Chelsea hammer four past neighbours Brentford to reach FA Cup fifth round
Chelsea 4 Brentford 0: Antonio Conte's
much-changed side hit their west
London neighbours for four at Stamford
Bridge
...................................
Wholesale changes but no problem for
Chelsea as they made it a perfect 10 straight
wins at Stamford Bridge. In fact, this FA Cup
tie turned into more of a farewell game for
some old club favourites.
Branislav Ivanovic, on what may well be his
final appearance before his expected
departure ahead of Tuesday's deadline, put
the seal on a tenth successive home win for
Antonio Conte's side.
It might not have been the Premier League,
but Chelsea still cantered home against
Brentford thanks to goals from Willian, Pedro,
Ivanovic and Michy Batshuayi.
Antonio Conte rang the changes with
Tuesday's trip to Liverpool in mind, but
Chelsea still boasted a strong enough team
to see off their mid-table Championship
opponents with relative ease.
These two last met in 2013 with the Blues
needing a replay to see off the Bees at the
same stage of the competition. That year,
their first meeting ended in a 2-2 draw at
Griffin Park before Chelsea ran out
comfortable winners on home soil.
There was no sign of repeat this time
around. Chelsea had scored in each of their
last 40 FA Cup ties, stretching back to 2000,
and that run continued via Willian's 14th
minute free kick. Lasse Vibe was adjudged to
have upended Pedro and the Brazilian
stepped up to curl home past Brentford
goalkeeper Dan Bentley.
Brentford, who filled the Shed End with their
6,7000 supporters, remained in full voice but
they rightfully began to fear the worst.
History was also not on their side, with the
Bees having not beaten Chelsea since 1939.
It soon got worse for the visitors.
Batshuayi, making a rare start, was given too
much space to pick a pass out for Pedro,
who took one touch before firing underneath
an exposed Bentley. 2-0 and just 21 minutes
played.
It was all one-way traffic with Chelsea's pace
and movement proving too hot to handle.
Batshuayi could, and should, have extended
the home side's lead by the half hour mark
when he collected John Terry's knockdown
but saw his attempt scrambled away by
Bentley with it just inches from the goalline.
The Chelsea procession continued. Bentley
was soon called into action again and made
a fine fingertip save to foil Ruben Loftus-
Cheek. Cesc Fabregas had picked out the
youngster but Bentley, not for the first time,
came to Brentford's rescue by pushing the
low shot wide.
Asmir Begovic, likely making his last Chelsea
appearance ahead of a £12million move to
Bournemouth, had not been troubled in the
home goal. The only time he was even
slightly threatened was when Harley Dean
headed wide tamely in a rare Brentford foray
forward. Otherwise, the Serbian had been a
spectator.
Brentford briefly threatened to change that a
few minutes before the interval. However,
Vibe, playing in place of Scott Hogan who
was among the substitutes amid strong
interest from West Ham, found himself
crowded out of beating Terry to the ball.
It was a rare scare for the home side but
normal service was soon resumed. Willian
weaved his way through two challenges
before shooting just over in the 52nd minute.
Another strong run from Willian saw him feed
Loftus-Cheek through, only for the
midfielder's chip to bounce back off the
crossbar.
The game began to open up a little and Nico
Yennaris was denied by Begovic at one
stage, but Ivanovic, just five minutes after
his arrival off the bench, ended the contest.
In what will surely be his final act in a
Chelsea shirt after nine years with the club,
he drove a shot past Bentley on 69 minutes
after being sent through by Pedro.
"I'm pleased for Ivan to score a goal and it's
important to evaluate a lot of things," Conte
said in his post-match press
conference. "This season he is not playing a
lot with us. It's not easy to accept this
decision but he knows the situation. A player
must make best decision for him and his
family and I'm ready to accept every
decision. He deserves great respect for his
Chelsea career and has won a lot."
Ivanovic would be involved again when
Yoann Barbet tripped the defender for a clear
81st minute penalty that was dispatched by
Batshuayi with minimal fuss. Dean Smith, the
Brentford manager, felt as though the
scoreline was a bit harsh. In truth, this was
just another routine Chelsea win.
Chelsea (3-5-2): Begovic, Azipilicueta (Kenedy
70), Zouma, Terry; Pedro (Costa 76),
Chalobah, Fabregas, Ake; Loftus-Cheek,
Willian (Ivanovic 64), Batshuayi.
Subs not used: Eduardo, Hazard, Moses,
Matic.
Brentford (3-5-2): Bentley, Egan, Dean,
Bjellland; Colin, Yennaris, McEachran
(Kerschbaumer 78), Woods, Barbet; Sawyers
(Hogan 64), Vibe (Jota 65).
Subs: Bonham, Hoffman, Clarke, Field.
Referee: M Oliver (Northumberland)
Attendance: 41,042
much-changed side hit their west
London neighbours for four at Stamford
Bridge
...................................
Wholesale changes but no problem for
Chelsea as they made it a perfect 10 straight
wins at Stamford Bridge. In fact, this FA Cup
tie turned into more of a farewell game for
some old club favourites.
Branislav Ivanovic, on what may well be his
final appearance before his expected
departure ahead of Tuesday's deadline, put
the seal on a tenth successive home win for
Antonio Conte's side.
It might not have been the Premier League,
but Chelsea still cantered home against
Brentford thanks to goals from Willian, Pedro,
Ivanovic and Michy Batshuayi.
Antonio Conte rang the changes with
Tuesday's trip to Liverpool in mind, but
Chelsea still boasted a strong enough team
to see off their mid-table Championship
opponents with relative ease.
These two last met in 2013 with the Blues
needing a replay to see off the Bees at the
same stage of the competition. That year,
their first meeting ended in a 2-2 draw at
Griffin Park before Chelsea ran out
comfortable winners on home soil.
There was no sign of repeat this time
around. Chelsea had scored in each of their
last 40 FA Cup ties, stretching back to 2000,
and that run continued via Willian's 14th
minute free kick. Lasse Vibe was adjudged to
have upended Pedro and the Brazilian
stepped up to curl home past Brentford
goalkeeper Dan Bentley.
Brentford, who filled the Shed End with their
6,7000 supporters, remained in full voice but
they rightfully began to fear the worst.
History was also not on their side, with the
Bees having not beaten Chelsea since 1939.
It soon got worse for the visitors.
Batshuayi, making a rare start, was given too
much space to pick a pass out for Pedro,
who took one touch before firing underneath
an exposed Bentley. 2-0 and just 21 minutes
played.
It was all one-way traffic with Chelsea's pace
and movement proving too hot to handle.
Batshuayi could, and should, have extended
the home side's lead by the half hour mark
when he collected John Terry's knockdown
but saw his attempt scrambled away by
Bentley with it just inches from the goalline.
The Chelsea procession continued. Bentley
was soon called into action again and made
a fine fingertip save to foil Ruben Loftus-
Cheek. Cesc Fabregas had picked out the
youngster but Bentley, not for the first time,
came to Brentford's rescue by pushing the
low shot wide.
Asmir Begovic, likely making his last Chelsea
appearance ahead of a £12million move to
Bournemouth, had not been troubled in the
home goal. The only time he was even
slightly threatened was when Harley Dean
headed wide tamely in a rare Brentford foray
forward. Otherwise, the Serbian had been a
spectator.
Brentford briefly threatened to change that a
few minutes before the interval. However,
Vibe, playing in place of Scott Hogan who
was among the substitutes amid strong
interest from West Ham, found himself
crowded out of beating Terry to the ball.
It was a rare scare for the home side but
normal service was soon resumed. Willian
weaved his way through two challenges
before shooting just over in the 52nd minute.
Another strong run from Willian saw him feed
Loftus-Cheek through, only for the
midfielder's chip to bounce back off the
crossbar.
The game began to open up a little and Nico
Yennaris was denied by Begovic at one
stage, but Ivanovic, just five minutes after
his arrival off the bench, ended the contest.
In what will surely be his final act in a
Chelsea shirt after nine years with the club,
he drove a shot past Bentley on 69 minutes
after being sent through by Pedro.
"I'm pleased for Ivan to score a goal and it's
important to evaluate a lot of things," Conte
said in his post-match press
conference. "This season he is not playing a
lot with us. It's not easy to accept this
decision but he knows the situation. A player
must make best decision for him and his
family and I'm ready to accept every
decision. He deserves great respect for his
Chelsea career and has won a lot."
Ivanovic would be involved again when
Yoann Barbet tripped the defender for a clear
81st minute penalty that was dispatched by
Batshuayi with minimal fuss. Dean Smith, the
Brentford manager, felt as though the
scoreline was a bit harsh. In truth, this was
just another routine Chelsea win.
Chelsea (3-5-2): Begovic, Azipilicueta (Kenedy
70), Zouma, Terry; Pedro (Costa 76),
Chalobah, Fabregas, Ake; Loftus-Cheek,
Willian (Ivanovic 64), Batshuayi.
Subs not used: Eduardo, Hazard, Moses,
Matic.
Brentford (3-5-2): Bentley, Egan, Dean,
Bjellland; Colin, Yennaris, McEachran
(Kerschbaumer 78), Woods, Barbet; Sawyers
(Hogan 64), Vibe (Jota 65).
Subs: Bonham, Hoffman, Clarke, Field.
Referee: M Oliver (Northumberland)
Attendance: 41,042
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