Chelsea book Carabao Cup final with 3-0 aggregate win over Spurs
By the time Harry Kane’s goal was wiped-out on video evidence, just past the hour, Tottenham knew this tie was not for turning, the Daily Mail reported.
Referee Andre Marriner had tried his best to make it a contest. Twice he awarded penalties to Spurs, twice reversing his decision because both were clearly wrong, and then Kane found the net only to discover he was half a yard offside.
VAR did its job on this occasion, and Antonio Conte fumed in comic fashion on the touchline, his only consolation more evidence to support the frank views he expressed during a recent recruitment meeting with chairman Daniel Levy.
Tottenham have a long, long way to go before they can once again claim to be the equals of Chelsea, who stride into a third major final under Thomas Tuchel, with an aggregate 3-0 win thanks to a first-half header by Antonio Rudiger.
His goal involved an element of fortune but Tuchel’s team deserved victory over two legs, and their enviable squad strength was on display as quality substitutes including Thiago Silva and N’Golo Kante were sent on to see it out.
As they pursue more honours, another piece of silverware eludes Spurs, without a trophy since 2008. Out of Europe, albeit on a technicality, off the pace in the Premier League and out of the Carabao Cup.
The FA Cup is all that stands between them and a winless stretch of 15 years, and the Chelsea fans delighted in their misery. ‘Tottenham Hotspur, it’s happened again,’ they sang with delight, as the home fans left early.
Spurs reached the final of this competition last season only to sack Jose Mourinho, the manager identified and employed at great expense to end the long wait, just days before they walked out at Wembley.
Now they have another ex-Chelsea man at the helm, hoping he could be the alchemist Mourinho wasn’t but Conte, reared on relentless success at Juventus, knows this will be the ultimate test of his coaching abilities.
The manager is not the key to the trophies to Stamford Bridge, although they have had some very good ones. The key is the investment of Roman Abramovich and the squad of world-class players assembled.
Conte has a very different job on his hands at Tottenham and it may prove the ultimate test of his talents but, on Wednesday night, his attempts to tinker a way back into the tie with a change of goalkeeper did not go to plan.
Pierluigi Gollini, preferred to captain Hugo Lloris, came crashing from his line in an attempt to punch a corner clear in the 18th minute. Gollini missed the ball and it struck Rudiger’s head as he faced away from goal, and bounced into the net.
Timo Werner lobbed an early chance over the bar when Davinson Sanchez headed the ball to him, just outside the Spurs penalty area.
Romelu Lukaku burst onto a long pass out of defence, held Ben Davies at bay and forced a save from Gollini.
Tuchel, with champions Manchester City away on Saturday, started with a back-four rather than his usual back-three with wing-backs and this alternative shape enabled him to play Werner and Lukaku as twin strikers.
In theory, the system ought to suit them both, with Lukaku free to operate in the channel where he can run into space and threaten goal on his left foot but once they were three-up in the tie, Chelsea lost a little of their attacking focus.
Tottenham responded and created opportunities either side of the interval, the closest a glancing header from Sanchez almost turned in by Kane at the back-post. Kepa Arrizabalaga also made saves from Emerson Royal.
Spurs thought they had a route back into the contest, late in the first half, when referee Marriner awarded a penalty for a foul by Rudiger, sliding into a challenge on Hojbjerg as he forged forward.
But the replays showed the initial contact was made outside the penalty area. The officials changed the decision to a free-kick, taken by Giovani Lo Celso and headed away by Rudiger, as he leapt up in the defensive wall.
Chelsea had Spurs where they wanted them and risked little in the second half, prepared to dig in and defend, although they would require another intervention from VAR when Kane broke clear and slipped a pass to Lucas Moura who was tackled by Arrizabalaga, rushing out.
Again, Marriner pointed to the spot. Again, he was forced to reverse the decision. The Chelsea keeper had won the ball well. Then came Kane’s disallowed goal.
Arrizabalaga and his centre-halves were caught trying to play their way out of defence. Kane found the net but the imaginary TV drawn in the air by Marriner’s hands signalled the end for them. Their fans groaned and headed for the exit. The wait goes on.
