toptop
Michy
Batshuayi scored twice as Chelsea thumped Grimsby 7-1 at Stamford Bridge to set
up a Carabao Cup fourth-round tie with Manchester United.
Ross Barkley opened the scoring after just four minutes and Michy Batshuayi
doubled the hosts' lead shortly afterwards. Matt Green then pulled one back for
Grimsby but Pedro restored Chelsea's two-goal advantage from the penalty spot
after 43 minutes.
Chelsea then netted four more times after the break thanks to strikes from Kurt
Zouma, Reece James, a second from Batshuayi and Callum Hudson-Odoi - who struck
after his return following five months out injured.
They will next host United in the last 16 of the competition, after Ole Gunnar
Solskjaer's side scraped through against Rochdale on penalties.
Team news
Callum Hudson-Odoi returned from injury to make his first Chelsea start since
April, while Reece James, Marc Guehi and Billy Gilmour all made their debuts for
the club. There were also starts for Christian Pulisic and Michy Batshuayi.
Grimsby boss Michael Jolley made four changes to his side from their 1-0 win
over Macclesfield at the weekend.
Within seven minutes Chelsea had a two-goal lead. The first came through
Barkley, who burst into the box before drilling a low shot inside the near post,
and the second from Batshuayi, who picked up a deflected James cross before
turning sharply and finding the bottom corner.
Grimsby would not roll over, though, and found their way back into the game on
19 minutes. A long ball was nodded on by James Hanson into the path of his
strike-partner Green, who thundered an unstoppable drive from the edge of the
box past WIlly Caballero.
It took Chelsea a little while to regain their early composure, but they
eventually made it 3-1 two minutes before the break when Zouma was hauled over
in the box during a corner and Pedro stepped up to send goalkeeper James McKeown
the wrong way from the penalty spot. Interestingly, it was not Barkley who took
it after his miss against Valencia last week.
After 56 minutes it was game over as Zouma made amends for his poor defending
for Grimsby's goal, latching onto a James cross to prod home from close range.
Player ratings
Chelsea: Caballero (6), James (8), Guehi (7), Zouma (7), Alonso
(6), Gilmour (6), Barkley (7), Pulisic (5), Pedro (6), Hudson-Odoi (7),
Batshuayi (8)
Subs: Maatsen (n/a), Anjorin (n/a)
Grimsby: McKeown (5), Hewitt (6), Hendrie (7), Pollock (7),
Davis (6), Gibson (6), Hessenthaler (6), Clifton (6), Whitehouse (6), Green (7),
Hanson (6)
Subs: Wright (n/a), Ogbu (n/a), Cook (n/a)
Man of the match: Reece James
James had created two of his own but he bent in a fine fifth for Chelsea from
the edge of the area to cap an excellent debut, while Batshuayi grabbed his
second of the night from close range four minutes later.
The biggest cheer of the night, however, came for Hudson-Odoi. He had been
foiled a few times previously by McKeown, but would finally get his goal after
89 minutes when he latched onto Batshuayi's pass and fired inside the near post.
What the manager's said...
Frank Lampard: "It was pleasing on lots of levels, I don't think it was the
complete performance because at 20 minutes it was 2-1, and we could have scored
more goals. I know that sounds a bit strong at 7-1 but we had more chances,
particularly in the second half."
"But we gave players who haven't had so many minutes, and some younger players
had some debuts, while I thought the lads who came on late on improved the team.
It was a nice comfortable win, and having not won here yet on those levels I'm
happy."
Michael Jolley: "We have to tip our caps to them. They're an absolutely top
outfit, and the quality from their players is absolutely unbelievable.
"Our boys gave it everything tonight, but it wasn't quite enough."
How did Hudson-Odoi do?
It was a quiet start to the game for Hudson-Odoi on his first return to the side
since April, with Luke Hendrie instructed to perform a man-marking job on him.
As the half grew on, however, and Hudson-Odoi's sharpness grew, he started to
get the better of his opponent and started providing some great service for his
team-mates. A smart backheel into the path of Marcos Alonso played a part in
Chelsea winning the corner that led to their penalty award.
As Grimsby began to tire Hudson-Odoi began to find more and more space, and was
only denied more than one goal by some fine goalkeeping from McKeown.
Eventually, however, he did find the back of the net, finishing smartly at the
near post before celebrating wildly following five months of injury frustration.
"He has signed [a new contract], which puts everything else to bed," said
Lampard. "In terms of his performance, I wasn't so sure first half because him
and [Pulisic] as wingers were supposed to hurt the line and run behind to end up
in the box in areas where you can take people on, but that message didn't get
across because it had to be reinforced pretty strongly at half-time. In the
second half, he managed to get into better positions.
"Callum's talent means he has to absolutely work hard to run behind people and
all those things. That is where he needs to learn if he wants to play week in,
week out in the team."
Man of the Match: Reece James
An excellent display on his first-team debut from the youngster. Two assists and
an impeccable goal from the edge of the area, showing off his range of technique
and his engine and ability as a right-back. Cesar Azpilicueta will be looking
over his shoulder.
"In his end product, [he produced] because of his assists and his goal," said
Lampard. "His game will get much better because he has been out for a long time
and only had minimal minutes in the under-23s. But Reece's performances last
year at Wigan, where he was in the Championship Team of the Year, I think he is
going to be a big player for this club.
"He has a great person to look up to in his position in Azpilicueta. He worked
hard and showed his real qualities on the ball. It is just the start for him
here."
What's next?
Both sides are back in action at 3pm on Saturday. Chelsea host Brighton in the
Premier League and Grimsby head to Exeter in League Two.
Click Here For Official Team Sheet
Teams
Chelsea: Caballero; James, Guehi, Zouma, Alonso (Maatsen 66);
Barkley, Gilmour; Hudson-Odoi, Pedro (c) (Anjorin 66), Pulisic, Batshuayi.
Unused Subs Cumming, Tomori, Jorginho, Mount, Abraham.
Scorers Barkley 4, Bathsuayi 7, 86, Pedro 43 pen, Zouma 56,
James 82, Hudson-Odoi 89
Grimsby Town: McKeown (c); Hendrie, Davis, Pollock Gibson (Cook
70); Hewitt, Clifton (Wright 56), Hessenthaler, Green (Ogbu 63); Whitehouse;
Hanson.
Unused subs Russell, Rose, Cardwell, Vernam.
Scorer Green 19
Booked Green 28
Attendance 39,674
Referee Keith Stroud