GIROUD’S OFF
OLIVIER GIROUD scored his first goal for Chelsea as an under-strength Blues side put Hull to the sword.
Willian opened the floodgates after just 106 seconds and added a second after Pedro had doubled the home side’s lead.
But Giroud then opened his account for the Blues before Willy Caballero rubbed Hull’s noses in it by saving David Meyler’s penalty.
They may have been beaten finalists last year but Chelsea clearly had bigger fish to fry with Barcelona coming to west London on Tuesday in the Champions League.
Antonio Conte, whose name rang out around Stamford Bridge from the kick-off once again, named a much-weakened team to face the Tigers.
It would be a shock if more than three of his starting line-up keep their places against Spanish giants Barca.
It didn’t seem to matter in the early stages, though, as Hull found their back four breached inside two minutes.
They gave the ball away carelessly and Willian was on it like a flash to stroke home the opener.
You had to feel for Hull. They had kept four clean sheets in their previous seven matches under Nigel Adkins. But they played last night without a trio of defenders – Michael Hector, Ola Aina and Fikayo Tomori – who were all ineligible as they are on loan from Chelsea.
Giroud, starting his second straight game after his £18m switch from Arsenal, should have made it two soon afterwards.
Fizzed
Pedro beat the offside trap with a lovely through ball but Giroud snatched at his volley and fizzed it inches over the bar.
The Frenchman loves this competition having won three of the last four FA Cups with the Gunners, and he played in the 2014 final when they beat Hull.
Willian then tore through the centre of the Tigers’ midfield again on a fast break before laying the ball off to Pedro for another shot at goal.
David Marshall saved his effort, which did