TROPHY NOBODY WANTS CHELSEA TO WIN
Chelsea stand in the way of lincoln City’s long quest to reach Wembley in a Checkatrade Trophy semi-final which brings the format of the competition back under scrutiny.
lincoln have never appeared at Wembley in their 134-year history, although they were close last season, beaten in the Fa Cup quarter-finals and the Fa Trophy semi-finals.
They face Chelsea’s Under 21s in the Checkatrade Trophy semi-final tonight at sincil Bank.
Chelsea, having been to Wembley four times in the last 10 months, are under no illusions.
They are aware they will be unpopular finalists, intruders on a competition designed to offer the chance of a big day out for clubs in league One and league Two.
More than 74,000 were at Wembley to see Coventry beat Oxford, last season, when 16 Premier league and Championship clubs with Category One academies were invited to enter Under 21 teams for the first time as part of a trial. None made it to the last four. Only swansea reached the quarter-finals where they lost on penalties to Coventry.
The worst-case scenario of two Under 21 teams in the final was comfortably avoided.
This season, however, Chelsea have taken it much more seriously.
Under the ownership of Roman abramovich, the londoners have invested millions in youth development, with a lavish academy base, top coaches and a global recruitment system.
It has helped them win the Fa Youth Cup for the last four years and, with five over-age starters allowed, they have also used the Checkatrade Trophy to give some of antonio Conte’s first-team squad some game time.
Michy Batshuayi — a 24-yearold Belgium international, cost £33million and is now in the first team at Borussia Dortmund — scored twice in the first knockout round at Milton Keynes.
Other youngsters from the fringes of antonio Conte’s firstteam squad also appeared, such as Kenedy, Charly Musonda, Jake Clarke-salter and ethan ampadu. Musonda M so da sco scored ed t twice ice agai against st Portsmouth and again in a 4-0 win against Milton Keynes Dons.
all of which fuelled the wrath of fans who objected to the Under 21 teams as evidence of how Premier league wealth was dominating all tiers of english football.
Cl Clubs bsf from o leag league eO One ea and dT Two o voted to invite the Category One academy teams back after last season’s trial, doubtlessly attracted by the extra prize money which accompanied them.
Manchester United, liverpool and arsenal were among those who declined the invitation. But those who ho accepted ha have e fo found d the Checkatrade has brought beneficial exposure to competitive senior football for their young players.
Chelsea can expect precisely that at lincoln, a team who can be direct and robust, and have proved very successful in knockout k ocko t football under de Da Danny Cowley. There is certainly no guarantee the londoners will brush the league Two team aside, especially since Batshuayi, Kenedy and Musonda have gone out on loan.