GIROUD COMES TO PARTY
Chelsea dismiss Hull as stars push claim for Barcelona clash
IT IS amazing what the prospect of a game against Barcelona can do for a team. Admittedly this was essentially a match against Hull City reserves — a side from the Championship so far out of their depth at Stamford Bridge they might as well have arrived clutching buoyancy aids.
Nevertheless, the nervous, anxious Chelsea of recent days and weeks was not visible here.
Hull were dismantled in a first half that was so complete from a Chelsea point of view that they could have scored double the four goals they did amass.
In midfield, Willian and Cesc Fabregas were full of life and artistry. They could not have expressed their interest in Champions League selection on Tuesday any more clearly had they written to their manager and asked for a game.
Meanwhile, there on the touchline — warming up eagerly — was Alvaro Morata, the striker who coach Antonio Conte said recently may miss the rest of the season with a back injury. With 20 minutes to go, the Spaniard was on.
So, with a much greater challenge lying in wait, this was a good night for Chelsea and a desperate one for Nigel Adkins and Hull.
Chelsea scored through Willian in the second minute and there was no looking back. Hull could not live with the Premier League team’s cleverness or indeed their appetite and by the end of a first half of endless chances Chelsea had scored three more through Pedro, Willian again and even Olivier Giroud.
There was second-half rally from Hull but it ended after two minutes as they won a penalty and then a missed it. David Meyler was the culprit as Chelsea goalkeeper Willy Caballero flopped to his right and saved with two hands. This looked like being a long night for Hull before a ball had been kicked. Within two minutes of the start, the task before them grew even harder. Chelsea fielded an understrength team by design whereas Adkins had little choice. The Hull manager was without three defenders on loan from Chelsea and missing other players, too. On reflection, this was a good night not to be involved. Chelsea started briskly and were ahead after a minute and 53 seconds. The Brazilian Willian (below) — star of the first half — picked up possession after a mistake from Hull’s Kevin Stewart, advanced 10 yards or so and jinked inside to curl a superb shot into the far corner. Chelsea were on top throughout and could have scored more than the four goals they did. Willian proved impossible for Hull to keep track of and seemed determined to play himself into the team to face Barcelona. Fabregas was also terrific as Hull ran hard and tried to keep a decent shape when Chelsea had the ball — which was most of the time — but were out of their depth. The few supporters who had made the trip from the East Riding of Yorkshire were seriously subdued almost from the start.
Chelsea did not actually score their second and third goals until the 26th and 31st minutes but had many more chances before that.
Willian played Fabregas in for a near-post shot that was saved in the ninth minute and then escaped down the left to cross low a minute later. This time Giroud couldn’t quite reach the centre.
Still looking for his first Chelsea goal at this stage, Giroud was not exactly his team’s weak link here but he did at times look a little off wavelength.
Better was to come for him at the end of the opening period but he was left embarrassed in the 14th minute after a superb Pedro ball played him clear only for the striker to control and volley over the bar when he should have scored. At times, Chelsea were passing the ball beautifully.
Fabregas and Willian seemed to be playing their own game and another superb ball from the former almost led to a Pedro chance with only a quarter of an hour played. This time Michael Dawson stretched to intercept.
While Chelsea were only one goal ahead Hull were theoretically in the game but the reality was different.
This was never a contest and a flurry of goals in the lead-up to the break put daylight between Chelsea and the team from the Championship.
Fabregas played Pedro clear with a sumptuous, first-time ball over the top in the 26th minute and the Chelsea forward controlled it equally well to drive low past David Marshall.
Stewart then gave the ball away again and watched in horror as Willian beat Marshall with a low shot from 20 yards. For some reason the Hull goalkeeper chose not to dive and it looked as though he thought the shot was going wide. It wasn’t.
Then, three minutes before the break, Marshall was beaten again. Chelsea debutant Emerson found space and when he crossed low, Giroud steered the ball expertly in at the near post with his left foot. CHELSEA (3-4-3): Caballero 7; Rudiger 6.5, Ampadu 7.5, Cahill 7; Zappacosta 6.5, Fabregas 8 (Scott 62mins, 6.5), Drinkwater 6.5, Emerson 7; Willian 8.5, Giroud 7.5 (Morata 70, 6.5), Pedro 7 (Hudson-Odoi 46, 7). Subs not used: Eduardo, Chalobah, Sterling, Moses. Scorers: Willian 2, Pedro, Giroud. Booked: Scott. Manager: Antonio Conte 6. HULL CITY (4-3-3): Marshall 6; Meyler 5, Dawson 5, MacDonald 5, Clark 5.5; Evandro 4.5, Stewart 5, Irvine 5.5 (Batty 88); Wilson 6 (Toral 55, 6), Dicko 5.5 (Campbell 72, 5.5), Diomande 5. Subs not used: McGregor, Grosicki, Keane, Clackstone. Booked: Stewart, Irvine. Manager: Nigel Adkins 6. Referee: Andre Marriner 6. Attendance: 39,591.
OLIVIER GIROUD scored his first goal since a £18million transfer from Arsenal as Chelsea cruised into the FA Cup quarter-finals last night. Two goals for Willian made it the perfect warm-up for Antonio Conte’s team, who face Barcelona in the Champions League next week. Pedro got the other while Willy Caballero saved David Meyler’s penalty. Leicester join them in the last eight after beating Sheffield United 1-0.