23 January 2024 , 22:13
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After a crazy, rollercoaster season, Chelsea are back at their second home.
Mauricio Pochettino led Chelsea to Wembley with a six-goal demolition of Middlesbrough who rolled over after some kamikaze defending. The Blues were serial winners and perennial cups finalists in the Roman Abramovich era and now, 18 months into the Todd Boehly era, they have got their eyes on winning the Carabao Cup for a sixth time.
It would also transform Chelsea’s season from uncertainty and inconsistency into a success if Pochettino can lift his first piece of major silverware in English football. Pochettino could not deliver a trophy in just over five years at Tottenham and yet could lift one at Chelsea inside his first eight months.
Maybe that is the Chelsea effect because they are used to winning and it is what the fans have come to expect. At the final whistle as “Chelsea, Chelsea” blared out over the final whistle, the home fans celebrated as two-goal hero Cole Palmer enjoyed the moment.
Palmer was terrific again as he has become their key man, their dynamic scoring machine with 11 goals in all competitions this season. But the truth was that Chelsea did not even need to be remotely near their best as Boro were that bad.
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You had to feel sorry for Boro boss Michael Carrick who looked embarrassed on the touchline. And yet still the 4,000 travelling fans gave their players a standing ovation at the final whistle when their lame surrender hardly deserved it.
Boro were shocking in defence while Chelsea were just given a free pass to next month’s final at Wembley when you suspect they will face a much tougher examination against either Liverpool or Fulham.
But it was in this competition way back in 2005 that Jose Mourinho won his first trophy as Chelsea manager. It was the Special One who beat Pochettino ten years later when Chelsea beat Spurs in the League Cup final. Now Pochettino has a wonderful opportunity to lift his first trophy and make an impressive statement of intent in his first season in charge at Stamford Bridge.
Ben Chilwell started his first game in four months on Tuesday night (Getty Images)What did you make of Chelsea's performance against Middlesbrough? Let us know in the comments below!
Chelsea certainly could not have wished for more obliging opponents. The rout started after 15 minutes when Boro pressed the self-destruct button. Ben Chilwell, making his first start in four months, darted across the pitch, Raheem Sterling put in a cross and Jonny Howson inexplicably put into his own net.
It soon got worse. Sterling played a part again, Axel Disasi put the ball into the middle and it was Enzo Fernandez who swept home from inside the box. Disasi was really in the mood now as the right back bombed forward, Sterling returned the ball and there was Disasi to fire home.
Boro defender Dan Barlaser lost his bearings and possession on the edge of his own box and Palmer made it 4-0 by half time. Barlaser sunk to his knees in despair. Mind you, it says something that Mykhaylo Mudryk was substituted at half time for Noni Madueke because, even though his team were 4-0 up, the Ukraine winger was still pretty underwhelming.
There was time for two more Chelsea goals. Chelsea substitute Conor Gallagher provided two assists, the first for Palmer to sweep home and then Madueke scored when Boro defender Ray van Den Berg deflected into his own net.
Marvin Rogers scored a consolation with a curling 88th minute shot but Chelsea were already on their way to Wembley. It was easy for Chelsea. But Pochettino will know the final will count for nothing unless they win it because those are the expectations at Chelsea.