Chelsea are through to the Semi-Final of the FA cup. They have done what seemed to be the impossible. They have beaten Championship side Middlesbrough.
I know it sounds rather dramatic, believing that beating The Boro would have been an impossible task, but their recent form against Premier League sides has been a cause for concern. Going into the match, the Blues were high on confidence. Six wins in their last six games would do that,
I suppose. However, Manchester United and Tottenham were handed a knock in their confidence by the hands of Chris Wilders men.
It’s no wonder the Red Devils are crying out for Chelsea’s greatest asset.
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In the midst of uncertainty and negativity, Thomas Tuchel has done it again and led his team to yet another victory. Whilst Chris Wilders' side has been excellent in defence, the Champions of Europe were unable to be contained.
Mason Mount, Hakim Ziyech and Romelu Lukaku's eye for goal gave Chelsea the 2-0 win they deserved. I thought The Boro's would have been much harder to break down. Their back three of Anfernee Dijksteel, Dael Fry and Paddy McNair proved unbreakable under pressure. Keeping out incredible forwards such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Harry Kane came as a shock as to how quickly they unravelled.
Maybe it's the confidence, or maybe the comments that Stephen Gibson OBE had thrown towards the club. His statement in retaliation to the club trying to get the game played behind closed doors said "The words' sporting integrity' and Chelsea don't belong in the same sentence," This felt like very bold words from the Middlesbrough Chairman.
Holding the 2-0 lead was imperative for Chelsea if they were to make it out of the fixture victorious. Both Lukaku and Ziyech's goals had arrived in the first half, making the second half a defensive battle. It was Chelsea's very own Rolls Royce, Thiago Silva, who gave a man of the match performance in the pursuit of victory.
We've seen Middlesbrough go down against Manchester United and find a way back. They've been able to take both United and Tottenham into extra time where they'd eventually go on to win the match. They shouldn't be underestimated, as we learned from their previous games.
Another competition, another semi-final. Chelsea head back to Wembley less than two months after their last time there.
We haven't had the best luck in London's most prestigious venue, but the trajectory is changing. The boys are in a fight of their own as they keep their heads held high for the fans that watch from home, Hoping for a quick resolution to the unresolved issues within the club and, more importantly, peace in Ukraine.
