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Chelsea got the better of Tottenham Hotspur in the second leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final through penalties, after the aggregate was leveled at 2-2. Heading into the home fixture, the Blues had to overturn a 1-0 score line in order to progress to the penultimate final.
They started strong and played with far more intensity and urgency than they had against Arsenal, and as a result their onslaught bore fruit as N'Golo Kante and Eden Hazard found the back of the net.
Kante beat a number of white shirts from his distant shot, which should have been saved by Paulo Gazzaniga, while Eden Hazard simply outfoxed the rest with a sumptuous left-footed finish.
Fernando Llorente's header threw the game wide open, but Chelsea could have and should have buried Spurs, as they had over 20 attempts on goal, most of which were clear-cut opportunities.
They won the penalties by 4-2, courtesy of goals from Willian, skipper Cesar Azpilicueta, Jorginho, and David Luiz. For Spurs, Eric Dier skied his shot above the frame of goal, while Arrizabalaga masterfully thwarted Lucas Moura's effort.
On that note, lets take a look at the major talking points from Chelsea's stunning victory over Spurs.
#1 Maurizio Sarri gets his playing XI spot on
Maurizio Sarri’s tactics and reluctance to tinker his playing XI have come under serious scrutiny in recent weeks. Be it Hazard’s position or the fact that his side utilise the same attacking shape, there’s been a lot to talk about with respect to the problems at Chelsea.
This time around however, Sarri did implement a few positive and rather effective changes. For starters, he deployed Olivier Giroud at the number 9 position again, which meant a great deal to Hazard. Not only did the Belgian thrive in his natural position, but also created chances and space for Giroud.
Mateo Kovacic, who hadn’t been at his best in the past couple of weeks, paved way for Ross Barkley. Sarri had been giving the nod to the Real Madrid loanee, but Barkley’s physical attributes and ability to play quick passes proved to be a vital contribution.
But the highlight of the team news was the inclusion of Emerson Palmieri in place of the first choice Marcos Alonso. The Spaniard had been leaking goals from his side, and his positional sense had been continuously drawing criticism. Emerson put up a fantastic shift down the left, which is sure to give Alonso a reason to work harder.
#2 Spurs start positively but lack a sense of urgency
Chelsea did have the most of the ball, but it was the visitors who had sporadic little spells of dominance, especially at the start of the game. While there was major uncertainty about the way Chelsea would configure themselves, it looked like Mauricio Pochettino's men controlled the game a little better.
Regardless, it is important to pay attention to Spurs' formation. The likes of Llorente and Lamela, who were tasked with the forward's role, didn't manage to string a significant number of passes together. The latter did occupy his favoured flank a handful of times, but that was far from convincing.
Llorente did hold on to the ball and brought the others into play, but due to the lack of wider players on paper, coupled with Winks' and Sissoko's defensive positions, Eriksen was made to play further than he would have preferred.
As the Denmark international failed to produce a killer pass, the side faltered and consequentially, couldn't establish a major foothold on the game.
#3 Goals from N'Golo Kante and Eden Hazard fire Chelsea ahead
After sustained pressure, Chelsea finally broke the deadlock. Despite having most of the ball and having fabricated a better range of passes, Stamford Bridge was almost in a state of precariousness due to recent results and struggles in front of goal.
Chances fell to Pedro and Hazard, but neither of them could manage to make the ball ripple the inner netting. A corner in the 27th minute, moments later, was cleared by a Spurs player, but only to N'Golo Kante.
The World Cup winner lined one up and fortuitously scored, as the ball went in between the legs of three Tottenham players, including Gazzaniga.
Ten minutes later, Eden Hazard showed why he's one of the world's best with his intelligence and movement, placing home a second goal. Sarri's men were in clear ascendancy, as the time they took to get back to shape nullified Spurs' counter-attacking prowess.
At the cusp of half-time, Chelsea should have had a penalty as well, as Hazard was brought down by Alderweireld. The referee, much to the disgust of the home supporters, decided not to call on the VAR.
All in all, it was all Chelsea in the first half, and deservedly they went into the break with their noses in front.
#4 Fernando Llorente scores, but Chelsea continue to dominate
Chelsea got us underway in the second half, and pressed for a third goal, which would have most probably put the result beyond doubt. But just five minutes past the break, Fernando Llorente finished a brilliant move by heading in a fantastic cross from Danny Rose.
Harry Winks, who was supposed to be the engine of the side, played Rose through down the left, and owing to his explosive nature in the final third, whipped in a teasing ball to Llorente - the only substantial target in the Chelsea territory.
The former Swansea striker was being marked by Emerson and Antonio Rudiger, and to be fair, the cross wasn't even one where he had to leap. Despite all these circumstances, the veteran forward planted a sublime header past Arrizabalaga.
Although Chelsea should have scored a couple more at least, the North Londoners did make life uncomfortable for the hosts. For instance, just a minute after Llorente's goal, the omnipresent Kante drove forward with purpose and teed up Giroud, who hit the target but saw his shot saved.
#5 Eden Hazard is a different player altogether down the wing
If Chelsea were to go through against a formidable opponent in Spurs during such a barren run of form, you'd surely place your bet on the magical Eden Hazard. And if you did, he's surely not let you down.
The 28-year-old was at his supreme best down the flank. He got a chance to receive the ball in various positions, turn at will, and run at opposition players. Neither did he have to chase back or focus on team shape, nor was he burdened with leading the line.
Hazard completed most number of take-ons and passes in the opposition half. Every time he received the ball, the Belgium skipper played to his strengths, tip-toed past defenders with aplomb, and looked threatening throughout.
Even for his goal, it was he who had the awareness to drop into midfield, wriggle through a couple of challenges, and play to Pedro, who then fed it through to Azpilicueta. The right back slotted it across, and Eden Hazard completed what he started, in emphatic style.
