucky not to get on the scoreboard today. Keep backing yourself in Aidan because it is bound to happen. Both of the boys were most dangerous when they managed to get the next pass off down the line before being intercepted and this is what they will need to do against the stronger defensive teams to make sure the Blues have a stronger chance at holding onto possession - with their improvement over the past few weeks the rest of the team should have full confidence that this will happen.

 

With the whole team out hunting and gathering their own ball today as a pack, Danny didn't need to run a half-marathon to cover all 3 lines and was able to concentrate more on his passing and taking clean possession - which he did and is going to help him later in the year as he continues to spend more time forward. Insert comment about playing 110% and giving it his all like I have done every single week this year. It's a cliche already because IT'S TRUE.
Darby was hyped up and ready to go for today's match - not only was he out of goals, but he was going to be playing in the middle and forward pitching in to help try and cover the hole left by Denis. He came out attacking from the first whistle and was making a lot of smart decisions on the ball - holding up play before playing out wide to Miguel or through to Charlie and Jesse. His determination was rewarded only a few minutes in when a first shot on goal was deflected by a defender straight back at him and he had the time and awareness to push it out on his left and chip it past the keeper for his first EVER goal. Yes he was pretty excited - and in case anyone was unsure of this he made sure to celebrate all the way back to the middle. This got him fired up even more and he was into it for the rest of the half - plenty of chasing back to get the ball and keeping the pressure on in the square... and it wasn't long before Charlie's left foot pass into the box presented itself and Darby was on the spot to capitalise ('that one was just as much Charlie's goal as mine' came the call after the game and no one could argue). Not content with just two goals he secured the hat-trick with a penalty spot kick in the second half that Jesse's hard work had earned for the team - however it was to be Darby's lucky day when Calum called for him to take the kick and he calmly stepped up and found the bottom left corner (queue more celebrations). Then it was time to get off the pitch and back on to hold up centre back so Alex and Deion could have a much deserved run around up forward for the rest of the game. What a day out for our trusty goalkeeper / left back. Let's consider it a well deserved reward for all of his hard work in the back half of the ground all year - things do look more glamorous when you get to play a bit further downfield and score don't they Darby? - now get back into goals!

 

So today was the day our defenders and attackers swapped and the back half finally had an easier game than they have had for the past month - Skye were still pressing a bit in the first half and it was a testament to Alex, Deion, Kaillid and Dan that the only thing Dutchy had to do all day was take one single kick-out when the ball ran too long. Dutchy being the ultimate team player was happy to sit the whole game in goals because 'it's only fair'. Don't worry Dutchy - you are going to be PLENTY busy in the next few weeks as the team take on the ladder leaders one after the other!
Kaillid and Dan continue on their weekly improvement and set the previous week as a base for the next one - both of them are becoming very strong with their body contact play. Alex and Deion were rewarded with a run forward in the second half also and both enjoyed a bit more freedom on the ball instead of having every touch be in a pressure situation. After a stunning defensive firt half Skye decided to drop a number or two back into their own defense which meant the second half was very quiet for the boys, but they had done all they could for the team and we couldn't ask any more of them! Get ready for some challenging weeks ahead boys - as a group we couldn't be prouder of what you have achieved so far this year - now you get to test yourself against the best and see just how much improvement you have made.

Well done Chelsea Blues - with more time on the ball today you started making smart decisions with your movement and the result showed on the scoreboard. While it has been hard for Calum and the boys to stick to the correct training proceedures week after week while coming up against teams who are running a different agenda, as the year rolls on we are starting to see the advantages heading back the Blues' way as they gain more skill on the ball and cleaner decision making. Now to take that positive approach and attack at the ball into the next few weeks minus Calum and Denis and Dom. We're all behind you and know that while the opposition will be more challenging, the effort you put out won't change one little bit. While it's not all about the result the Chelsea Blues spectators today were happy that there was some reward for a long month of hard work on the pitch with the first team win at home and also the first clean sheet of the year.
The call was made early in the week to make sure the boys sent Calum off in style and we are so glad they all responded brilliantly. See you in a few weeks Calum - enjoy the break and we look forward to having you back for the run home.


 
 
 

Round 9 v Berwick Lions (0-2 loss)
full matchday photos found here - MANY thanks to Peter  

The weather was brilliant, the boys were playing away from home, but they found themselves up against a very skilful and a VERY fast Berwick team - a team that felt to me every bit as brilliant as the Tigers team the boys had already played earlier in the year.
While a lot of the game involved our boys trying to keep up with the Lions and not having much time on the ball themselves that didn't stop them trying as hard as they could - and scatttered in amongst it all where many standout personal best performances.

Berwick came out of the blocks fast and the Blues spent a large part of the first half defending a lot of corners and on a wide pitch the boys struggled to find their positions - too many times players were crowded in groups and not finding space for the times they did gain the ball back from Berwick. The Lions played a very high line and there was so much space over the top if we could just get the ball there, but it just wasn't to be.
Denis was once again holding up his end of the bargain and made some great solo runs down the right wing in the first half - getting around 3, 4, 5 Berwick players at a time - but he had no one able to keep up with him to play the ball inside to and capitalise on all his hard work. It was great stuff to watch though and had Berwick thinking about keeping their defense strong out wide for the rest of the game.
Max was having a great game in the middle and was making it hard for Berwick to get past him - and as he strings a few games together his match fitness improves and he is getting to those second and third efforts which is taking his game to another level like it did today. With Max in the middle and Deion and Dutchy solid as a rock behind him there are very few times an opposition team can run straight through the middle of the ground without being forced wide. You can do it Max - back yourself in to keep going when you do get the ball and who knows just what may happen when you get through.
Aidan was having a great time out on the left - his lower centre of gravity to some of our players means that not only is it hard to move him off the ball but that he has great ball control. There were a few moments of real class when he got the ball and went with it, turned a player inside out and then played it inside to a waiting player. Berwick's pace didn't seem to concern him as much as it should have as Aidan plays with a real sense of calm and plays the ball on its merit rather than being distracted with watching the player. Real improvement week on week taking place here - the force is strong in this one!
Miguel was enjoying the space out there today and much like the game against Westernport he was making the most of it with some very clever runs. Miguel has the knack of knowing what line to run before he takes off - whether he needs to stay wide or cut back into the middle. Today the ball just couldn't get through Berwick's defensive pressure which left Jesse and Charlie frustrated yet again with the lack of opportunity they were presented with. As the weeks roll on they are getting better at working out how to get themselves into a game that is not going their way - and as they improve they will find themselves with more chances on the ball, even in matches like today where things are against them. The things they are learning in this tough matches are going to be a great help when the time comes and the game opens up for them.


So the boys went into the halftime break with a bit of luck on their side with Berwick being disallowed a goal on a technicality (for those of you scratching your heads when it all happened it was because the goalkick coming out had not cleared the box before Berwick went for it). Calum asked for more effort from the boys in the second half in two areas: 1. don't stand on top of each other and 2. don't be afraid of the ball or the oppositon - get in there and get it - and the boys were back on ready to go. The Blues stepped it up as asked but Berwick were more than equal to the task. Kaillid made his presence felt and took Calum's message on board - he was not budging from his position no matter how fast Berwick came at him and attempted to intimidate him - after a few attempts and coming off second best they decided it was probably best to try and pass the ball around him for the rest of the match. Well done Kaillid - brilliant team play knowing that contact is coming your way but not flinching - AND being aware enough that the ball was there to be won while the opposition were busy picking themselves up and dusting themselves off. Which brings me to Dan who has received an honourary doctorate in "not flinching" based on his efforts in the past month or two. Today the match offered him fewer chances than in previous weeks to get involved in the play but Dan was there ready to go when the time came and made a few great runs through congested spaces with real confidence - come the end of the year when I look back on what the boys have acheived it will be the development of players like Dan and Kaillid that will be the thing that sticks with me the most - seeing a player grow in confidence week after week and realise that they CAN do it, that they DO have just as much right as the next guy to go and get the ball - and then do just that is pretty rewarding stuff.
Dom made it to the match ready to hit the pitch after the half time break and his pace and skill on the ball made an immediate impact as now Berwick had two fast midfielders to have to defend, which spread them out even further and brought Zion and Danny into the game even more. Which seems like a good time to talk about some standout performances from the day (and hand out a few gold stars).
Zion's efforts at right back were a clear PB for him this year - his commitment to getting the ball off the opposition every single time was impossible to deny - and when it didn't happen straight away he harassed and pressured his opposition until he did get the ball off them... and backed himself to be fast enough to run the ball down the line rather than with a big booming kick. There were a few times late in the game when he looked up DURING a run and played the ball through to Danny who picked it up and ran with it even further down the line that showed the rest of the team just what Calum has been trying to get them to focus on. Gold star for you Zion.
And then there's Danny. We all love Danny and his commitment to the contest. Lord knows he may give away the occasional free kick (or two) but you would take that every day or the week when you know that it's part of the deal. Danny may be 40 or so kgs and one of the smaller players on the pitch but as the cliche goes he would be 35kgs all heart. Today he took his game to new heights with his continual gut running up and down the right wing (and everywhere else to help out a team mate when they needed it). Early in the second half I watched some amazing play from him as he sprinted up and back down the wing 8 or 10 times in a row stopping Berwick in their tracks over and over and he only stopped when he couldn't take another breathe due to a sustained stitch (there is a great photo of him chasing the ball and the pain from the stitch is written across his face for all to see). He had so much of the ball and was involved in so much of the play that it was hard to deny his impact in keeping us in the game. Danny would enjoy my Collingwood player analogy a bit more than Denis - so in fans in the 40+ age group like your match reporter he would remind them of a Denis Banks or a Darren Millane - never out of the contest even when they are out of the contest - playing with no concern for personal safety - see ball get ball - playing Danny closer to midfield may make it harder for us to defend as a team out back but it sure does make it easier for us to defend the ball everywhere else on the pitch. A clear PB performance Danny.



But wait, there's more. It was going to be hard for our defensive line with Dom not able to make the whole match and Alex not available, so it was up to Dutchy to step up and hold the fort down back. And step up he did - he took control of the situation and was a tower of strength all day long. His long clearing kicks are becoming more skilful and are heading out to space where players can run onto them and with his confidence grows the amount of time he gives himself on the ball. In only his second year he has come a very long way from the ocassional fresh air kick he started out with last year to now being one of the safest kicks in the team (to back that up today Dutchy even started taking the goalkicks off the line). Dutchy was playing for keeps today - you just had to look at the way he slumped to the ground when the second goal went in to know that he was in this match as far as he could go. Yet another gold star for your collection Dutchy.
As the game wore on Berwick's pace and fitness started showing and the Blues were struggling to keep up. For the amount of ball Berwick had they actually had very few shots on goal - and the two goals that did go in were hard to defend - one from a great team run and a brilliant strike into the top of the net that even Alex would have trouble reaching - and the other from an unlucky clearance that landed at the feet of a Berwick player at point blank range. Otherwise the defense did a great job and Darby was there to mop up what they couldn't get to. Deion stood up today as well and helped Dutchy cover for the loss of Alex - every time I see an opposition player running towards our trusty no 83 I always feel secure knowing that it has a very low chance of getting past - and I'm nearly always right. As the game wore on Deion started running out of defense with the ball and creating a few chances with some well weighted passes across the centre. The more Deion gets involved coming out of defense the better the team is as a whole as he has the magic touch when it comes to passing.

Take nothing away from Berwick - they were pretty great today (and their number 8 was almost impossible to stop) and they were the deserved winner on the day, but let's not forget that the Chelsea Blues gave it their all for the entire match even knowing late in the game that it was going to be a loss. That takes some character to keep fighting when you know it isn't going your way. I would go so far as to say that the last 10 minutes was probably the boys best play for the whole game - they ran and took the game on and showed Berwick they were not going to be a walkover.
Not one parent or supporter that saw today's match could argue that it wasn't a fair result OR that the Chelsea Blues didn't give it their all. Plenty of players stepped up to the challenge and played out of the skins. Every Chelsea Blue player did as much as they could and not one of them should go home feeling disappointed. You can't be the best team every week - that's a simple fact of life - but as far as effort and commitment to the team the boys gave it their all.
And thank you once again to the huge support from parents, relatives, hangers on ;) - it's almost time to look into funding that Chelsea Blues minivan to get us all to the games!


 

 

 

Round 8 v Pakenham (0-1 loss)

full matchday photos found here - MANY thanks to Peter  

A strange match indeed with Chelsea having a very large chunk of posession but very few real chances at goal. Pakenham came to play - after having started the year with a brutal fixture of playing the top 6 teams of the league one after the other they were no doubt hopeful of finally having a close game up against a team similar to them and that is how it was to end up. The match wasn't decided until the last 5 minutes of play with Chelsea having many more chances but similar to previous weeks they just weren't able to seal the deal. That's not to say that the boys played a bad game - far from it - but when it came down to it, a little bit of ball control was all that really stood in the way of a win.

The first thing to note was that Pakenham played the whole match 2 players down and did a great job of hiding this fact by stacking the midfield which allowed plenty of space out wide - the boys were unable to take advantage of this fact for most of the game however and continued to run the ball through the middle without looking up to play the ball to a free player. Many times there were 4 or 5 Chelsea players around the halfway line and no Pakenham players to be found - while this made it easier to defend any runs Pakenham may have made it also made it just as hard trying to run forward and attack. In fact it was no surprise that two of the better players for the Blues were the ones who played the wings and looked up to pass the ball on to a team mate: Denis was everywhere all game and played an absolute blinder - his first half was pretty amazing as he had the confidence to back himself to run with the ball (and run after run along the left wing had Pakenham in plenty of trouble) and as always he was the first to turn and chase if the ball was turned over. In AFL terms he is the classic Scott Pendlebury type (sorry Denis don't know enough about Richmond to pick one of their players, even if I wanted to) - he may not be the fastest player on the team in leg speed, BUT he has great touch with the ball and he thinks fast enough to LOOK like the fastest player on the pitch. We sure are going to miss you when you head off overseas for a few weeks Denis! Like Denis, Darby took up the challenge set by Pakenham and was determinded to also run down the left wing around them. Being freed up by taking Miguel's traditional spot in his absence Darby had a great time being able to play upfield instead of holding down a last line of defense position that he often does and he made plenty of runs around the opposition. And like Denis he ran with his eyes up and looking for the next pass on. He even snuck forward late in the game and had a couple of great shots on goal - one well saved by the keeper and the other on a very tight angle that the keeper moved well across to cover.
Much credit should go to Pakenham's defense for holding strong all game and allowing very few real chances to be taken. They also caused a lot of headaches for the boys upfield: Jesse, Charlie, Kaillid and Josh were crowded out when they did get near the ball as there were so many numbers in such a small area. Jesse tried to combat this by playing much further upfield but the ball just couldn't get to him in the right spots to capitalise.
The reverse of this also happened for much of the game - with the ball so often in Chelsea's attacking half the defense weren't called on too often - Alex, Deion, Dan and Dutchy in the first half were very solid and held Pakenham back if they thought about playing it forward. It's great to see so many players improve week after week and keep their efforts consistently high week after week: Dan and Alex have come a long way from round 1 and show no signs at all of slowing down their development: how great are they going to be by the time round 18 comes around?
For most of the game our midfield brigade held very strong when Pakenham thought they would get through simply by running straight at them - both Aidan and Max are solid as a rock and will not budge when physical pressure is applied and the opposition resorted to a chip and chase approach by the end of the game to combat this. Danny's progression in the midfield continued with his running with the ball becoming more daunting for defenses (and his dedication in getting the ball back from the opposition is as always done with a dedication that is second to none). It won't be long before he gets out the back of a defensive line and there will be no stopping him. Zion out right also made plenty of runs with the ball and his pace was causing Pakenham a lot of trouble - however their left back was also having a great game and managed to wrestle the ball back off Zion of many occasions and run it back around behind him (only for Zion to run back and wrestle the ball back off him etc etc - they led each other a very merry dance for most of the game!)
It was great to not only see Max back out on the pitch but also Dom who was able to have a solid hit out in the second half playing right back. We have once again lost him to hockey duties for a few more weeks and look forward to his permanent return in another month. It must be tough being so popular Dom :)
In the end the difference between the two teams was the pure pace of a couple of Pakenham's midfielders and their clean passing when they did have control of the ball while Chelsea just needed to make more use of the pitch out wide to seperate the Pakenham defense a lot more. Once Pakenham had the ball over the back it was near impossible to stop them (although Alex and Dan did manage the impossible on many occasions through the day). The lessons learned from today will help the boys in future games when they find themselves in the same position.


So the home ground disadvantage continues. Perhaps the boys were thrown off their game by being told by the ref to tuck their shirts in before kickoff (???), perhaps it felt like they were running a training drill on a wednesday or friday night, perhaps it is just nothing more than rotten luck. Either way their luck WILL turn for the good if they keep trying 100% and never giving up like they have been all year. Chin up Chelsea Blues - an unlucky end to a hard fought game is nothing to feel down and out about. It's simply another stepping stone on the way to greatly improved skills and stronger team performances. Nearly halfway through the year and the comparison between the team in March and the team now is enormous - keep it up and let's see just how amazing you all are come September!

 
 
 

Round 7 v Westernport (2-2 draw)
full matchday photos found here - MANY thanks to Peter  

Welcome to woop woop. When even the ref has trouble finding the ground because his phone can't give him directions you know you're not in downtown Melbourne, and true to form of previous trips to Westernport there's sure to be rain on the horizon no matter how nice the weather looked upon leaving home. Full credit to the combined navigational skills of the Under 12 Blues that all starting players were at the ground and warming up well before kickoff. Many thanks to Max for making it down to Westernport kitted up and ready to go the first of all of us - a last minute decision of safety first and a virus he just couldn't shake kept him on the bench to witness this epic encounter and we can't wait for him to be front and centre on the pitch next week with Dom when they both return.

This was to be an exciting end to end match from start to finish where it was impossible to question any player's commitment to the team. Every Chelsea Blues player gave it their all and many played their best game of the year. The boys sensed they were in for a fight against a team that had only previously lost to the ladder leaders and on their home ground that was a much larger pitch than Chelsea were used to this was going to be a very tough day. The game started like a few of the recent games have with the boys on the back foot and defending hard against a very attacking Westernport who had the wind at their backs and a slight downhill slope to boot - but unlike previous matches the boys played out of their skins to hold Westernport to a single scrappy goal for the whole of the first half. In hindsight it was this first half that set them up for the rest of the match and one they should all be proud of. The entire backline was brilliant - Alex's confidence growing enough for him to start playing the ball out of defense and looking long and wide - holding the ball that little bit longer to make a decision that helped the next player down the line. Deion was as solid as ever in central defense and special mention of Denis' marathon effort running back with the play so often on such a large pitch - his extra number holding up Westernport on a number of occasions. Kaillid was having a day out down at right back and played his best game all year - you could see his confidence grow from the first to the final whistle and he had so much of the ball and was starting to make some great decisions about whether to play it in towards Denis or out towards Miguel. Very rarely beaten also. Take a bow Kaillid!
Special mention should also go to Dan on the right and Darby on the left: Dan's play staying at his new high water mark and getting across at the last minute to stop many attacks down their left wing (and with a solid but fair physical presence at all times) and that pace of his surprising many attackers who thought they were already around him when they saw the ball cleared out from under their feet, and Darby doing some pretty special things by holding up their run down the right wing. It wasn't just Darby's decision making on the ball - feeding it down the line to Aidan, but his run down of players well ahead of him that he had no right to stop - the persistance to get to the Westernport player running into the box to shoot on goal and manage to run past him, control the ball and run back around him along the line was one of the highlights of the game. When the ball did come back around on that right wing Deion was there every time to mop it up and frustrate the opposition and cause them to start second guessing their approach. As far as the entire defensive line was concerned this was their best game as a group all year and the reason they all had such brilliant games was that they were all there helping each other out.
Aidan on the left was helping his defenders out by slowing Westernport down as they tried to force their way through with speed, and much like Dan on the right they were in for a surprise when they found the ball was no longer at their feet and Aidan was running it up the line away from them. Aidan's strength on the ball showed out on a few very crucial occasions in this tight first half. Hovering around the centre was Danny who was starting to get the hang of all this midfield stuff and starting to keep possession longer and make decisions that helped players further upfield. His strength on the ball is a real bonus for the team and had many of Westernport's players hesitant to go near him - many times he was playing the ball over the top to Jesse who was right in the middle of what felt like his best game of the year also - running onto the ball but just unable to capitalise at the last minute as Westernport were holding back in extra numbers to try and keep him and Charlie out of the box. They couldn't keep them out forever and the cracks started showing - first Jesse on a couple of occasions getting into the box but being pushed wide at the crucial moment and then Charlie running onto goal but only slightly pushing it wide. A matter of minutes later it was groundhog day as Charlie was running into an open goal again and second time around he was going to learn from his previous attempt and the ball found the back of the net. 1-1 at half time and a well desrved result from a very fast non stop first half.

Surprisingly the second half was yet more of the same from both teams (talk about fit!). Westernport were determined to keep their winning streak going and Chelsea were out to prove they could keep up their commitment to each other. Miguel lifted a gear and was unstoppable along the right wing - his physical presence on the ball was pretty intimidating to some of the smaller Westernport players and he used this to his full advantage by starting many runs wide, turning into midfield and then playing a wonderful through ball to Denis or Charlie or Jesse to go on with. Zion down the left wing had no need for brute force as he had lightning pace on his side and spent the entire match showing a clean pair of heels to all the defenders following him - when Zion backs himself to use this pace all the way into the box if there is no one able to keep up with him (which is often!) then many more goals will be coming his way. His pace also worked back the other way when the opposition won the ball as they sensed him coming up behind them and they were forced to play it off earlier than they needed to. Denis held solid in midfield and was marshalling the troops back and forward all game and managed to hold Westernport up on many many occasions - another great game from Denis and ticking all the boxes required from him - he rarely puts a foot wrong on the pitch.
It was Charlie's second goal (from another great Miguel through ball) that put the Chelsea Blues in front as he ran into an open goal and cleared the keeper's head. A well deserved goal too as Charlie had worked hard all day to keep the ball in Chelsea's attacking half when it was there and not allowing the ball to be cleared quickly out. The TEAM passing play was on the improve also in the second half which was highlighted by a great run from out of our defensive half all the way down the pitch to a shot on goal in which Westernport did not get near the ball: from Kaillid to Miguel to Darby to Charlie to Darby to Zion to Jesse and back again - it was just the type of play that was possibly out of the team's grasp 7 weeks ago but not so now.
Westernport managed to sneak an equalising goal in with 5 minutes left on the clock from a bit of panicked unlucky defensive play but it was most likely the fairest result for such an amazing match. Dutchy knew he was set for a hard time in goals on such a large pitch and such a large goal mouth. It must have been very intimidating to look out from his goals and barely see the other end of the pitch - with such a large pitch that also caused the players to spread out so much more so there was a LOT of space out there for players to run into. Like every Chelsea Blues player today he tried his heart out and made a few crucial saves to keep the team in the game - especially with a couple of minutes to go as Westernport pushed for an unlikely win when he forced a couple of bad misses and took one headed straight into goals. 
Both teams had played a great match and all the spectators had loved every minute of it. Well done Chelsea Blues to hold your own against a very strong team - it was surely the best TEAM performance of the year. The defenders held their line as a group - the midfielders were running back to help them when needed - the same midfielders were running with the ball at their feet and their eyes looking up more often and the strikers were running on in twos or threes to help each other out as they came onto goal. The undefeated run 'on the road' continues and we look towards this week to try and reverse the curse of our home ground luck.


 
 
 

Round 6 v Cleeland (0-5 loss)

full matchday photos found here - MANY thanks to Peter 

It was about 3 minutes into the game when the whole Chelsea crowd knew it was going to be a tough game - at about the time Cleeland's first goal hit the back of the net from a long range strike hit so hard and well that even Calum would have had trouble stopping it (our goalkeeper's genetics meant it was an impossibility for him to stop it no matter how long his reach). Every mouth dropped on the sidelines and there was a moments silence where everyone turned to the nearest person and said 'did I just see that?'
From that point on it was one attacking run after another as the opposition held the ball deep in our defensive area and had many more shots on goal. Dutchy, Alex, Aidan and Deion worked tirelessly for the next 20 minutes to keep the score down to only 3 by half time (with one of those I am reliably informed being an offside goal that was not picked up). With so much relentless pressure and so many players running at them they really did do a great job. Alex continues to get to the ball no matter how much distance the opposition has on him - his challenge is to now back himself when he gets the ball to distribute it further up the field with a strong pass to the waiting midfielders. Deion's strength on the ball once again shone through and I have yet to see Aidan move out of the way of a rampaging player headed his way.

Dan continued on from last week's man of the match performance and made sure that the opposition had to be at their best to get around him. Last week's high water mark is one he seems determined to keep for the rest of the year as he backed himself into every play and held his ground when he had to - he took a knock to the face early in the match but that didn't stop him commiting to every contest throughout the rest of the match. Danny gave every play 110% like he always does and continued to do some great things on the ball in the middle of the pitch - just remember Danny to keep your feet around the ball a bit more and not slide in for the tackle as you play your best when you are putting pressure on the player to make a mistake or give the ball up to you. This is especially important near the middle of the pitch as your next play is on to our strikers to pounce.
Zion's run with the ball was a highlight to watch down the right wing. One point to note Zion is that standing a kick and a half back from the ball doesn't get you the chances you really deserved so it's a good lesson for next time the team is deep in their defensive area to come up and greet the ball and run with it. Zion's pace intimidated the Cleeland defense enough that he drew a lot of players to him which opened up space in the midfield for the through ball. And once again Zion's defensive efforts coming back with the play was a highlight that the rest of the team should be inspired by to follow.
Miguel's second half was another highlight of the game - making some very strong runs down the left wing that had Cleeland in more trouble defensively than they had been all day - Miguel's next step is to start running with his head up more often so he can make the next pass on down the pitch to our strikers before hitting a brick wall of 5 defenders desperate to stop his run.
All our forwards had a tough game as the ball was very rarely at their end of the pitch - Jesse, Charlie, Denis and Josh deserve credit for trying as hard as they could when the ball did make it down there and bonus points to Jesse who worked hard to run back into the midfield to help out when he could. In years past I have helped out teams who in the position these boys were in today would just say 'oh well I'm not going to bother' and just turn their back on the play. The Chelsea Blues version 2015 are a different team and all of these boys were on their toes ready to do their best for the team whenever they could.

But let's highlight the efforts of two of our defenders who today played out of their skin to keep the team in the match. Dutchy had yet another solid first half, but really lifted a gear in the second half to be everywhere at the same time (I swear I saw him at both ends of the pitch simultaneously!) and Cleeland had very little chance running down their left wing as Dutchy took over Danny's usual position and played some inspiring football. Dutchy is one of those very rare individuals who every coach wishes they had in their team - a player who takes his responsibility to the team personally. If a goal does go in from a mistake he makes he gets so angry with himself that he tries even harder to make up for it. He feels a responsibility to the goalkeeper and makes sure he does what he can to hold up the play. Today he applied that logic to every single second half effort on behalf of his entire team - he showed no concern for his own safety and threw himself into every play that he could and it was his efforts that held up Cleeland from making the most of some great play through the middle.
And then there was Darby. Well I shouldn't go on too much about my own son, that would be very tacky and tasteless, but anyway... ;) From all the comments I heard thrown his way it appears universally acknowledged about just what a great game he did have - diving for saves to push the ball wide, rushing out to the player to force him to make an early (and almost always wrong) decision on goal, diving at the feet of the player running with the ball. He had a great time but was pretty exhausted by the end of the game. Even the 3rd goal that went in from an offside play was after a great save pushed wide. The two goals in the second half were also unlucky to go in after he managed to get a hand on them and if luck was on his side they may have deflected wide also. He stopped a penalty spot kick which would be pretty ace for any keeper (and proof how small the goals look when you are on the spot). His commitment to the match was shown when a Cleeland player did get around him after he came out to rush a decision and when that player thought he would just dribble it into goals Darby was onto it and sprinted back to stop the ball on the line.
The official from Cleeland shook his hand at the end of the game and told him what a star he had been, the FFV official made mention of his great game as did Calum. Great game Darby.

And let's also give credit where it is deserved - Cleeland did play an amazing game - and the way they celebrated at the end of the game was a sign that they knew they had. A quick check of their previous results would tell the boys that they were going to be in for a very hard and tough match as Cleeland had only narrowly lost to the top 2 teams in the league - and that was the way it played out. What today's result may not show is the spirit in which the boys tried throughout the whole match. No heads were dropped. No back chatting amongst each other on the pitch because of frustration or disappointment. None of that. You can't always be the best team on the pitch but you can always try your very best and be the best team mate you can. Yes they sound like wonderful cliches don't they, but football does give you a chance to learn some great life lessons and our boys are taking on all these challenges and doing it in the right manner. Well done coach and well done team.

Many thanks to Max for coming down to cheer the boys on once again, to Kaillid for his well wishes before the game even though he was stuck at home sick, and thanks to Dom for wishing the boys well and wanting to know how they played the moment they got off the pitch. More proof that we are watching a great TEAM every week.


 

 

 

Round 5 v Casey Comets (2-2 draw)
full matchday photos found here - MANY thanks to Peter 

Last week we were waiting on an opposition to show up, this week a referee.
Unlike last week there was no last minute arrival, so a parent from the opposition team stepped up and did a great job to get the match underway.
Like in a couple of our previous games, the boys were a bit hesitant to start the game off and before they had stepped up to full gear they had conceded 2 quick goals down the right hand wing. Casey Comets were living up to their name and were a very quick team with the ball at their feet, but once the boys hit their groove 10 minutes in the opposition were not given many more chances to show their speed as the blues held possession and position for most of the match. Casey's defense did hold strong for most of the first half and the first goal came from a build up of pressure from the boys which Dom jumped on and capitalised. Following this came 3 or 4 hard-to-believe-that-one-didn't-go-in moments in a row which had the Chelsea supporters looking around to see if there was a black cat on the sidelines that we kept walking in front of - Josh and Dom and Jesse were not giving up as they stepped up over and over to put in that illusive second goal - but it appeared luck had given up on them for the day. The coach and parents were not concerned about that and by the end of the game were in awe of just how hard they kept trying without the reward they deserved. But luck is like that boys - it will come back in your favour if you keep putting yourself in the right position to capitalise. Jesse no doubt felt this more than the others after running into an open goal and celebrating a great finish before finding out that it was an offside play.
When the second goal did come it was from some pretty special play: come on down Miguel! The result of some great defensive work by Miguel out on an un-natural right hand wing - stopping his opposite number cold in his tracks, chipping the ball through, jumping over him (!) and then firing on goal so hard that the last defender standing could do little to stop it but let it ricochet off his leg into goals. It was going in anyway, but the deflection made sure their keeper had no chance whatsoever. First goal of the year for Miguel and let's hope it's the first of many if this was anything to go by. Team Miguel loved every moment of it. The Chelsea Blues loved it. Two all at half time and that seemed a fair result as both teams had their moments.

The second half was a different game altogether with the blues having the large majority of the ball and frustratingly missing many chances. Time and again the boys ran the ball forward - through the middle they were guilty of running with the ball with their heads down into an opposition roadblock instead of feeding the ball out wide - along the wings they tried to play the last pass through the legs of the opposition instead of around them. These 2 improvements when the boys make them as the season goes on will be all they need to capitalise on all the chances the defenders and midfielders are creating further down the pitch.
Dan must have drunk a LOT of red cordial at half time because after a great first half he managed to step it up a gear and become unstoppable in the second half. It felt like he had looked every one his team mates in the eye before heading back on the pitch and said "Leave it to me guys, I'll take it from here". He was everywhere - heading balls out of defense, running down attackers left and right wing, running with the ball through the middle and making sure Casey felt every one of his challenges. At one stage I thought his gameplan was a simple process of elimination as the Casey players started dropping like flies around him, but he kept going and going. This is a player who rocked up to the game and the first thing out of his mouth was "My leg really hurts every time I go to kick the ball". Gold star for you Dan.



Zion - our trusty speedy right winger - had a brilliant defensive game today and kept the ball in out attacking half on many occasions as Casey just couldn't get around him. Another player whose confidence is building week on week is Kaillid and some of his runs down the right wing in the second half were great - and at the end of them he made sure to bring the ball into the middle as best he could. It was very exciting to have Deion back in the team today after an extended layoff with his busted arm and he slotted straight back into the side as though he was always there - it was Deion's strength on the ball and his calmness under pressure that stopped the few Casey runs through the middle in the second half - they would come running at him weaving and thinking they were going to get around him and the result was always the same: Deion with the ball at his feet running on to distribute up the field and the Casey player on the ground wondering what had just happened. Aidan and Alex were once again Mr and Mr Reliable down back - Alex forcing them wide on most occasions and Aidan standing his ground and refusing Casey past him without a real struggle. Dom and Denis once again ran another half-marathon up and down the pitch all day and did what they could to get that illusive third goal that the team deserved for all their efforts.
Calum made the most of the day by moving players around - which in the second half allowed our smiling assassin Danny a run through the midfield where he proved very important in getting the ball upfield while Charlie flexed his muscles down back. Things were starting to get very exciting with 5 minutes to go - Casey had a few great chances to sneak the win but Dutchy held strong with 1 or 2 brilliant saves (and one rolling ball saved right on the line to ensure everyone's hearts stopped for a split second as it started rolling toward the net in slow motion!). Casey's keeper had his own moment of heart failure as one of our many strikes on goal bobbled out of his hands and s-l-o-w-l-y and p-a-i-n-f-u-l-l-y rolled by the left hand post by mere centimetres.

One simple equation could have resulted in half a dozen more goals today - running 2 more steps with the ball before shooting on goals. Many times the boys fired on goals from outside the 18 yard box with no pressure on them which allowed Casey's keeper an easy mop up rather than putting more pressure on from a close range shot. Again, the boys will pick up on this and have the confidence to hold the ball longer before making that last shot. However that is just nit-picking from the sidelines (pass me that armchair please). Overall this was a brilliant game to watch - WAY too exciting for an Under 12 Sunday kickaround and a great curtain-raiser for the A League final later in the day. Both sets of parents and supporters left knowing their boys had given their all and had done themselves proud.
Did they deserve to win? They certainly didn't deserve to lose. If you are one of those teams that judge a match result based on ladder positions this could have been a disappointing game, but as Calum stated from day one that is NOT what we are going to do this year - we will base our results on improvement in the players as the season rolls on and there has been some pretty amazing improvements already and there's still a few months to go.
Stand up tall Chelsea Blues - it may not have gone down as a win on the scoreboard, but it is another big stepping stone on the way to a very successful season.

 
 
 

Round 4 v Hampton Park (2-4 loss)
full matchday photos found here - MANY thanks to Peter  

A very strange and delayed start to the game with Hampton park not having enough players to field a team at kickoff. When the match did start it was 11 v 8 (soon to turn into 9 players just 10 minutes in) and Chelsea were running with the wind and had complete control of the entire first half. Controlling possession of the ball and turning them into shots on goal is a big difference and is no doubt the main lesson that the boys learnt by the end of the day - as time after time we ran forward into a determined Hampton Park defence without looking up and choosing a better TEAM option. All of the Chelsea Blues tried their hardest to start the team off with a great goal, but they did so without talking to each other and holding up the ball for another player to pass it on to. Luck was not on our side however as we stepped up to the spot after a penalty awarded for handball - a good save by the Hampton Park keeper had the ball bobbling out of the goalmouth but no-one was able to get there quick enough to capitalise and score.
The lack of team passing in the first half was summed up no better than by the goal that was scored (an amazing piece of counter attack play) - easily the best team goal the boys have created all year: a length of the pitch run that started with a long clearing ball out from Dutchy to Denis who brought it all the way down the right wing, passed on from Charlie to Aidan who provided a great ball on to Dom who ran right through the ball and hit it cleanly into the back of the net. The opposition didn't get a look in throughout the whole play and the boys played on instinct and by backing themselves when they needed to. Brilliant stuff to watch.
Aidan had a great first half and his control of the ball is improving out of sight - he's also one tough little bugger to try and push off the ball as the opposition found out when they attempted in vain to time and time again. Denis and Zion and Kaillid kept up their speedy runs along the wings and just needed someone using their voice to be able to direct their pass on to. The midfield was keeping a very high line and if Hampton Park had the ball and attempted a run it was held up very quickly by Jesse, Dan, Miguel and Kaillid and played out wide for Dom and Denis to pinball it back again. If they were cleared then Dutchy and Alex were there to chase them down and chase them wide - and Alex's speed sure was needed today as Hampton Park fielded a handful of some of the tallest and fastest kids we have played against all year.

By half time the boys were up 1-0 but feeling like they should have been much further in front - the lack of finish in front of goals would come back to haunt them by the end of the game.

The second half started with a completely different proposition for the boys - a full strength Hampton Park AND kicking into what had turned into a gale force wind. A few times I thought I saw the ball curl back towards our goal while in mid flight down the pitch. The gazebo lowered to keep the rain out, a group of the parents hid out against the toilet blocks to try and stop from being blown away - it sure felt like god was against the boys in the second half but they soldiered on as best they could. In fact, except for a brief 5-10 minute period where the opposition snuck in 3 of their 4 goals it was a very even half which is great credit to the team. In this brief period a little bit of panic set in and the defenders stayed too deep allowing all of Hampton Park's goals to be scored from inside the box with a lot of players in a scrum - goals that were set up by long runs from their fast midfielders who weaved their way through us time and again with some pretty special skills. It was up to Darby to try and hold them out as best he could while the team regained their composure, but from so close to the goal line it was a near impossible task. It was when Hampton Park picked up their attacking play that our defenders became important - Danny and Dutchy provided some great clearing balls that nearly have Josh and Charlie away on goal as it cleared the defensive line that Hampton Park had sitting on their 18 yeard back all day. Even when they were very deep in attack they had their 3 defenders standing on that line and they did not move - and when the ball reached them they went straight for the sideline. Both Dutchy and Danny were working on the principle that if they weren't going to move they would have to go over them - and it nearly paid off. Josh tried his hardest to get the team back on the scoreboard and was ducking and weaving his way through their solid defensive line time and again and once again proving that Mr Never Give Up (TM) does indeed, Never Give Up :)

Much credit should go to Dom who ran the length of the pitch back and forth all day and thoroughly deserved his two goals - the first was a shared goal with 5 other team mates but the wonderful chip over the keeper's head in the second half was a great individual moment which put the team back within a goal late in the match. A goal that had them believing that perhaps they could get something out of the game after all (as far as a result goes anyway). 2 minutes later they were back at the spot after another handball infringement and lining up to level the scores. Unluckily the ball went wide (how small does that goalmouth look when you are standing there on the spot!) and even though the ball spent most of the rest of the game in front of goals that last goal just couldn't be found and Hampton Park snuck in one last goal just before full time.
Every single player gave it their all and never gave up no matter how bad the conditions became, but in the end the lack of finish in the first half plus the control that a few of the Hampton Park players had when they were on the ball was the difference between the two teams. For the boys to hold their own against a seemingly stronger opposition and be very unlucky not to come away with at least a draw is great credit to how quickly they are improving week on week. Based on previous results this year, anything under a 5 goal loss would have been a win against today's opposition and that was certainly the case.

Remember boys that if you back yourself and commit to the play 100% you will always improve your skill and matchplay week after week. Mistakes are there to be made and improved from, but if you sit back and are hesitant on the ball then the learning will happen at a much slower pace.
Much thanks to Mariana and Troy for supplying the gazebo which sure did come in handy today. Also super thanks to Max and his mum for coming down to cheer the boys on in that crazy weather even though more broken bones (yes, it appears we are cursed I tell you, cursed!!!) will see him miss the next month of games. Great team support Max and we sure did miss you out there today.

 

 
 
 

Round 3 v Langwarrin (3-1 win)
full matchday photos found here - MANY thanks to Peter

Today's match was a great one to watch - a lot of running with most of the game played in the middle third -  a cracking goal from Denis PLUS a lot of great team play and passing on show. The Chelsea Blues (even if dressed in Red) were keen to show the improvement they have made in only a few short weeks.
The first half started off slowly for our boys once again - they were holding back and not chasing after the ball as much as Langwarrin, and therefore it took them a while to start getting the ball over into their attacking half. But when they did they went quickly - both Dom and Denis had some great runs into goal but just couldn't capitalise on the final shot. Our defensive line kept high which didn't allow Langwarrin much of a chance and they resorted to kicking over the top only to have Dutchy greet the ball all on his own (for a first game in goals he did a great job of having the confidence to stay well out of his goals high in his square and therefore be the first player to the long ball every time). Danny, Max and Alex weren't letting anyone past them. Simple as that. Due to the lack of ball coming straight through the middle they weren't called on as much as recent weeks but they made the right play every time like they always do - so impressive for first year players as it feels like they have been playing for a lot longer than a few weeks!
Dan and Miguel were helping the ball back up the field when it was pushed wide. Darby was having a great time running around out of goals and he did a brilliant job all game - taking the throw ins, heading it when needed and always playing it down the line on his non-preferred left foot as though it was his natural foot. In fact it was one of these long through balls which set Josh up for one his trademark left / right / left weaving runs into the keeper who did a great job to save - only to have Zion be there on the spot to finish it off and put the boys 1 goal up. Well done Zion and a definite reward for all the hard running you have been doing all year. Once again the goal encouraged the rest of the team to lift a little bit more and a few minutes later it finally happened - another of our long running midfielders was also rewarded for all his hard work with goal number 1 of what will be many... Langwarrin's defence cleared a ball out to what they thought was safety only to find that it was in the path of Denis and BANG! the ball was in the back of the net before anyone had actually noticed it had been kicked. It was hit so beautifully that I doubt any keeper would have been able to stop it. Bring it on indeed Denis! What a way to get your first goal.

The game had so many great team moments - Josh and Miguel and Denis were running a lot of 1-2 plays through Langwarrin's midfield. Josh was everywhere and playing so many others into the game. Jesse, Zion, Dan, Denis, Charlie - so many of the Blues midfield group were taking on the play and running with the ball at their feet and gaining confidence the more they did it - it felt like it was only a matter of time before another goal went in but it took a lot longer than I thought. Langwarrin finally broke through after what seemed like a million legs were swinging around in the box trying to get the ball out wide and it was unlucky to land right at the feet of one of their players at point blank range. Unlucky in some ways but that is part of the game. Especially cruel as it was on the back of the ball being down the other end of the pitch for a long period of time with many chances created by the Blues but not taken.

So another tense and exciting 10-15 minutes to finish off the game - the ball running the length of the pitch back and forth - Miguel, Josh and Charlie one way and then cleared long back over our midfield to where it started for Zion and Dom to chase back and help hold it up - both boys were huge in their defensive efforts and ran their hearts out all day and played great games again - so consistent in giving 100% all the time. There was a lot of cheering (well done YET AGAIN supporters - such great numbers) and hearts in mouths when the ball went deep into the defensive area... but that was by the parents as the boys kept their calm. No matter how much ground Alex gave his speedy opposition when he first set out after them he managed to catch them every single time - they kept being pushed wide for corner after corner. Darby stood up in the final minutes and backed himself into the contests that mattered - running the ball up the line rather than through the corridor - he chased up his own play and carried the ball some more and once again brought Josh into the play down the left wing to give the boys the position they needed. The next play Charlie ran down an attempted clearance which Josh (yet again! what a game - one of the parents was heard to say that "Josh is my new hero - he never gives up") played across goals to find Denis on the spot to slot home the team's third goal with 5 seconds on the clock. What a huge team goal and it summed up how the team went about it all day!

Standing behind a Langwarrin player at the end of the match I heard him say to his dad how the opposition 'had really good touch'. It felt like that drill the boys did at training on Friday night had sunk in while the game played out - holding on to the ball and playing on the pass instead of just hit and hope. Really good touch? Why yes - I remember seeing a very heavy ball hit straight at Kaillid who dropped it on a spot at his feet before he played it on as he is starting to do more and more. I saw Max not just jump in the air with his eyes closed to header a ball but plant his feet firmly and aim it towards a nearby player to run on with. I saw both Dan and Jesse toe poke the ball just wide of their defender to get around them and then back themselves to get there first - and not just once or twice - they attempted this time and again all through the match like Charlie is known to do when he gets open space.

And what can we say about Dutchy - super keen to have a go in goals no matter how full of nerves he was - he held strong all day especially midway through the second half where the ball just wouldn't leave our defensive area. He made the saves he had to, he cleared the ball out of trouble every time and he did it with that big smile of his on all day. The extended Holland family that came down to cheer him on would of and should have been super proud. Two thumbs up indeed Dutchy!


 
 
 

Round 2 v Berwick Tigers (0-6 loss)

full matchday photos found here - MANY thanks to Peter 

When I mentioned last week that we would be facing stronger and tougher teams throughout the year, this week's opposition was exactly one of those teams I was referring to. Berwick always field very strong teams and the Tigers were no exception, with players who could slot into wallaby level teams if they needed to. Today was a great chance for our boys to test themselves against what would likely be some of the best players in our division. With the disappointing news that Deion has injured his arm and will be out for a month and with the late withdrawal of Aidan at home sick in bed, it was left to the other 14 players to get out there in cold and wet conditions and do the club proud.  

The game started off on an unlucky note as Berwick's first goal was played in on an offside play that was not picked up - unlucky yes but that is the way the game goes sometimes. It was great to see that this didn't stop the team spirit and the Blues fought on regardless even though a lot of the first half was played deep in our defensive half as Berwick started the stronger team. The few times we went forward it was Denis on the left and Zion on the right who put in some solid runs to make the Berwick defenders work hard. Denis had a great game and his confidence is picking up every week - soon he will be backing himself all the way into goals and the scores will come with it. Bring it on Denis! Zion worked hard on the right in attack and coming back to defend and didn't stop all day and was one of our better players.
Other than a ten minute period where the Blues lost their way and started worrying about the match score and not what position they should be playing in a team situation (which, not coincidentally, resulted in a few goals to Berwick) the team played a very solid game against a team that seemed to have been playing together as a group a lot longer than the two weeks our boys have been. All the parents (and grandparents) that I spoke to were super impressed with everyone's efforts - and any mistakes that were made were done so while playing the right style of football that was asked of them by the coach. It may not be a win on the day but as the year (and years) roll it it will make much more sense.
Teaching defenders to hit the sideline every time the ball comes to them does very little to teach them how to run with the ball at their feet or how to play a pass into the midfield. It teaches them how to hit the sideline and... well, that's about it. So while we make errors trying to play the ball out of defense that is fine because the errors will become less and less with practice and eventually the opposition will start struggling as the boys go on the counter-attack.


The rain hit a little before half time so the boys were treated to a warm change room to prepare for what would be a much stronger second half. Once again the boys lifted their energy and intensity in the second half and made it very hard for Berwick to score - one great strike and an unlucky error in the final minutes were all they could manage to get past our defensive line. Our strong centre line of Max - who played his first game of the year and did a great job all day holding Berwick's run up with his strength in the middle of the pitch - Josh, Dan, Jesse, Kaillid and Denis forced Berwick out wide - they could get very few runs through the middle and when they did Alex and Dutchy were there holding them back. Much more time was spent in the middle of the pitch instead of down back and for that our midfield and forwards should be congratulated - Miguel had a brilliant second half running down the left wing - even having a sneaky shot from a long way out that may have caught them out if it was on target. Charlie and Josh and Dan did their best to keep the ball forward when we had position - it was a much tougher game for them this week as the ball supply was just not there, but it was so great to see that their attitude and team play was still 100% right to the end of the game and the coach and all the supporters knew that if a chance was presented to them they were there ready to take it. Dutchy had another great game holding the defensive line together and Alex's improvement week by week is great to see - I can't wait to see what he will be delivering us as the season rolls on. Danny caused all players trying to run down their left wing a lot of heartache (and no doubt some serious bruising also) as he put in a truly heroic performance once again for the entire match. Darby gave himself the luxury of time when the ball headed his way by controlling it and thinking about the next pass rather than "see ball kick ball as far as possible" which in turn helped Miguel next down the line.
And let's not forget Dominic on his first game in goals - well done Dom! There was a LOT of pressure headed Dom's way all game - especially in the latter stages of the first half - and he kept calm and played every ball on it's merits. Some of their shots on goal were unsaveable at this age group with the ratio of kid vs goalmouth :) and the team could not ask any more of him than what he showed today.
Speaking to Berwick's team manager after the game she commented on how well our defenders played today, especially in the second half, so boys all your hard work was noticed even by the opposition. 
The score may not have been what the boys were hoping for but these are the type of games that help their improvement as they learn to play under real pressure - and it was easy to see that by the end of the game they were holding their own against what started out looking like a much stronger team. Boys you could not be faulted on your efforts, your hard work, your attitude and your team spirit. Well done to all of you.
And supporters - HUGE EFFORT by all of you who stood out in that weather for the whole match and cheered the boys on. Gold stars for the lot of you!

 

    

 

Round 1 v Aspendale (4-2  win)
full matchday photos found here - MANY thanks to Peter (and Edie for a few pics also)

If you believed in omens it was hard to believe this match could have ended anything but badly after our coach showed up to the match with a busted arm only 2 days after having his ear drum ruptured.  Luckily the Chelsea Blues aren’t superstitious because today was the day where they put together all their pre-season training and played wonderful TEAM football for each other and the huge crowd that turned up to support them.

Things didn’t get off to the greatest of starts as Aspendale had hit the back of the net before the blues had even realised the game had started.
One lap of the oval is all it took – before your roving reporter had completed one lap of the oval with the dog the boys were in the lead… first via a brilliant through ball from Alex that Josh ran onto, turned his defender cold and with one solid hit had it past the keeper before anyone had realised just what had happened. It was such a great strike that it spurred the whole team on who, in less than 2 minutes, had managed to put another one into the back of the net when Dominic ran past a handful of defenders in from the left wing before sneaking it through the goals to get his just rewards for an amazing first half patrolling up and down the left wing. The roar that went up from the Chelsea bench - including Team Miguel :) - when both goals went in was enormous and was so great to hear that there is no doubt it helped lift the team’s spirits.
Chelsea’s metaphorical tails were up and the boys were unlucky to cop a goal against the run of play just before half time to go into the break at 2 all.

Denis, Kaillid, Aidan and Jesse had withstood many a run through the middle from the opposition and forced them wide where Dominic and Dan and Zion and Danny were waiting to mop up and find space along the line and out the back - wearing down the opposition with their determination to stick to their player and run off them with every chance they got..
Alex, Aidan, Deion and Dutchy had held their line well all half and Aspendale were getting frustrated with so many forward runs resulting in so little. Every Blues player was trying their very best and even when they did make a mistake they didn’t just try to dig a hole and hide in it, they got straight back into the play and helped to fix it with a stack of team support behind them.

The second half was more of the same from the Blues – Dan played an amazing half stopping their speedy little winger from getting anywhere near the goals and kept running him down time after time after time. Aspendale’s right back will likely have nightmares of Miguel storming down that left wing at him which he did on many occasions – only missing out on scoring a few goals himself by the opposition keeping their defensive line very high.
It was Jesse who popped up for goal number 3 with a great running goal along the right wing after yet another perfectly placed through ball, this time courtesy of Charlie.
In fact in the space of 10 minutes there were many chances created – Charlie chipped and chased over the top with a one on one game of chicken with the Aspendale keeper and neither of them flinched when storming straight at each other. Aspendale’s keeper did a great job coming so far out of his goals to clear the ball just in time but it was a very close thing and nearly resulted in what would have been a well deserved goal to Charlie for his hard work all day. Dominic unluckily picked out the keeper running on to goal when on any other week it could have gone in. But it was left to Josh who added to his tally with the team’s last goal of the day when he pounced on the result of some great defensive work in our forward half.
It was a tense last 10 or 15 minutes as Aspendale threw everything they had at our defensive line - but no-one was getting the ball past Dutchy who stood up and held back the floodgates with some great clearances which seemed to calm the rest of the backline. In fact credit really should go to the entire defensive line in the second half – Dutchy, Dominic, Alex, Danny and Darby who absorbed a tonne of pressure and kept a clean sheet while doing so - and much credit to both Deion and Charlie who joined in and helped out in defense to cap off excellent games for them both .

It was an amazing start to the year and it will help the boys when they come across bigger and stronger opponents as the year rolls on. Today they played their very best football when they played as a TEAM and linked passes together and helped out each other with numbers when it was needed - when they passed into space for another player to run on to - when they ran back and helped out in defense as they realised they were outnumbered. Remember boys that there will be much tougher games ahead and all we ask is that you approach every game with the same positive attitude and respect for each other and your opposition.
Thank you so much to all the Chelsea Blues supporters coming out to cheer the team on (the boys were treated like rock stars coming on and off the bench and were grinning from ear to ear) – we hope you can make it to as many games as possible throughout the year – even on those very early mornings down the coast in miserable weather which we all dread – your support was great for the boys to hear as they did their best and had a great time doing it. So many photos of the kids show them with huge smiles on their faces chasing after the ball – EXACTLY how the game should be played.

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