Match Report: Chelsea 6 – Wolves 0 (And 4th Round Draw)
We cruised into the League Cup Fourth Round with a comfortable 6-0 victory over a lacklustre Wolves at Stamford Bridge.
Roberto Di Matteo named a stronger than previously assumed line-up for the game, with Torres, Mata and skipper John Terry all in the starting eleven. Ross Turnbull started in goal in place of Petr Cech, Terry coming in for David Luiz, Cesar Azpilicueta for Branislav Ivanovic, while Lucas Piazon and Victor Moses were also handed starts.
We didn’t have to wait long to go ahead with Cahill nodding in at the back post in the 3rd minute after an excellent free-kick in from the right by Mata, beating Richard Stearman in the air in the process.
With the confidence flowing we then grabbed a second inside eight minutes after Lucas Piazon managed to find some space on the left, before cutting across goal for Bertrand to run onto and hit first time with his in-step to curl high past De Vries at his near post.
Wolves were struggling all over the pitch as we extended our lead even further in the 16th minute through Mata. He picked the ball up on the right wing before exchanging passes with Romeu and as he neared the edge of the box a delightful one-two with Torres saw him played in on goal one-on-one and he coolly slotted past the onrushing goalkeeper to make it three.
Wolves had their best chance of the half in the 25th minute when Peszko turned between Terry and Bertrand beating them for pace and rounding Turnbull but he failed to get his foot round the ball and hit the side netting with the goal gaping.
We didn’t want to rest on our laurels, though and chased a fourth going close through two low crosses into the box by Torres and Ramires, while a Mata free-kick from the edge of the box just failed to find the net and we went in at the break three goals to the good.
Wolves made one change at the break with David Forde coming on for Hunt. They started the half better but soon conceded another with Romeu slotting home from the spot in the 52nd minute after Moses won a penalty going down under a challenge from De Vries.
The result now assured, it was just a matter of how many we would rack up against a downbeat Wolves side and Torres managed to get on the score sheet in the 57th minute after rising highest at the front post to power home a thumping header from another dangerous Mata corner.
It was six on the 71st minute with the two substitutes Marko Marin and Oscar combining well down the left before Oscar played the ball into the box with Moses nodding home into the bottom left-hand corner.
It was more than job done after a fantastic team display during a one-sided and hugely entertaining contest.
Next fixture is a return to Premier League away to Arsenal on Saturday.
Gill Reeves – CSG disabled rep
Capital One Cup fourth round draw:
Sunderland v Middlesbrough
Swindon v Aston Villa
Wigan v Bradford
Leeds v Southampton
Norwich v Tottenham
Liverpool v Swansea
Chelsea v Manchester United
Reading v Arsenal