Like the rest of our Academy, the Chelsea Under-18s have been enjoying some well earned rest over the Christmas period during their winter break, at the halfway point in the 2023/24 season.

Hassan Sulaiman and his players have every reason to be pleased with how things have gone so far, too. Although we sit third in the Under-18 Premier League table, we are only three points off the top having played two matches less, meaning four points from those games in hand would see us leapfrog West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur into first place.

With three wins out of three in our Under-18 Premier League Cup group and progress to the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup also secured, we remain very much in the frame for trophies on three fronts going into the second half of the season.

However, it is not just the results on the pitch that have left Sulaiman pleased with his team’s efforts.

‘Our aim was to build on how strongly we finished last season with the current second years, and I think I can boldly say that we’ve managed to do that,’ said Hassan.

‘We’ve looked at a number of areas that we wanted to improve upon and areas that we wanted to develop. Again, I can say that’s something we have done. That has been evident in how better we’ve been able to control games, how many goalscoring opportunities we’ve created.

‘We’ve been able to do that while rotating quite a high number of players as well, so that’s also a testament to the boys. We’ve tried to ensure that we have this competitive element in our training sessions, but also this togetherness element where everyone’s able to be open, to be free and able to express themselves.

‘So we’ve been very pleased with how the season has progressed so far, but of course we’re only at the halfway point, so we have got to make it mean something when we go into next year.’

When considering his personal highlights of 2023/24 so far, there are a trio of victories that stand out for Sulaiman, each of which presented their own challenge.

They are the thumping 5-1 victory at Aston Villa in our first away game of the season, the determined win at Tottenham with 10 men in the Premier League Cup and the incredible late comeback against Southampton in our final match before the break.

‘There are a number of tests that we’ve overcome. One, we wanted to dominate possession and score goals, and that came early on against Aston Villa, which we were pleased with, particularly the first-half performance when we absolutely dominated the ball and were able to go 4-0 up at half-time.

‘We came through another tough test against Tottenham, when we went down to 10 men. So having to deal with a different scenario, having to fight back to get to a winning position, having a man sent off and then showing the resilience and character required to get the game over the line.

‘Another one was the last game of the year against Southampton. Although we won 3-2, at half-time we were 2-0 down and it would have been easy for the boys to down tools and think the game was gone. But to show the resilience and character required to come back out in the second half and win the game, right at the end of the game as well, was extremely rewarding.

‘I look at some of the tests that we’ve had so far this season and we’ve been able to overcome some really good learning points that take us into next year. So if these scenarios repeat themselves we have some experience to lean on and look at what we did well.

‘From a development perspective that’s been really important, because the results will follow if we can keep passing these little tests. Then hopefully, when we go into what people keep calling the "competitive side" of the season, we know what to expect now. We’ve been able to overcome a lot.’

Those challenges overcome have played a big part in the excellent position we have secured going into the second half of the season with everything still to play for.

While the priority at Under-18s level is obviously on development and helping players take their next step towards senior football, that hasn’t dampened Sulaiman or the squad’s desire to end 2023/24 victorious by lifting trophies.

In fact, the head coach believes that can also play an important part in development, by giving his charges the winning mentality which has long been a necessity for succeeding at a club like Chelsea.

‘From a competition perspective, I don’t think we’ve made any secret of the fact we want to win,’ explained Sulaiman. ‘We want to win as many trophies as possible and that’s not to be over-ambitious, that’s because we believe we can.

‘You only have to look at the history of our club and what it stands for, as well as the Academy. A winning culture is part of our DNA. Of course the balance is that our aim is to make sure we get as many players in the professional game as possible, but we feel winning plays a vital part in that.

‘It isn’t everything, but it certainly plays a part in helping our players get to the top. Once you taste what winning feels like it’s something that you will always aspire to achieve. So we do want to win, we want to perform well and I want to see as many of the boys play in the Under-21s and hopefully make first-team debuts as possible. That’s the joy for the coach and the coaching staff, ensuring that your players have a breakthrough.’

It seems the current crop of Academy youngsters in our Under-18s team are well on their way to achieving their goals, as they look to continue competing for silverware across three fronts during the remainder of 2023/24, even if Sulaiman is careful to ensure they realise they are only at the halfway point.

‘It’s definitely so far so good, but it’s a long journey. In football things can change quite rapidly, so we keep our feet on the ground, we stay humble and we stay hungry. We keep fighting right to the end.

‘I’ve no doubt that the boys will come back ready and eager to perform. They know their job is only half done and there’s still a long way to go in the season.’