Chelsea vs Middlesbrough: Pochettino's Team ruins Carrick's Dream

The Blues were clinical in a scrappy game against the visitors from Teeside. Boro were on the receiving end of a 6-1 battering courtesy of sublime performances from the likes of Cole Palmer and Axel Disasi.

Chelsea entered the game with an eight-game unbeaten streak at home.

Both sides Chelsea and Middlesbrough did not draw in their last five matches prior to this game. Two changes for Chelsea were made on the team that were victorious against Fulham last time around.

Reece James, Wesley Fofana, Romeo Lavia, and Christopher Nkunku were notable absences for Chelsea.

Darragh Lenihan, Alex Bangura, Isaiah Jones, and Tommy Smith were absent from Middlesbrough.

The earlier Mauricio Pochettino press conference highlighted the importance of beating Middlesbrough in this Carabao cup tie as well as the absence of new signing Christopher Nkunku.

Mauricio Pochettino told Chelsea media; 

The game tomorrow is the most important of the season as it’s our gateway to the final.

The game went underway at Stamford Bridge after the minutes silence for former Chelsea forward Tommy Baldwin.

The game started with Middlesbrough, the visitors, leading 1-0 on aggregate, having secured a narrow victory in the previous match.

Both teams had a hesitant start in the first five minutes, leading to a full period of back-and-forth play. Chelsea’s defense effectively handled any initial threats from Middlesbrough.

Mykhaylo Mudryk received an early yellow card for minor aggressive play, following his first, albeit very poor, shot of the match.

15TH MIN GOAL! Jonathan Howson messed up in a reckless tackle on Broja, hitting off the defender and into the goal. The clumsy effort meant Middlesbrough went behind early on in the game.

The goal by Chelsea eliminated Middlesbrough’s aggregate lead, prompting them to quickly strive to restore the joy of their supporters.

Boro put up a strong performance for Chelsea, standing tall in the game. In the 20th minute, Mauricio Pochettino’s team appeared to have difficulty penetrating the defense of the Championship side.

29TH MINUTE GOAL! Enzo Fernandez capitalized off the Middlesbrough panic inside the box after Mudryk's dribble. Broja's possession of the ball was not wasted as he moved it onto Fernandez as he powers it into the Middlesbrough net.

5 — All five of Enzo Fernández's goals for Chelsea have come this season, and at Stamford Bridge. Indeed, he is the joint-top scorer for them at home in all competitions this season, level with Raheem Sterling. Comforts. pic.twitter.com/z1e9qCz1Ec

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 23, 2024

Following Chelsea’s latest goal, which gave them a 2-1 lead on aggregate, Middlesbrough found their tactical dominance on the verge of crumbling. Stamford Bridge buzzed with energy after Chelsea’s score.

Fernandez could have scored his second goal and Chelsea’s third in the 34th minute with another shot that went straight at Glover.

36TH MINUTE GOAL! Axel Disasi capped off a brilliant performance with a darting forward run all the way from center-back, to finish a beautifully crafted move. Raheem Sterling the catalyst of a beautiful play.

41ST MINUTE GOAL! Cole Palmer took advantage of a slip up by Barlaser, then took his time to slot it past a helpless Glover. Absolutely cold from the Chelsea center attacking midfielder. 

Following Cole’s goal, Chelsea appeared significantly more inspired, evidently driven by the press.

The Carabao Cup final was 45 minutes away as the half-time statistics were all Chelsea. 64% possession, 2.18 xG which was clearly displayed on the scoreline of 4-0. 91% pass success was also a monumental statistic in favor of the home side.

Noni Madueke suffered an injury scare following a rough encounter with Middlesbrough’s Clarke, even though he had just replaced Mudryk. After the half-time break, Carrick’s team appeared to be more aggressive.

Carrick’s team persistently displayed recklessness, not only in their tackles but also in their attacking strategies. They persisted in playing from the back against Chelsea, even when they were 4-0 down.

Pochettino gave 20-year-old Alfie Gilchrist an opportunity by substituting him in for Armando Broja, who had not performed well in this game.

Boro appeared to be increasingly unstable following their aggressive strategy, which ironically wore them out even more after half time. Despite not scoring until past the 75th minute, Chelsea maintained their offensive stance well into the second half.

77TH MINUTE GOAL! Cole Palmer was rewarded with another goal after Conor Gallagher's pressure gave Chelsea the ball back. Another cool slot-in from Palmer brought him into the limelight of Stamford Bridge.

81ST MINUTE GOAL! Literally minutes later, substitute Madueke overturned three Boro defenders to finesse the ball into the left hand side past Glover.

Stamford Bridge was bursting with excitement as at this moment, the Carabao Cup Final already beckoned, where Chelsea will face either Liverpool or Fulham.

A late goal for Boro was dubbed offside albeit an impressive header past Petrovic. 

87TH MINUTE GOAL! Boro's Rogers drives a desperate attack and overturns Disasi, managing to slot one past Petrovic with a beautifully driven shot.

Middlesbrough’s late goal caused chaos in the game as the Teeside team began to intensify their efforts, driven by the passionate cheers from away fans. This was despite them trailing 6-1, a single goal providing a glimmer of hope amidst a severe defeat.

Cole Palmer was named the man of the match following an absolutely cool performance. His two top-tier finishes were the highlights of a performance that deservedly propelled his team into the final. The central attacking midfielder gave the Boro defense a tough time and effortlessly sent them off the field.

A single player having 0.93 xG is highly commendable. The player’s quality and marksmanship are clearly demonstrated by a perfect 100% shot accuracy.

Cole Palmer has been involved in multiple goals in a single game for Chelsea on five occasions.

⚽️ vs. Burnley
⚽️ vs. Spurs
⚽️ vs. Sheffield United
⚽⚽️ vs. Luton
⚽⚽ vs. Middlesbrough

Ice cold. pic.twitter.com/nZ7wz0cNyo

— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) January 23, 2024

Enzo, the World Cup champion, has now scored all his five goals in front of his home audience. His goal in the recent game allowed him to equal Raheem Sterling’s record, making them Chelsea’s joint top scorers in all contests this season.

Playing in the center-mid position in a 4-2-3-1 formation, he has both defensive and attacking duties. However, he is primarily responsible for finishing a successful play either outside or inside the box.

Chelsea: Petrovic, Chilwell 7.6, Colwill 7.3, Silva 7.6, Disasi 8.2 , Caicedo 7.0, Fernandez 8.1, Mudryk 6.6, Palmer 9.1, Broja 6.1.

Subs: Madueke 7.4, Gallagher 8.3, Gilchrist 6.0, Chukwuemeka 6.7, Castledine 6.0

Middlesbrough: Glover 4.0, Engel 5.0, Van de Berg 5.1, Fry 4.5, Clarke 5.4, Hackney 7.2, Howson 5.3, Barlaser 4.0, Crooks 6.1, Rogers 7.5, Forss 6.7.

Subs: Dijksteel 6.4, O'Brien 6.2, Gilbert 6.0

Match highlights: Chelsea &— Middlesbrough

Chelsea’s next FA Cup match will be against the underdogs, Aston Villa, on their home ground, Stamford Bridge, on January 26th. Meanwhile, Middlesbrough’s upcoming match against Birmingham has been postponed, so their next game will be against Sunderland on February 4th.