Chelsea qualified for the last 16 of the EFL Cup for the ninth season in a row after inflicting a heavy 7-1 defeat over Grimsby this evening.
The Blues were in control throughout the ninety minutes, and the gulf of difference between the two sides was visible right from the start as Ross Barkley scored the opener in the fourth minute. Michy Batshuayi doubled Chelsea’s lead minutes later. Grimsby, however, pulled one back through Matt Green.
But, Pedro’s strike just before the first-half diminished all hopes for the visitors. And after the restart, the Premier League strolled through as Kurt Zouma, Reece James and Callum Hudson-Odoi all found the back of the net while Batshuayi bagged a brace.
Here is how Frank Lampard’s men performed against the League Two outfit.
Willy Caballero 6
Barely had anything to do apart from trying to save Green’s header, which, he had no chance of saving. Grimsby amassed only three shots on target, two of which were tame efforts on goal.
Reece James 9.5
A positive start from the Chelsea youngster, who was deeply involved in the game throughout the ninety minutes. James did well to win tackles and keep out the danger of Jake Hessenthaler. But, what really caught the eye was his offensive work-rate as he often moved forward and provided dangerous crosses.
The right-back’s cross to feed Zouma was a pure moment of finesse. However, James will face much tougher tests in the Premier League.
Kurt Zouma 8.5
Not exactly as diligent at the back as Chelsea fans would have hoped given the quality of the opposition. But, the Frenchman’s physical dominance was critical in keeping out the threat of James Hanson and Elliot Whitehouse. Also scored the fourth goal of the game.
Marc Guehi 7.5
Guehi lacked communication with his defensive teammate Zouma, at times, which played a key role in Green’s goal. But aside from that, the youngster showed impressive physical and aerial capabilities and stood up to the task.
Marcos Alonso 8
Not much as influential as James on the opposite flank. But, the Spaniard offered protection at the back and was extremely composed with his passing. A matured performance from Alonso, who will become Chelsea’s first-choice left-back for the short term due to Emerson’s injury.
Billy Gilmour 9
Impressed the onlookers with his sublime passing quality. Indeed, the youngster controlled the midfield with his excellent passing range.
He was, in fact, the hub of the Chelsea midfield as most of the club’s possession phases initiated from him. Gilmour was also quite comfortable with the ball at his feet and showed excellent composure to not panic despite Grimsby players trying to close him down.
Ross Barkley 8.5
While Gilmour controlled possession, it was Barkley who provided the passing option for his teammates in the final third. He hovered around the Grimsby half and tried to find teammates in spaces, thus operating as Chelsea’s creator-in-chief.
Christian Pulisic 6
A disappointing game for Pulisic, who returned to the Chelsea side after not featuring in a single minute in the past three matches. The American international simply wasn’t involved much in the game and even when he did, he lacked the inspiration and vigour to create anything meaningful.
Pedro 7.5
Pedro showed excellent work-rate to move up and down the final third. He wasn’t necessarily effective in doing so. But, the Spaniard’s smart combination play with Barkley helped Chelsea be less transparent in attack. Scored the third goal just before half-time that was important in killing the hopes of Grimsby.
Callum Hudson-Odoi 8
Returning from a long injury spell, Hudson-Odoi wasn’t involved much in the game, especially during the first half. But, an improved second-half display saw him taking on defenders and providing dangerous crosses into the box. His pace and tenacity proved effective for the Blues. The youngster capped off an excellent performance by scoring the final goal of the game.
Michy Batshuayi 9.5
Batshuayi was effective right from the start, tracking back and combining with the likes of Pedro and Barkley. He was, selfish at times, but that is normal in these kinds of games. The Belgian scored two goals, and this performance will surely impress Lampard.
SUBSTITUTES
Ian Maatsen 7.5
Replaced Alonso in the 67th minute and showed a lot of promise. The young Dutchman made some great runs down the flank and should be entertained a bit more in the first-team.
Faustino Anjorin 7
Came on Pedro after the hour mark when Chelsea had already bagged the game. Anjorin tried to create scoring opportunities for his teammates but perhaps needed more minutes to get fully involved in the game.
