Our 3️⃣ points as Chelsea beat Man City to book FA Cup final date | OneFootball

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Dan Burke·17 April 2021

Our 3️⃣ points as Chelsea beat Man City to book FA Cup final date

Article image:Our 3️⃣ points as Chelsea beat Man City to book FA Cup final date

Manchester City’s quadruple dream was extinguished by a goal from Chelsea’s Hakim Ziyech in Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final.

Here’s what we made of the action from Wembley …


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Pep’s selection gamble backfired

Article image:Our 3️⃣ points as Chelsea beat Man City to book FA Cup final date

Last weekend, Pep Guardiola made numerous changes to his side for the Premier League clash with Leeds and they were beaten.

This weekend he made numerous changes again, and again they were beaten.

The difference is, it made sense to rest players against Leeds given City had a huge Champions League meeting with Borussia Dortmund coming next.

But though City do play Aston Villa in the Premier League on Wednesday, Guardiola’s decision play a second string for an FA Cup semi-final is harder to understand.

And as his side were chasing the game at Wembley, why on earth did he leave Rodri and Fernandinho on the pitch, with Riyad Mahrez and Bernardo Silva both watching from the bench?

City won’t win an unprecedented quadruple but they’ve had a brilliant season all the same, and they could still win three trophies.

It’s difficult not to feel like today’s game was a big missed opportunity for them though, especially as Kevin De Bruyne went off injured in the second half.

In fact, it could hardly have gone much worse for the Premier League champions-elect today.


Tuchel tactical genius

Article image:Our 3️⃣ points as Chelsea beat Man City to book FA Cup final date

Make that four FA Cup finals in five seasons for Chelsea, and a first to look forward to since Thomas Tuchel took charge.

It was a well deserved victory for the Blues who carved City open for the goal, and defended brilliantly throughout.

It’s difficult to restrict even an off colour City side to barely any clean cut chances, but that’s exactly what Chelsea did here.

N’Golo Kanté and Jorginho bossed the midfield in the absence of Mateo Kovačić, Ben Chilwell and Reece James owned the flanks, and the three central defenders worked together wonderfully to snuff out any danger that came their way.

Whoever they face in the final, Chelsea have to be considered favourites to win the FA Cup now, and Real Madrid should be worried about facing them in the Champions League too.

Tuchel has done a superb job so far, and the uproar over Frank Lampard’s sacking looks so, so silly right now.


Werner makes his mark

Article image:Our 3️⃣ points as Chelsea beat Man City to book FA Cup final date

It was a game of two halves for Chelsea’s Timo Werner.

In the first half the German didn’t play well at all. He was caught offside for what could have been an early goal for Chelsea, his passes were misplaced, and he looked devoid of confidence.

But in the second half, it was his burst into the left channel and his cool pass to Ziyech which created the goal, and it will have done him the power of good.

Well done also to Ziyech, who has been overshadowed by Kai Havertz and Christian Pulisic lately but had City’s defence on strings throughout here.

And credit also to Kepa Arrizabalaga, who didn’t have much to do but kept a clean sheet. It was much less eventful than the last time the Spaniard faced City at Wembley, and he should be delighted about that.