The youth team paid the price for good play not turned into goals on Saturday at Cobham when the visitors scored three times in the second-half to give a final result unreflective of the balance of the match.
The young Blues could have been four goals to the good by the interval had chances been converted and it was still scoreless late in the game until in a more even second half, an Arsenal salvo of goals put the game out of reach.
With Jamal Blackman away with England Under 19s, schoolboy Mitchell Beeney was in goal and ahead of him there was an experienced look to the backline with Aziz Deen-Conteh on the left and partnering Rohan Ince in the centre was Daniel Pappoe (pictured above), playing his first game on the season having recovered from injury.
Deen-Conteh dropped down to this level for the first time this season having played for the reserves earlier in the week and also starting for the first time this youth team campaign was joint topscorer Alex Kiwomya, who began his first Chelsea reserve game on Monday.
Adam Nditi, who impressed as a sub in the reserves' narrow defeat at Villa, was also in attack with schoolboy Reece Mitchell completing the forward line. Amin Affane played the no. 10 role behind it.
Kiwomya's four goals this season have all come after entering the action as a substitute and he could have added to that tally with only 90 seconds gone when one-on-one with the keeper and although a good save was made, it was type chance the schoolboy striker has been taking. He would shoot wide from another opportunity later in the half.
Chelsea went close again when Pappoe, who was captaining the side, headed an Affane (pictured below) corner against the bar. Affane later hit struck woodwork directly from a free-kick.
After the break Arsenal improved and Chelsea did not find clear chances as easy to come by.
With quarter-of-an-hour to go Arsenal managed find a way through Chelsea's defences down the flank and when the ball was cut back, Serge Gnabry put the visitors ahead.
Pappoe had been an important figure on the day but the big defender had been replaced as his time out injured began to show and his absence was felt. Arsenal added two goals in two minutes, both scored by Phillip Roberts and there was no return for Chelsea.
'We played very well for the first 60 minutes,' observed youth team manager Adi Viveash, 'but then when the goals went in it was tough on us.
'It was more even-stevens in the second-half and we had only half chances. All our good chances were in the first half. Daniel Pappoe did fantastic to last 65 minutes, he was the big plus in the game, but he had to come off.'
Chelsea: Mitchell Beeney; Alistair Gordon, Rohan Ince, Daniel Pappoe (c) (Sam Bangura), Aziz Deen-Conteh; Nathan Ake, Amin Affane (Ismael Seremba), Ruben Loftus-Cheek; Reece Mitchell, Alex Kiwomya, Adam Nditii.
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