In the end Chelseas progress into the FA Cup fifth round was secured at a stroll, the dismissal of Stoke City merely serving to remind that, even after a month of relative upheaval, this squad will still ease into the second half of the campaign in rude health. Very few teams can boast such strength in depth even after the sale of a World Cup winner for £37.1m.Juan Mata was the subject of one small banner held up by supporters in the west stand thanking him for two and a half years of service but, if truth be told, not overly missed. Without him, and with Michael Essien to join Milan and Kevin De Bruyne now at Wolfsburg, the hosts had rejoiced in the continued excellence of Oscar and Eden Hazard, in confirmation of Mohamed Salahs £12m arrival from Basel, and in the leggy purpose of Nemanja Matic in central midfield.This was the £20.75m Serbs first start in two spells at this club, his physical presence and ability to stride forward with purpose stamping authority on the occasion. He is already unrecognisable from the callow youth who had mustered three substitute appearances in 2009-10. This squad still lacks for bite up front – a performance this dominant would usually warrant an avalanche of goals – but there is power, pace and creativity that bodes well. José Mourinho, enjoying his 51st birthday, will be confident that, once the forward ranks are bolstered in the summer, this lineup will indeed be the phenomenal selection he had confidently predicted a few weeks ago.Stoke, saddled with the worst away record in the Premier League, were poor and horribly blunt themselves. Had Peter Crouch converted five minutes into the contest then maybe they would have grown in confidence but, instead, they huffed and puffed and took heart only in avoiding the concession of a cricket score. Top-flight survival can be their focus from now on in, with much of this forgettable.Regardless, Oscar and Hazard had been outstanding, allying industry with invention and tormenting the visitors back-line. At times it felt as if Ryan Shawcross alone were being asked to quell their threat, the centre-half leaping into challenges to suffocate half-chances with his teams rearguard constantly stretched and exposed.Oscar eventually prised City apart, Erik Pieters penalised for a foul on Samuel Etoo and the Brazilians free-kick curled viciously from distance towards the post Asmir Begovic was guarding but still well beyond his despairing dive. It was the inside of the side-netting that bulged.Oscar crunched another shot on to the woodwork, and the supply line from Hazard was excellent as the Belgian revelled on either flank. Quite how neither Etoo nor the substitute Ramires failed to convert from inside the six-yard box after one fizzed centre defied belief. Frank Lampard, too, might twice have converted from cutbacks, delivered by Hazard and then eye-catchingly from Branislav Ivanovic, while even the underused André Schürrle enjoyed his run-out. The German clipped the bar after the interval having exploited Pieters indecision, and David Luiz drew a fine save from Begovic late on.Such profligacy has been the story of Chelseas campaign to date and the inability to transform occasions such as this into thrashings remains their achilles heel. But, for now, their pursuit of silverware is maintained on three fronts. This was a breeze.Man of the match Eden Hazard (Chelsea).FA CupChelseaStoke CityDominic Fifieldtheguardian © 2014 Guardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds
Posted on: Sun, 26 Jan 2014 17:47:21 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015