Chelsea secured a Champions League win on Wednesday night as they were able to ease past Qarabag 4-0.
The first-half started evenly, as Chelsea struggled to grow accustomed to the hostile atmosphere in Baku, and Qarabag were able to get on the ball and create openings, as Kante and Luiz ghosted through the opening period of the game.
Indeed the first chance came to Qarabag, as Kante lost a 50/50 on the edge of the area before Luiz was slow to react to the run of Michel, who rattled his shot against the bar.
However, a somewhat fortuitous penalty decision, saw Qarabag reduced to 10 men before the man of the moment Eden Hazard dispatched the resulting spot kick with ease. Just 15 minutes later Chelsea took command of the game, as Hazard’s deft backheel found the onrushing Willian in the six-yard box, who cooly placed his shot into the corner.
In the second-half Chelsea went through the motions, bringing off Hazard, Kante and Alonso in preparation for a top-four battle against Liverpool at Anfield this weekend. They did still manage to double their lead though, through a Fabregas penalty – coming after Willian had once again been pulled back, and the Brazilian added another goal to his tally with a sublime shot from the edge of the area.
Thibaut Courtois - 6
Saw a shot smash the crossbar, but following the sending off his role became even more depleted.
Cesar Azpilicueta - 8
Captained the side well enough, but all in all it was another comfortable night at the back for Azpiilcueta. Gave over the armband to Cahill when he came on in the second-half
David Luiz - 6
His positioning was poor at times, and early on he let Qarabag have too much space in behind him. But as Chelsea began to cruise, he was comfortable on the ball and pushed further forward to influence the game.
Antonio Rudiger - 7
His pace bailed Chelsea out whenever Qarabag pumped a ball behind the Blues’ backline and in to the channels. Played a lovely deft ball in to the feet of Morata, who despite being in acres of space failed to find the target.
Davide Zappacosta - 6
His touch let him down on occasions, and he was relatively quiet going forward instead providing more of an option for Fabregas to bounce passes off. The few deliveries he did put in didn’t find there intended target.
Cesc Fabregas - 8
Played almost like a quarterback with all the space he was afforded – he was persistent in his attempts to clip the ball in behind Qarabag’s defence. He also showed a calm head to score his penalty despite being asked to retake it after Zappacosta’s infringement.
N'Golo Kante - 6
Grew into the game, but he started off with a lacklustre approach to pressing Qarabag’s midfield, allowing them space to create. Replaced by Drinkwater in order to keep him fresh for the game against Liverpool.
Marcos Alonso - 6
Came off early in the second-half in order to preserve his fitness for Saturday night’s game against Liverpool, in which Chelsea will have little time to recover following their exhausting 6 hour flight back to London.
Willian - 9
He was involved in every goal Chelsea scored. he was awarded a penalty after an apparent tug on his shirt. Willian then finished off a superb move, doubling Chelsea’s lead after some wonderful one-touch interplay between himself, Pedro and Hazard. his stop start run then saw him awarded a second penalty of the night – after he had once again been pulled back in the area, which Fabregas dispatched. He topped off a brilliant performance with a second goal late on, smashing the ball into the bottom corner from the edge of the area.
Eden Hazard - 8
He is very much a man in form. Scoring from the spot and then going on to create the second with a lovely back heel. He could have added to his tally in the second-half, but his shot stung the palms of Qarabag keeper Sahic. The Belgium star was replaced midway through the second-half by Alvaro Morata.
Pedro - 7
Was unlucky not to score in the first-half, evading numerous fouls to poke his shot at the onrushing keeper. He then saw Sahic save his shot when put through over the top by Fabregas.
Subs
Gary Cahill – 6, really had nothing to do when he came on as Chelsea camped in the opposition’s half.
Alvaro Morata – 6, could’ve and should’ve scored – seeing one goal ruled out for offside , another dragged wide and another saved by the body of Sahic.
Danny Drinkwater – 5, just recycled possession laying the ball off for any one of the multiple options that the Blues offered up in the second-half.