Liam Rosenior has expressed satisfaction with Chelsea’s performance after they eased to a dominant 7-0 win over Port Vale in the FA Cup on Saturday.
The Blues advanced to their second semifinal appearance in three years in the competition after thrashing the League One side who had entered the quarterfinals for the first time in 72 years.
It also ended Chelsea’s run of four consecutive defeats across all competitions, including an 8-2 thrashing at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain in both legs of their Champions League Round of 16 encounter.
Speaking after the much-needed win, Rosenior hailed the team’s return to top form and hopes the performance can give them something to build on heading into the final weeks of the season.
“I was very happy with the application and the intensity of the team. Obviously we have outstanding players but the way we chased, the way we tackled, how it gave us the basis to go on and win the game”, Rosenior stated.
The buildup to the encounter was dominated by the suspension of vice-captain Enzo Fernandez for two games, but Chelsea put their off-field distractions behind them to seal a remarkable win.
Jorrel Hato and Joao Pedro put the Blues 2-0 up, before an own goal from Jordan Lawrence-Gabriel made it three before the break.
Tosin Adarabioyo, Andrey Santos, Estevao Willian and a late penalty from Alejandro Garnacho sealed the win and moved Chelsea into the last four of the competition.
“I think it’s been a really important, the international break, in terms of myself and the staff and the club”, Rosenior added.
“Obviously, the players went away and when you go through a difficult moment, as we did in that ten-day period, you want to come out of it, analyse it, and come back stronger – and you know that you want to fix it.
“We can still have an outstanding season in terms of winning the FA Cup and qualifying for the Champions League”, he concluded.
Chelsea will find out their opponent in the last four on Sunday, with Premier League rivals Manchester City a likely opponent after their 4-0 win over Liverpool earlier in the day.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
