A hootenanny
MATCH FACTS Brucie in for a bruiser
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isn’t working hard enough to fulfil his potential. But the Belgian was brilliant against Spurs and led a fine Chelsea performance that booked them a Wembley date with Manchester City next month.
Giroud (right) admits Sarri’s comments were fair.
He said: “After that game, we had to show something else – strong character, team character, be a team of monsters.
“We showed that straight away in the first half against Tottenham, that we wanted to bounce back. We did very well pressing the ball, covering the ball, and the boss always wants that.
“We knew we wanted to have a strong reaction. We talked between us but afterwards you have to put the action on the pitch.”
Chelsea’s response was just what Sarri was looking for and Thursday’s win on penalties ensured another Wembley cup trip for Giroud.
He has played in 11 cup fixtures at the national stadium for Arsenal and Chelsea, winning three FA Cups and the Community Shield with the Gunners, and the FA Cup again with Chelsea.
His only defeat there came against Spurs in the Premier League this season.
He added: “Gaz, the kitman, told me, ‘Now we can be confident because we have our lucky charm at Wembley’. And I told him, ‘Yeah, only in cups’.
“We are going to play another cup final, so, hopefully, it will be another one we win.
“I don’t have this one, so I’d like to have it.”
This is the 124th meeting in all competitions between Chelsea and Sheffield Wednesday, but the first since April 2000, a 1-0 win for the Owls at Hillsborough in the Premier League.
Sheffield Wednesday have been eliminated from eight of their 10 FA Cup ties with Chelsea, last knocking them out in the 1965-66 semi-final.
The Owls face the FA Cup holders for the first time since 1955-56, when they lost 3-1 to Newcastle in the third round. STEVE BRUCE will have to use all his managerial clout to win his battles with Wednesday owner Dejphon Chansiri, says Chris Turner.
The Thai businessman (below) put the club up for sale after falling foul of Financial Fair Play rules, which triggered a summer transfer ban.
Turner said: “Steve is an old-school manager, who likes to run his club and choose which players he wants to buy and work with.
“It will be interesting to see if he has a free hand to get the players he wants, if the club aren’t hit with another transfer ban.
“The recruitment at Wednesday has been a shambles. That’s the first thing Brucie has to sort out if it’s going to work.
“The club have spent a lot and have a wage bill of £39million, which is staggering because all it’s produced is failure.
“I watch Wednesday all the time – they are 40 per cent of the way there. But there are key areas Steve needs to improve. There’s no pace in attack or wide areas – and that certainly needs addressing.”