Impossible quad that and only young guns... Dream proved just talk here was of Chelsea’s
FA CUP SEMI-FINAL VERDICT FROM WEMBLEY
WHEN it ended, it ended with a whimper.
Manchester City have still got three trophies to play for – but their bid to become the Quad Squad was dismantled by the other English team with designs on lifting the Champions League.
Chelsea gave the Premier League champions-in-waiting a bit of a chasing at Wembley.
The difference in the scoreline was only one goal – scored by Hakim Ziyech on 55 minutes.
But Thomas Tuchel’s men created the better chances, played the superior football and were so well organised defensively, Kepa Arrizbalaga could have taken a deckchair out with him for the first 70 minutes. Chelsea’s keeper made two routine saves and an injurytime block to thwart Ruben Dias’ header.
And while City did finally rouse themselves when they realised that a place in the history books was slipping away from them, the impossible dream has proved to be just that. Tuchel will now be fancied to land his first trophy just four months into his Stamford Bridge reign.
Maybe he will also get the chance to smuggle another trophy away from Guardiola – the one that both men covet most – in Istanbul.
The City boss made eight changes to the team that took him to the Champions League semi-finals in midweek. But that the Sky Blues looked like a bunch of strangers was also down to Tuchel’s three-man defensive ploy.
Wing-backs Reece James and Ben Chilwell tucked in when City had the ball, with Jorginho and N’Golo Kante patrolling in front.
But James and Chilwell were also given licence to get forward.
Ziyech had a goal disallowed from one break down the left.
And only Aymeric Laporte’s stretching clearance prevented the Dutchman converting Chilwell’s delivery from the same area.
When Chilwell then volleyed into Zack Steffen’s sidenetting from James’ cross, it was an illustration of the joy Chelsea were
Tuchel’s men created the better chances, played the superior football and were so well organised defensively, Kepa Arrizbalaga could have taken a deckchair out with him for the first 70 minutes
getting from the flanks. Raheem Sterling has become a peripheral player in recent weeks.
When he was given the chance to test Thiago Silva’s 36-year-old legs early on, he opted to pass rather than take up the challenge.
Guardiola shook his head on the touchline.
He was grimacing again when Jesus laid the ball back towards Ilkay Gundogan seven minutes from time and Sterling took it away from the German with a wild swing of his left foot that threatened no one
By then, the team from Manchester were chasing a lost cause.
Kevin De Bruyne had been unable to influence the game in the 48 minutes before he limped off with an ankle injury. Guardiola will be praying the Belgian’s exit was a precaution with the Carabao Cup Final next Sunday.
Phil Foden replaced De Bruyne and strained to bring some creativity to his team. But City could find no answer once Ziyech had exploited their high line with the help of Mason Mount’s vision and Timo Werner’s unselfishness.
Mount’s pass was precision, sending Werner into the acres between Joao Cancelo and Dias.
And with Steffen tempted from his goal, the German squared for Ziyech to score. Chelsea were buoyant, City deflated.
Ziyech should have scored again when Chilwell’s pass over the top once again left Dias exposed. This time, Steffen timed his move with more care and was able to save.
The young American also denied Werner after the striker had raced half the length of the pitch only to run out of power at the last.
It said much about City’s performance that Fernandinho was their best player at the age of 35 while younger men faded.
Gundogan came on, but Tuchel had recognised that Foden was the growing threat to his team’s return to play Leicester or Southampton.
Emerson was sent on to take care of the 20-year-old – and when the England midfielder escaped his Brazilian shadow there was Cesar Azpilicueta to twice dump him on his backside in quick succession.
It was Chelsea’s night.