His Chelsea made hard work of it and Blades gave them a few scares but German boss seems to have... THE MAGIC TUCH
ANOTHER win and another FA Cup semi-final for Chelsea. Was it comfortable? No. Does it matter? Same answer. Winning football matches is becoming a most welcome habit for Thomas Tuchel’s men — this victory over Sheffield United their 10th in 14 games since his arrival in January. Their unbeaten start to life under the German continued with this admittedly dicey victory over the Blades to put them just a game away from back-to-back FA Cup finals.
On his arrival in west London, Tuchel spoke honestly about the price of failure at Chelsea. He knew the terms of engagement but may be wondering what all the fuss was about. Top four in the league, reaching the Champions League quarter-finals and now this.
Sterner tests are on the horizon, of course, not least drawing Manchester City in the semi-finals. But Tuchel has swept aside all before him so far.
As for Sheffield United, this was another afternoon of what could have been. Interim boss Paul Heckingbottom’s team created enough opportunities to at least force extra time. But the only ray of sunlight in a gloomy season, the hope of a trip to Wembley in the semi-finals, has now gone. All they have to look forward to now are nine league matches and the inevitable slide to relegation.
They were bright at times, particularly in the opening exchanges, but no more than that. The first half was lacking in quality and was summed up by Oliver Norwood handing Chelsea the advantage, diverting a Ben Chilwell strike that was going harmlessly wide into his own goal.
It came in the 24th minute and the public announcer awarded it to Chilwell. But not even the England international will try to claim this goal. Norwood probably wasn’t to know the left back’s effort was heading wide, but that will serve as no consolation.
You could hardly argue that Chelsea deserved their advantage at that stage. They were cruising, playing well within themselves. Yet, they were 1-0 up — what does that tell you?
Christian Pulisic wasted a good opportunity to double Chelsea’s lead three minutes before the break, when Aaron Ramsdale bravely thwarted him with an important save.
The visitors were hanging in there, but their lack of potency in attack was glaringly obvious. Plenty of effort, plenty of work rate, but not much to trouble the scorers. The story of their season.
Not that Chelsea were pulling up any trees, this was far from convincing. But as has become the theme under Tuchel, they were doing enough. For him, nothing else will really matter. Indeed, you got the impression that if necessary, Chelsea could have shifted up a couple of gears, and the cavalry was ready to come off the bench.
Pulisic missed another opportunity two minutes after the restart, denied again by Ramsdale before the USA international skyed his second bite at the cherry. Mason Mount, captaining the team, sent a free-kick harmlessly wide before Callum Hudson-Odoi fired over. Chelsea’s start to the half was more like what was expected.
Phil Jagielka’s attempted pass back to Ramsdale rolled narrowly past the post in the 59th minute following miscommunication between the pair. But somehow, United kept within arm’s reach of their opponents and in the 67th minute Heckingbottom’s side should have levelled.
John Lundstram’s cross from the right was a peach. All that was left for the unmarked David McGoldrick was to direct his close-range header on target. The connection was sweet, but the trajectory of the striker’s header was all wrong as Chelsea breathed a sharp sigh of relief.
It was a golden chance. McGoldrick knew it too, the disappointment etched on his face. But the missed opportunity spurred the visitors on. Kepa produced an excellent onehanded stop to deny Oli McBurnie before Enda Stevens clipped the side netting with a header.
By the closing stages, captain Cesar Azpilicueta, Reece James, Hakim Ziyech, Kai Havertz and N’Golo Kante were all on the pitch for Chelsea. The Blues needed them, too.
This was all very uncomfortable, clearly too uncomfortable for Tuchel. And Rhian Brewster squandered a glorious chance to level in the 90th minute, firing inches wide.
Seconds later, Ziyech was at the other end notching Chelsea’s second. You could almost hear the collective sounds of ‘phew’ from the Blues bench. CHELSEA (3-4-3): Kepa 7; Christensen 6.5 (Azpilicueta 63min, 6.5), Zouma 7, Emerson 7; Hudson-Odoi 6.5 (Havertz 72, 6), Gilmour 7 (Ziyech 72, 7), Kovacic 6.5, Chilwell 6.5; MOUNT 7.5, Giroud 6 (James 63, 6), Pulisic 6.5 (Kante 83). Subs not used: Caballero, Rudiger, Alonso, Werner. Booked: None. Scorers: Norwood (og) 24, Ziyech 90+2. Manager: Thomas Tuchel 7. SHEFF UTD (3-5-2): Ramsdale 6; Baldock 6, Jagielka 6, Stevens 6; Bogle 6 (Mousset 90), Lundstram 6.5, Norwood 6 (Brewster 79), Fleck 6, Osborn 6; McBurnie 6 (Burke 75, 6), McGoldrick 6. Subs not used: Foderingham, Lowe, Bryan, Gordon, Brunt, Ndiaye. Booked: None. Manager: Paul Heckingbottom 6. Referee: Andy Madley 6.