🔵🔴CHELSEA 0-2 SOUTHAMPTON
home defeat for the Dev. Squad against a Southampton team that was clinical on counters they could lead all the way and generally defended well their box.
A weird game, bound to happen: 5 instances of hitting the woodwork and I lost count of the yellow cards.
No 🛰Ishe Samuels-Smith on the game sheet 👀
🔴 some players I didn't see last season at Southampton U21
✨Joachim KAYI SANDA: biggest difference beteeen French / English CBs is the former are launched at senior level as early as possible. Was fairly good at most things you'd expect a CB to be doing well: clear the ball efficiently, keep the striker back to goal and defend crosses. Distribution is basic but does a job. Not extremely tall but very hard to put off balance.
✨Baylee DIPEPA played EFL football already, and it shows. An Ox back to goal, smashed layoffs and pinning the CBs, gave Harrison Murray Campbell and Kaiden Wilson a strong match up.
Sam AMO AMEYAW is obviously talented (ex Spurs) but there's a lot of energy dropping off the front (to play a 10 yarder sometimes given away) that may let him down when it comes to hitting the target. I've seen him a full season already. In the Madueke mould, does a bit of everything. Didn't find the small space team mate he had with Dibling to play give and go in final third.
Romeo AKACHUKWU was very good at defending runners darting in the channels, definitely has something when it comes to getting on the turn and change the picture. Popped up with a goal. The question is always to conjecture how much we've seen to project a ceiling.
BAZUNU did a solid job, like most GKs over 22 do at PL2 level. Presence in the box and will wipe out the striker on the way.
🔵 Donnell McNeilly makes it stick, his special chest-half turn switch should have Football League clubs pay attention. Mheuka had moments.
Ampah was more consistent in terms of having less time between plays.
I was surprised to see Emenalo get into midfield (where he did well) before Reiss Russell-Denny who I'd like to see feature more: put some very good deliveries and had a weak foot shot (he's left footed) off target.
Sam Rak Sakyi and Harrison McMahon are industrious in midfield, that had Dyer more advanced in 10 where his usual influence (receiving deep and breaking lines commiting defenders for) was limited.
Brodi Hughes is doing a solid job but Genesis Antwi brings speed (on wheels) from right back with a variety of good early crosses.
Same applies for Zak Sturge who's never converting his supporting runs from LB into something productive.