A dominant second-half display ensured that Chelsea beat Watford and didn’t have to endure the pain of a replay. The Blues started with a much-changed line up and struggled to break down the Championship side and it was until the introduction of Willian and Diego Costa in the second half that they were able to carve the Hornets open. The hosts took the lead thanks to Willian, who curled in a sublime effort from about 25 yards out.
The lead soon doubled after a Costa shot was blocked and came into the path of Loic Remy, who made no mistake. The Blues looked hungry for more goals and were rewarded for their persistence as Kurt Zouma scored his second goal of the season for the club to seal a comfortable victory and passage into the Fourth Round.
Here are the major talking points from the game.
A game of two halves
When you change your line ups, especially into one that has a completely different spine, it is always difficult to get going right away. And that was precisely the problem for the Blues as they struggled to break down a stubborn Watford defense. The passing was simply too slow and not very penetrative and completely in contrast to the Chelsea we have seen so far this season.
In the second half, the addition of Costa and Willian gave them some much needed pace and provided the impetus that led to them opening the scoring. Not only did they score three goals, but they also managed to create more chances and carve open the visitors defense with much more regularity in the second half and most of that was down to the precision and vision of Willian, who is often forgotten amidst the galaxy of stars around him.
Zouma deserves a Premier League start
Mourinho isn’t a manager who likes to change a settled line up. While the consistent runs he affords his players in the starting XI is a good thing, sometimes, it is also the reason why complacency creeps into their games. Although Gary Cahill and John Terry have been an ever-present pairing in the Premier League, the last few games, especially away from home, has highlighted chinks in their armour.
Although neither defenders has the pace to handle fast attacking players, in recent weeks, Cahill form has dipped severely. The Englishman has been at the centre of some of the sloppy play at the back and it looks as though it is time to give him a break. In Kurt Zouma, Mourinho has a player who not only is similar to Cahill in his style of play, but also has the one thing that the 29-year-old lacks, pace. The 20-year-old has impressed in the League Cup and here again showed just why he deserves a place in the starting line up in the Premier League.
Chelsea showcase their strength in depth
Although Mourinho started with a side that was almost unrecognisable in midfield, he did so with the knowledge that he has a plan B, should anything go wrong. In the first, although Mikel and Ramires played well, they lacked the penetration going forward and that slowed down the tempo of their game. And even Oscar looked like a player who needed a rest.
So when Willian and Costa came on in the second it showed the quality the Blues were able to call upon. Remy, who has spent most of his season coming off the bench, got a rare start and showed just why he deserves a place ahead of Drogba in the side. Although their attack wasn’t great in the first half, in the second, that was changed on its head, with the substitutions which certainly bodes well for the long and arduous season ahead, when they will need every one of these players.