Chelsea vs. Watford: Score, Grades and Reaction from FA Cup 3rd-Round Match
Chelsea booked their place in the fourth round of this season's FA Cup with a 3-0 thrashing of Watford that keeps Jose Mourinho's quadruple hopes well and truly intact.
It wasn't until the second period that the West Londoners found their groove, but there was no stopping the assault once that was the case, Chelsea's official Twitter account confirming the result:
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Chelsea were left frustrated in their first-half attempts to find a breakthrough against Championship opposition, with Watford managing to restrain a side made up of largely second-string options.
Even then, Mourinho's squad still looked a fearsome one, but the attacking trio of Didier Drogba, Andre Schurrle and Loic Remy struggled to establish a frequent rhythm of clear-cut chances.
The fixture began predictably as Chelsea maintained control of the action, but the Hornets' tactic of throwing bodies behind the ball was effective, at least in the earlier stages.
The Independent's Jack Pitt-Brooke praised Slavisa Jokanovic's side for their ability to threaten on the break during the opening exchanges:
The Blues looked wearier as the first period dragged on and Stamford Bridge bore witness to an unusually low serving of goalmouth action.
Tensions were certainly telling with the manager, too, as Neil Ashton of the Daily Mail divulged that Mourinho let physio Eva Carneiro know he wasn't pleased with what he interpreted as a slow reaction to Oscar's injury:
The Brazilian—one of the three players retained in Mourinho's startling XI from the 5-3 defeat to Tottenham on New Year's Day—played on, but Oscar was among those Chelsea weapons neutralised at every turn.
Scoring opportunities were difficult to come by for either side, but on the few occasions that Watford did threaten, centre-back starlet Kurt Zouma was on hand to dismiss and featured as one of Chelsea's better assets:
The two teams went in at the break scoreless and it was unsurprising to see Mourinho give his side an injection of their more regular first-team class, Diego Costa and Willian coming on after half-time.
The Hornets would have been pleased to keep the Premier League leaders at bay for the first 45 minutes, but Pitt-Brooke and Ashton each chose to aim their criticisms at the home outfit:
Jokanovic chose to keep faith in the XI he put out, but it wasn't long into the second half that the difference in stamina showed and the Blues' quality came to the fore.
Less than 15 minutes after entering the fray, Willian cut in from his wing and launched a sizzling effort past Jonathan Bond from just outside the area, per BBC Sport:
Mourinho evidently shared some words of encouragement with his squad at half-time—in whatever manner that may have been—and it showed as the hosts picked up their pace in possession.
From a 1-0 deficit, Watford may have weaved their way back into the fixture, but Remy and Zouma netted in the 70th and 72nd minutes, respectively, to put the tie beyond any doubt, per BBC Sport's Jacqui Oatley:
After such a damning defeat to Spurs in league competition, this was a more pleasing response for the Blues, and after establishing their three-goal lead, it was a rudimentary run-in for Chelsea.
With their strategy to counter-attack ineffective, Watford's fans would have been happy just to score a consolation effort:
Their ability to control the pace of the game during the first half again was evident, but with no need to chase a fourth, Mourinho was a lot calmer in seeing his side go about their business with such ease.
Selected Player Ratings
Kurt Zouma: A
Zouma has found it tough to break up the duopoly that John Terry and Gary Cahill hold over Mourinho's centre-back spots at Chelsea, but this was a flattering display of the youngster's first-team potential.
The former Saint-Etienne wonder has courted criticism in the past for a lack of intelligent play, but Sunday's performance demonstrated both brains and brawn; he not only deflected any Watford probes but also got a goal of his own.
Willian: A-
It wasn't until the second-half introduction of Willian that Chelsea began to show any great ingenuity in attack, the winger deservedly curling in a marvellous effort for the game's opener.
Willian gave an intelligent addition to the Blues' motions moving forward, albeit largely due to the fact his opponents looked to be tiring by the time he shifted into second gear.
Troy Deeney: B-
Of the gang of Watford players who struggled to get near Petr Cech's goal, Troy Deeney was among the more forward-thinking ones in Jokanovic's lineup.
The midfielder tested Chelsea's resolve from range on several occasions and got into useful scoring opportunities, numerous on which his team-mates failed to capitalise.
What's Ahead
From here, Chelsea return to Premier League action against Newcastle United on Saturday, the same opponent who handed them their first defeat of the 2014-15 campaign.
This FA Cup victory may give the Blues relief, but they remain on a two-match winless run in league competition. After watching Manchester City draw level on points, they are in need of a bounce-back next weekend.
Watford, meanwhile, will hope to fend off Championship strugglers Huddersfield Town on Saturday in an away fixture that should prove far more accommodating to their league hopes.
Post-Match Manager Reaction
Although the fixture was far from Chelsea's most convincing performance, Mourinho assured that his side was always in control of the tie against what he described as tough opposition, per the club's official Twitter account:
The Portuguese had to rotate his squad in order to combat a stacked Christmas schedule, but heralded substitutes Willian and Diego Costa as some of the better stars, along with his central defenders:
Mourinho also commented on Mark Schwarzer's recent departure to Leicester City, praising the goalkeeper's professional attitude and stressing that Cech will not be leaving this January:
