The match may not have ended in the result Chelsea were hoping for but the presence of six Cobham graduates in the starting lineup is still quite the achievement. Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Trevoh Chalobah, Mason Mount, Armando Broja, Conor Gallagher and Lewis Hall all took to the pitch at St James' Park in a feat that few other teams can match.
Since the emergence of Mount and Reece James into central figures, the influence of Chelsea's academy transitioning to the first team squad has not been as clear. Indeed, the presence of the likes of the duo has made the path more difficult. The likes of Tariq Lamptey and Tino Livramento have seen their futures lie elsewhere, for example.
While players had opportunities in cup competitions last term, such as Harvey Vale, Jude Soonsup-Bell and Xavier Simons, in addition to Hall, Thomas Tuchel did not make use of a teenager within the Premier League. Perhaps not an issue in itself, but a concern for some perhaps that Cobham's influence could tail off.
