Eden Hazard Winner Sees Chelsea Past Bournemouth in Carabao Cup Quarter-Final

Chelsea booked their place in the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday, as Eden Hazard came off the bench to fire them to a 1-0 win over Bournemouth.

The first period was a frustrating one for the home side, as their overwhelming dominance of the ball and superior openings weren't matched by a ruthlessness in front of goal.

In the second half the match followed a similar pattern, with Bournemouth struggling to get a foothold in the game. The Blues were finally able to get their opener six minutes from time, as Hazard's deflected shot finally saw Asmir Begovic beaten.

Tottenham Hotspur also made it through on Wednesday after winning the north London derby meeting with Arsenal. On Tuesday, defending champions Manchester City and third-tier Burton Albion progressed.

Striker Must Be High Priority For Sarri in January

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For long spells of the season the dilemma for Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri in the centre-forward berth has been whether to call upon Alvaro Morata or Olivier Giroud. It's becoming clear a new face is needed in this area.

Neither Giroud nor Morata have been consistent in their work up top this term, prompting Sarri to use Eden Hazard in the position in recent outings. For long spells in this quarter-final, Giroud struggled to make his mark on the game despite constant pressure from the hosts.

At the interval, Chelsea journalist Dan Levene commented on the lack of cutting edge:

Bournemouth's Callum Wilson was on the opposition side on Wednesday and he has been linked with the Blues, per Adrian Kajumba of the Daily Mirror. The Chelsea fans had some fun with him following those stories:

Signing players in January is so often a big challenge and it may be difficult for the Blues to bring in a high-class centre-forward capable of nailing down a starting spot in the upcoming window.

But if Chelsea are going to challenge for any major prizes this season you feel as though it's imperative, regardless of how well Hazard may adapt to the false nine berth in the coming weeks.

Loftus-Cheek Deserves More Starts in 2019

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There were questions about quite where Ruben Loftus-Cheek fitted into this Chelsea setup at the start of the campaign and even some speculation about a possible loan move away from Stamford Bridge. However, as the weeks go by he is growing in stature in all blue.

On Wednesday he was the standout man for the Blues. Deployed on the right flank initially he used his physicality to boss opponents, as well as drift infield to link play and make incisive passes in the final third.

Liam Twomey of ESPN FC commented on his display and how important he's becoming in Sarri's setup: 

With just one Premier League start this season to his name, the manager may not trust Loftus-Cheek enough to start top-flight games on a regular basis yet. On this evidence and that from other displays in cup competitions this season, the England international can't be far off.

What's next?

Chelsea host Leicester City on Saturday in the Premier League in their final fixture before Christmas. Bournemouth will be looking to end their poor recent form in the top flight when they welcome Brighton & Hove Albion to the Vitality Stadium.