Chelsea is into the final eight of the Carabao Cup after winning 4-3 on penalties against Southampton. Just like the final spherical against Aston Villa, the Blues scored the primary objective after which conceded shortly after, which led to each team looking for a second objective that never got here. One other penalty shootout awaited with Chelsea coming out the victor after Reece James scored the facet’s fifth penalty.
This sport was seemingly a carbon copy of the last spherical with the Blues having loads of probabilities and solely scoring one objective. It also led to the same way, as well. Thomas Tuchel made loads of changes from the Norwich victory, some might say too many, with gamers taking part in out of position. This led to a pretty lackluster first half aside from Kai Havertz’s 44′ header. The issues with the lineup will probably be addressed further afterward, but all that really mattered on the day was making it into the following spherical of the EFL Cup, taking the Blues one step closer to a different trophy.
Listed here are three classes we learned from the contest:
1: Callum Hudson-Odoi is wasted at right wingback
The beginning line-up saw loads of rotation, each to give players a rest and in addition to give minutes to those that don’t play typically. Supporters noticed a couple of gamers taking part in out of their most preferred positions. Cesar Azpilicueta was given a rest and with James filling in for the captain at proper heart again, Callum Hudson-Odoi was the one player who might fill in at wingback. We actually noticed what Hudson-Odoi was capable of in a front three in opposition to Norwich, so with him playing in a transfer defensive function, he was wasted. Each Ross Barkley and Hakim Ziyech had been brought in and all through the primary half, fans actually noticed what they had been lacking without Hudson-Odoi and Mason Mount upfront.
Barkley and Ziyech are too gradual for the liking of many, especially for an assault that scored 11 in its final two video games and regarded fully totally different with a number of absences. When each Ben Chilwell and Mount got here on, Hudson-Odoi joined the front three and immediately, the assault looked extra harmful. Romelu Lukaku and Timo Werner are out extra the following couple of games, so right here’s to hoping Hudson-Odoi can proceed to prove that he should stay part of the attack, relatively than playing as a wingback.
