After an emphatic win against Manchester United in their first play-off fixture, Arsenal U21s were determined to get the better of Chelsea in their second game.
However, Mehmet Ali’s side ended up suffering a 3-2 defeat to a Chelsea side including the superb Diego Moreira, who scored a hat-trick.
Arsenal took the lead twice, initially through Myles Lewis-Skelly, and later courtesy of a goal from Nathan Butler-Oyedeji.
However, on both occasions the young Gunners were unable to hold onto their lead and they saw their campaign come to an early end.
Arsenal will regret some of their missed chances against Chelsea but there will still be positives to take from this campaign, such as the development of the likes of Ethan Nwaneri, Lewis-Skelly and Ayden Heaven.
For some of the older players in this group it may well now be time for them to move on and attempt to carve out a career in senior football, which certainly isn’t an easy task.
The U21s have one more week of training before the break and it is hoped that some of the prospects will be able to train with the first-team before the end of the campaign.
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Jeorge Bird is the author of www.arsenalyouth.wordpress.com Follow him on Twitter @jeorgebird
Yes, frustrating.
Thanks Jeorge, it looks as if Reuell Walters is looking for pastures new, I’m sure that the club would have looked to sign him up and send him on loan but maybe he’s been approached by other clubs who’ve offered him more opportunities?
Any idea who they could be Jeorge?