Chelsea Under-18s are set to play our first away match of the season against Arsenal, who have made a strong start to their 2024/25 campaign. The Gunners secured three points in their opening Premier League 2 fixture with a 2-0 victory over West Ham.

The young Blues are looking to bounce back from our previous result, when we suffered a 5-2 defeat against Brighton, despite Chizaram Ezenwata’s brace.

'We have worked incredibly hard this week,' started Under-18s head coach Hassan Sulaiman. 'We have focused on one-on-one defending and defending as a unit.

'It’s important that we get the basics right. I have seen some really good positives with our build-up play, the structure and the style with which we want to approach the game. There are lots of positives to take away from this week.

'The squad has been ruthless in the final third throughout training, scoring a number of goals in our patterns. It’s been great to see.'

Despite the tough start to the season, Sulaiman stressed the importance of using early set-backs as learning opportunities. He recognises that we're still at the beginning of the campaign and that there is plenty of room for growth, both in the players’ performances on the pitch and in their mentality off of it.

'I am feeling optimistic. Last week was a tough test and since then we have had opportunities to reflect as a team and as individuals. We have understood that we were a little naive and immature in some aspects of our performance last week.

'It’s an opportunity for the boys to grow and learn. It’s a chance to put right what we did wrong last week. I have spoken about mentality before, but that is crucial when making the jump. Moving up the league brings a lot of pressure with it.'

Understanding the importance of learning from past lessons, Sulaiman notes that his Under-18s squad must continue to develop and progress throughout their Academy journey. He highlights that key characteristics for Academy players include how well they bounce back from set-backs and reflect on their experiences.

'It is development football and we are a younger squad. The boys have to learn quickly. With all the hard work we’ve put in, going into this week, we are looking forward to it.

'With a young squad moving up age groups, there is a difference in what goes on both on and off the pitch.

'There are three points each week that we will be fighting for, and there’s the reputation of the club and the success from last season. Naturally, the squad will feel slightly on edge.

'However, the intensity and pace of Under-18s football are new to most of the players, so there is a lack of experience. But we’re only in the second week and that experience will grow throughout the season as we continue playing fixtures week in, week out.

'It’s a great opportunity for the boys to continue to learn and grow. We want them to learn and reflect quickly because it’s going to be a tough season.

'Even though we're a young team, we have a lot of talent. I’m confident that the players will rise to the occasion. We just need to embrace the challenges ahead.'