Chelsea claimed the first piece of silverware this season with a 2-0 victory over Tottenham in the Capital One Cup final at Wembley.
Spurs started the match better as Chelsea struggled to adapt to the 4-3-3 system deployed by manager Jose Mourinho. With Nemanja Matic suspended and John Obi Mikel injured, Kurt Zouma was the surprise selection in midfield. The Blues’ unfamiliarity with the system allowed Tottenham to establish their rhythm, with Christian Eriksen running the game. However, Chelsea hit them with a sucker punch on the stroke of halftime when John Terry slotted home from a corner.
The goal settled Chelsea, and they asserted their authority in the second half as they doubled their lead via a deflected strike from Diego Costa. Tottenham huffed and puffed but were unable to trouble the Chelsea goal as the Premier League leader saw the match out with few alarms before Terry lifted the trophy aloft in front of 45,000 joyous Chelsea fans.
Player ratings (1-10, 10=best; players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)
GK Petr Cech, 7 – Despite Tottenham’s first-half pressure, he was not called into action often. Dealt with everything comfortably and justified his selection ahead of Thibaut Courtois.
DF Branislav Ivanovic, 8 – Another excellent display from the Serb as he marshalled the right side of defence with relative ease. Was always a danger at the opposite end of the pitch, particularly on set pieces as Tottenham’s players struggled to deal with his aerial threat.
DF Cesar Azpilicueta, 9 – The Spaniard was magnificent all game but was especially impressive after he suffered a painful head injury in the second half. The fullback played like a man possessed as he used every part of his anatomy to repel Spurs.
DF John Terry, 9 – A titan at both ends of the pitch, the captain, leader and legend of Chelsea FC was imperious. Scored the opening goal, which settled his teammates, and made some crucial blocks in his own penalty area.
DF Gary Cahill, 7 – Appeared to be targeted as the weak link in the Chelsea defence by Harry Kane and had a contest on his hands all game. Dealt better with the threat as the match wore on and ultimately won the battle.
MF Kurt Zouma, 7 – Stationed in front of the back four, the young Frenchman took time to understand the role. Like many of his teammates, he improved massively in the second half and effectively stifled the opposition.
MF Cesc Fabregas, 7 – The game seemed to pass him by during the first half as he was unsure whether to stick or twist with the inexperienced Zouma behind him as protection. Improved with time as his passing got going and forced Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris into a smart save with an acrobatic overhead kick.
MF Ramires, 8 – With Matic missing, it was essential that the Brazilian used every ounce of his boundless energy to help cover the ground in midfield, which he duly did. Made countless tackles and blocks, while his distribution was much better than usual.
FW Willian, 8 – Worked tirelessly up and down the right flank and used the ball intelligently when in possession. Was withdrawn after receiving a booking as Mourinho sought to lock up the game.
FW Eden Hazard, 8 – The twinkle-toed Belgian was Chelsea’s most dangerous threat throughout the 90 minutes. Always on the move, he created some good openings without too much reward.
FW Diego Costa, 8 – Seemed subdued early on but soon returned to his customary menacing self in getting under the skin of Kyle Walker. Netted the second goal of the game to end his brief goal drought and take the acclaim of the crowd.
Substitutes
MF Juan Cuadrado, N/R – Came on for Willian in the 76th minute and got stuck in immediately. Received a harsh yellow card for his troubles but made a decent contribution.
MF Oscar, N/R – A late replacement for Fabregas in the 88th minute. Was neat and tidy during his time on the pitch.
FW Didier Drogba, N/R Did not have enough time to score his usual Wembley goal after replacing Costa in stoppage time, but will not mind now that he has yet another winners’ medal around his neck.
Phil is one of ESPN’s Chelsea bloggers and author of Chelsea-centric blog ShoutyandSpitty.com. You can follow him on Twitter@PhilLythell.