08 May 2025 22:24:56
It's been very easy and to a certain extent understandable to criticise this particular European competition but tonight seeing a group of our academy players getting mins makes the competition worthwhile.
Congratulations to them all and it can only help there future careers, hopefully at Chelsea.
08 May 2025 23:57:30
Can only beat what's in front of you, and they did well.
09 May 2025 09:15:21
Totally agree Tom.
Still not sure what our clubs fascination is with buying in foreign youngsters when we have such a great academy. Should give our youngstersza chance first.
09 May 2025 09:59:00
I think you will find that Maresca has given 8 or 9 academy players a chance this season Bill including giving a full debut to a 16 year old making him the youngest ever English player to play in a European competition. Maybe give the club some credit now and again?
09 May 2025 14:40:30
RBD
happy to give credit when it's due but can I ask you, if we were ont in the ECL, how many of those young players would have had their chance and what team do you expect us to put out against Betis?
09 May 2025 16:45:40
Bill, maybe we should be grateful that the conference cup has allowed us to play a string of youngsters. I’m sure they would have been given so many opportunities if we had been in Champs league but maybe it would have meant more opportunities in the domestic cups.
For the final we put out our strongest team. Every player in the squad or who has played gets a medal.
I can’t get to final but I will be in Spain, hopefully not watching the game with to many Bilbao fans.
09 May 2025 18:06:54
Why don't we reward the young players who have gotten us to the final by playing them.
09 May 2025 19:13:26
Because they ain’t as good (yet) as some other players. It’s very important, in my opinion, to win our first trophy in this ownership era.
Our opposition are going to be making it a difficult game. If I remember correctly they have beaten Barcelona and Real Madrid in the last few weeks.
10 May 2025 09:26:11
100% correct Tom and no change there really from clubs playing weakened teams in the domestic cup competitions until the later stages. The exception was last year when Liverpool played their under 12's in the final and beat us courtesy of that inept and clueless bonehead Pochetino!