07 February 2024 , 22:20
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Mauricio Pochettino admitted last week’s efforts weren’t good enough.
And those sentiments were echoed by skipper Ben Chilwell. Well, at Villa Park they were - and then some. The howls of anguish at Stamford Bridge have barely died down after - shock, horror - after a decent Wolves side cranked up the pressure on the most-expensive project English football has ever witnessed.
But they were replaced by defiant cries of joy in the Second City as Pochettino’s side discovered not only its backbone away from home - but also a cutting edge. Did this come less than one week after the Blues were sliced apart at Anfield and humbled on their own patch by the boys from the Black Country?
It was difficult to believe both these events had taken place within the past seven days. On their travels, this collection of individuals has been about as solid as a wet paper bag.
Before Wednesday night, six out of the last seven outings away from south west London had ended in defeat. And Unai Emery’s side has been so useful at Villa Park they had set a club record for successive home victories this season.
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But this is the FA Cup and, before this, Villa had lost each of their last five games in front of their own. Make that six - and they can have no complaints, either. While Emery might have sent a jolt of electricity through the famous old Birmingham club in the past 15 months, it has now made them marked men.
And Chelsea, with a point to prove, attacked this as if it really meant something - like they weren’t going to be football’s easiest punchline any longer. They were full value for their lead at the interval. If truth be told, they should have netted more than the two they did.
Villa’s evening started sloppily. With little more than ten minutes gone, Boubacar Kamara tried to find Matty Cash with a pass only for Chilwell to intercept, flicking the ball to Enzo Fernandez. The Argentine found Nicolas Jackson and the forward made tracks before centering for Noni Madueke who set the ball up beautifully for Conor Gallagher to sidefoot into the roof of the net.
Chelsea celebrate after reaching the FA Cup fifth-round (AFP via Getty Images)It was some way to score your first goal of the season. If anything, the second was even better. It started on the left and was switched to the right where Villa found themselves outnumbered.
Madueke again made tracks and fed Gusto whose delicious cross couldn’t have been any more perfect for Jackson to divert it beyond Martinez for No.2. Cole Palmer tried his luck - only to see the world’s best keeper comfortably palm his drive away from goal.
But even Martinez had no answer to another strike of genuine class, nine minutes after the re-start. Youri Tielemans gave away a free-kick, 25 yards out. Enzo Fernandez took aim and curled home a beauty. A stunner. Try to catch it if you can. Martinez couldn't.
The £105m midfielder would have taken immense pleasure in sending a shot beyond his international team-mate. He celebrated by taking off his shirt and showing it to the ecstatic 4,500 travelling supporters. He deserved his moment. As did Chelsea. And Pochettino. Perhaps things aren’t so bad, after all…