WEMBLEY STADIUM – To give you some idea of how much time had lapsed between Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s last Chelsea goal and this, it came on a night in which Gonzalo Higuain was brought on as a substitute by Maurizio Sarri.
His has been a grinding, uncompromising existence, a pathway including serious injury, serious lack of minutes and serious competition for places. Loftus-Cheek had become a little forgotten, a bit too easy to miss in the crowd. He started England’s last World Cup match, a fact that makes you double take.
So if anyone deserves a piece of good fortune, it is him. Kai Havertz’s cross deflected off Marc Guehi and into Loftus-Cheek’s path without him having to break stride and bounced up nicely too. His volley might well have beaten Jack Butland anyway, but the deflection off Joachim Andersen made certain. Loftus-Cheek sprinted for 10 or 15 paces before leaping into the air. Nobody can take this one away from him.
Ten minutes later, all Crystal Palace hope is extinguished by a clinical move and some half-speed defending. Timo Werner controls the ball perfectly on his chest and plays a pass into Mason Mount’s feet. His finish is simple, passed into a part of the goal rather than shot. Three Palace players look at each other, like a group of pawns who have just let a knight fell their queen.
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After the fever of Saturday, Sunday slumber. The magic of Manchester City’s fixtures against Liverpool is that they can click between different patterns of pressing and control as each team or manager seizes the narrative. At Wembley on Sunday, the pattern was established in the first five minutes and barely shifted: Chelsea possession without penetration, Crystal Palace counter without clinicality.
Perhaps that reflects the importance of this fixture to both teams. It is not that Saturday’s sides do not care about the FA Cup, but that their seasons will be defined by success in other competitions.
For Chelsea, with the Champions League and Premier League gone and the League Cup final lost, the FA Cup is needed to maintain momentum. For Palace, who have never won a major trophy, it mattered even more. Tension can make a contest but break an aesthetic spectacle.
We waited 24 minutes for our first shot, Kai Havertz’s looping header that fell into Jack Butland’s hands. Havertz’s booking for simulation was arguably the most interesting episode of the first half, a supreme decision from referee Anthony Taylor.
Chelsea were guilty of playing the ball far too slowly through midfield, while their threat down the right flank was hampered by Cesar Azpilicueta operating at right wing-back with Reece James in central defence. Thomas Tuchel presumably switched the two to benefit from James’ recovery pace.
Patrick Vieira has attempted to oversee a possession revolution at Selhurst Park this season, but more recently has compromised on the side of pragmatism. Having seen Brentford dismantle Chelsea at Stamford Bridge by soaking up pressure and embarking upon lightning counters, Vieira copied that formation and roughly attempted the same trick. Palace had 35 per cent of the ball in the first half.
That plan relies upon two aspects to be successful. Firstly you must repel any pressure applied by your opponents (which Palace did with consummate ease). Then you must knit together quick moves of one-and-two-touch passing exchanges.
That’s where Palace fell down. James coped brilliantly with Wilfried Zaha when he drifted left, while Jean-Philippe Mateta does a fine trade in looking excellent one minute and shambolic the next. He was replaced by Jordan Ayew after 54 minutes without much obvious improvement.
Eventually, that became the difference maker. Palace created roughly the same number of chances as Chelsea and chances of roughly the same quality too. But, while Chelsea clicked into gear for 15 minutes, Palace became more ragged rather than less. They snatched at their opportunities and had their spirit broken by the second goal.
Five minutes from time, Eberechi Eze played a pass backwards and provoked groans from the Palace end. The reality: he had no other options. Selhurst spirit had long been broken.
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Why Conor Gallagher is unable to play for Crystal Palace against Chelsea in FA Cup semi-final14 April, 2022That is the difference between elite teams and those who dream of being better; between FA Cup specialists and hopefuls. Palace supporters waved flags and sang at the top of their lungs until and after the final whistle; they believe in continued improvement under Vieira.
But they face the reality of life for every non-financially elite club: to beat the best you have to be perfect and rely upon the imperfections of others. Occasionally that will happen – those are your days of wonder. More often than not, it won’t. Chelsea reach their fifth FA Cup final in six years; Palace will hope for next year.
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