watford 5-0

The Times

Chelsea coast through into round four

Chelsea 5 Watford 0
Nick Szczepanik

Manchester United may have slipped up yesterday, but Chelsea made no mistake. The holders fielded a below-strength side but still opened their defence of the trophy with an effortless stroll into the fourth round.
The gap between the Barclays Premier League leaders and Watford, of the Coca-Cola Championship, was 32 league places but it might as well have been 92 for all the chance of an upset after Chelsea had taken an early lead, which was stretched to 3-0 after 21 minutes.
“It was important to start the new year well,” Carlo Ancelotti, the Chelsea manager, said. “It was an important game and if you don’t take this game in the right way it could be difficult. Manchester United losing was a surprise, but if you don’t stay focused every game can be difficult. We stayed in focus at the start of the match and afterwards it was easy to win this game, but if you don’t stay in focus it was [possible] to lose.”
It was only Chelsea’s third victory in nine matches, but hardly surprising in view of their recent FA Cup record. They have reached the fifth round of the competition in each of the past 11 seasons and have not been knocked out in the third round since 1998.
“My players know very well how important the FA Cup is for this club and this country and we want to get to the final,” Ancelotti said. “We won last season and we want to do the same. We want to do our best in every competition. To win is not easy. To do your best is easier and I’m sure we’ll do that.”
Even with four players absent at the African Cup of Nations and Nicolas Anelka out with a hamstring injury, Ancelotti still felt that he could afford to rest Petr Cech, Ricardo Carvalho and Michael Ballack, making seven changes to the side who beat Fulham 2-1.
In contrast to the empty seats at some grounds over the weekend, Stamford Bridge was almost full thanks to a sensible reduction in prices, and most of the 40,912 in the ground were cheering as Chelsea went ahead after five minutes. Alex nodded down Frank Lampard’s corner and John Terry’s half-volley, which was going wide, was turned in from close range by Daniel Sturridge. It was his first goal for the club on only his third start since his move from Manchester City last summer.
Florent Malouda, who had complained in a Sunday newspaper that his first-team chances were unfairly limited, fluffed a chance to improve his case for more playing time when Scott Loach parried a shot to his feet and he miscued his attempted shot in embarrassing fashion.
But the France winger was involved as Chelsea doubled their lead in the fourteenth minute. His cross from the left was met on the volley by Joe Cole and, although the England midfield player’s shot went wide of the far post, the ball hit Adrian Mariappa, the Watford defender, and ricocheted back across goal, going in off Lampard’s backside, Loach’s gloves and John Eustace.
Chelsea put the game even farther out of Watford’s reach seven minutes later, Malouda claiming the last touch as Yuri Zhirkov’s shot was deflected past Loach.
Watford struggled to get into the game. Tom Cleverley and Henri Lansbury, the promising young players on loan from Manchester United and Arsenal respectively, had few chances to make an impression before the interval. There was a brief glimmer of an opening for the visiting team early in the second half when Lansbury’s shot was deflected for a corner kick, from which Jay DeMerit, the Watford captain, put a free header into the arms of Hilário, but instead of reducing the arrears, Watford soon found themselves even farther behind.
Lampard made it 4-0 after 64 minutes with a shot from 25 yards that dipped late in its trajectory and Sturridge netted his second four minutes later, deftly controlling Ashley Cole’s deflected cross and rolling the ball calmly past Loach.
There was nearly an emotional consolation goal in injury time when Jon Harley, the former Chelsea defender, clipped a shot past Hilário only for the ball to hit the post. “To lose a goal from a corner after only five minutes gives you an uphill battle,” Malky Mackay, the Watford manager, said. “We were playing against top-level European players but there were certain situations where we could have done better. And the deflections were hard to take as well.”

Chelsea (4-1-3-2): Hilário — B Ivanovic, Alex, J Terry, A Cole (sub: G Kakuta, 74min) — J Belletti (sub: N Matic, 64) — J Cole, F Lampard, Y Zhirkov — D Sturridge (sub: F Borini 70), F Malouda. Substitutes not used: R Turnbull, R Carvalho, M Ballack, P Ferreira. Booked: Belletti, J Cole, Matic.

Watford (4-2-3-1): S Loach — L Hodson, A Mariappa, J DeMerit, L Doyley — S Severin (sub: R Jenkins, 46), J Eustace — D Cowie (sub: J Harley, 80), H Lansbury, T Cleverley — D Graham (sub: L Henderson, 80). Substitutes not used: R Lee, D Bennett, W Hoskins, R Kiernan.

Booked: Lansbury, Eustace, Cleverley.
Referee: K Friend. Attendance: 40,912.

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Telegraph:

Chelsea 5 Watford 0

Jeremy Wilson at Stamford Bridge

With Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka and Salomon Kalou all absent from the starting line-up, even the most optimistic Chelsea supporter would have felt a surge of trepidation. The remedy to any pre-match nerves, though, was staring out from the front cover of the programme.
Daniel Sturridge might be one of the least recognisable faces in the Chelsea squad but, when he was substituted against Watford yesterday after 70 minutes and two goals, the whole of Stamford Bridge stood and applauded as one.
Chelsea's Frank Lampard waits on FA's verdict on red card against LiverpoolIt had been a performance to suggest that Chelsea do have the strength in depth to cope without their talisman Drogba. Manager Carlo Ancelotti is hardly prone to outpourings of emotion but there was a warm hug for Sturridge and, in the post-match press conference, a real glow of satisfaction.
Sturridge’s emergence is well-timed, although this was also a display that may just inflate a transfer fee that will be decided by tribunal this month after last summer’s move from Manchester City.
With Anelka due to return for Saturday’s trip to Hull, Ancelotti now has the comfort of several options.
“Anelka and Sturridge can play together,” he said. “Sturridge played very well. Without Drogba, it was important to have him in good condition. I think that we can do a good January without the African players. I had good answers about other players.”
One of those was Florent Malouda who, having begun the weekend with an outspoken interview in which he outlined his frustrations at a lack of first-team football, scored and provided a consistent threat. Actions speak rather louder than words in football and Ancelotti said that he had already cleared the air with his winger. “I have talked with Malouda and explained to him my position and he explained his position,” he said. “It’s normal that a player wants to play every game.”
Ancelotti begun yesterday with a slight surprise by switching from the diamond formation that has generally served him so well this season, meaning Juliano Belletti played the holding position in front of the defence while Malouda and Joe Cole were the most advanced midfielders in support of Sturridge. The team adapted instantly as Sturridge took just five minutes to score his first Chelsea goal.
Frank Lampard floated a corner towards Alex, whose header was diverted by John Terry into the path of Sturridge. It looked like a straightforward chance, but the ball was travelling at a considerable speed and Sturridge’s finish was both instinctive and clinical. Even at such an early stage in the game, the goal seemed to deflate Watford and, for the rest of the match, Henrique Hilário was a spectator in the Chelsea goal.
The second goal had a hint of farce but was just reward for Chelsea’s dominance. Joe Cole had volleyed Malouda’s cross into the Watford penalty area and triggered an extraordinary game of pinball. The ball cannoned between Adrian Mariappa, Frank Lampard and Scott Loach before finally bouncing off John Eustace for an own-goal.
There was also a slice of luck about Chelsea’s third goal when Yuri Zhirkov’s shot deflected off Malouda and beyond Loach. But then Lampard scored a cracker from outside the penalty area and Sturridge calmly converted Ashley Cole’s cross for his second to seal an emphatic win.
With Alex, Belletti and Terry missing further chances, the full-time whistle was nothing less than an act of mercy for Watford.


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Guardian:
Chelsea saunter into the fourth round despite being out of Africans
Chelsea 5 Sturridge 5, Eustace (og) 15, Malouda 22, Lampard 64, Sturridge 68 Watford 0

Dominic Fifield at Stamford Bridge

If only life without Didier Drogba could always prove this comfortable. Chelsea's first fixture since their African contingent departed for Angola was little more than a stroll through the third round, with Championship opponents hopelessly outclassed and the contest reduced early into a training exercise serving to pep the Londoners' confidence.
There was no early discomfort for the holders to weather here as Watford froze when confronted by blanket home possession. The home side conjured 10 corners in the opening half-hour, and three goals within the first 22 minutes. Watford were spikier thereafter, but, by then, they could play with the freedom of a condemned side. Their defending hardly improved at any point.
Carlo Ancelotti will have drawn encouragement from the displays of Daniel Sturridge and Florent Malouda, players who have been reduced to bit-part roles to date this season but will presumably become more integral with Drogba, Michael Essien, John Mikel Obi and Salomon Kalou absent. Malouda had hinted at his frustration at his non-involvement in "big games" in an interview with L'Equipe. He tormented the visitors here, deflecting in the home side's third from Yuri Zhirkov's optimistic drive, though all of the hosts' attackers revelled with Watford so porous defensively.
Sturridge needed a goal to confirm he belongs in this company, and it was his close-range finish to John Terry's wayward shot that deflated the visitors early on. The game went with it. By the time he prodded in Ashley Cole's deflected cross after 68 minutes, Watford had disintegrated. The 20-year-old's transfer fee from Manchester City is due to be settled at some stage this month by a tribunal; City might expect a higher fee for his services on the basis of this performance.
This was all too easy, with Watford never recovering from their fifth minute concession. Malouda's centre duly prompted panic just before the quarter-hour mark with the ball ricocheting from Joe Cole, Adrian Mariappa and Frank Lampard before dribbling in off John Eustace. Lampard found his own reward with a trademark dipping shot over Scott Loach just after the hour to ease the home side four goals ahead.
Tougher tests than this lie ahead. Chelsea will play Hull City, Sunderland, Birmingham and Burnley in their Africans' absence – hardly the most imposing of fixture lists, but considerably trickier than this. For now, Ancelotti can take heart that, where Manchester United have already stumbled, the holders stride on.

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Independent:

Sturridge plugs gap at Chelsea
Chelsea 5 Watford 0
By Mark Fleming

Chelsea's transfer policy bore fruit yesterday, six months down the line. Speculation is rife about who they might sign during the January transfer window, but it was two players recruited last summer who were behind this thrashing of Watford.
One arrived at Chelsea with a big reputation; the other came with a big price tag. Daniel Sturridge was tipped as one of the most promising young English players around when he joined from Manchester City on 3 July, for a transfer fee due to be settled by tribunal later this month.
Three days later Yuri Zhirkov joined from CSKA Moscow for a fee of £18m. Both players have taken their time to find their feet; Sturridge suffering from a loss of confidence while Zhirkov has been troubled with a persistent knee injury. The visit of Watford provided both players with an opportunity to showcase their talents, an opportunity that both seized with understandable relief. Sturridge, 20, caught the eye with two well-taken goals, his first for the club in his eighth appearance, five of which have come from the bench.
Sturridge opened the Watford gap with a perfunctory finish at the far post after John Terry had hit a low shot across goal. His second, Chelsea's fifth, was a better finish, a tidy touch and shot after an exquisite pass from Zhirkov had released Ashley Cole to cross from the left.
He should have had a hat-trick but for a fine one-handed save from Watford keeper Scott Loach, after Zhirkov had put him in the clear. It could prove to be a key moment for the England under-21 international who has been promised a run in the team by manager Carlo Ancelotti while Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou are away on African Nations Cup duty. Playing in the centre of a three-pronged strike-force with Florent Malouda on the left and Joe Cole on the right, Sturridge led the line with energy and skill.
Ancelotti, the Chelsea manager, was impressed with Sturridge's contribution. "This performance for him was very important," Ancelotti said. "It'll improve his confidence, his possibilities. He has a lot of potential and great quality, and he can show that now. He scored two goals and that's important for a striker, to score. He played very well for the whole match."
Ancelotti gave Sturridge treatment normally reserved for key players such as Drogba when he replaced him with 20 minutes to go. The manager showed his appreciation with a handshake, a hug and a pat on the back.
Zhirkov also provided evidence to suggest his fee might not be yet another case of Chelsea paying over the odds. He was bright and inventive, tidy on the ball but with the ability to provide a moment of unexpected subtlety. Competition for places is fierce on the left side for Chelsea, but Zhirkov did enough to demonstrate he will be pushing for a start now he has finally regained full fitness.
The game was over almost as soon as it had begun. Sturridge put Chelsea ahead in the fifth minute, and the FA Cup holders doubled their advantage after 14 minutes. Joe Cole's volley from Malouda's cross provoked chaotic scenes among the Watford defence. The ball struck Adrian Mariappa and then hit Frank Lampard's backside before John Eustace's attempt to clear ricocheted into his own head and into the Watford goal. Chelsea's third was scrappy too, coming when Zhirkov's shot was deflected past Loach thanks to a heavy deflection off Malouda who claimed the goal. A swerving shot by Frank Lampard from 25 yards that wobbled and dipped its way into the Watford goal brought Chelsea's fourth. Remarkably it was only his second goal from open play this season.
Watford made little impact, and forced just one save from Henrique Hilario in the Chelsea goal, a header by Jay Demerit from a corner, to cheer the 6,000 visiting fans sitting in the Shed End. All in all a perfect day for Ancelotti, who brushed aside a newspaper interview given by Malouda moaning about his lack of first-team chances. "There's no problem. It's normal that a player wants to play every game," he said. Chelsea were drawn to play Preston away in the fourth round.

Chelsea (4-3-3): Hilario; Ivanovic, Alex, Terry, A Cole (Kakuta 74); Lampard, Belletti (Matic 64), Zhirkov; J Cole, Sturridge (Borini 70), Malouda. Substitutes not used: Turnbull (gk), Carvalho, Ballack, Ferreira.

Watford (4-5-1): Loach; Hodson, Mariappa, Demerit, Doyley; Cowie (Harley 80), Severin (Jenkins h-t), Eustace, Lansbury, Cleverley; Graham (Henderson 80) Substitues not used: Lee (gk), Bennett, Hoskins, Kiernan.

Referee: K Friend (Leics)
Booked: Chelsea: Booked: Belletti, J Cole, Matic. Watford: Hodson, Eustace, Lansbury, Cleverley.
Man of the Match: Zhirkov
Attendance: 40,912


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Mail:
Chelsea 5 Watford 0:

Daniel Sturridge off the mark as FA Cup holders sail into Fourth Round

How nice of Watford to be so accommodating, allowing Chelsea to begin life without their quartet of African players in such comfortable fashion.Tougher tasks than this glorified training match lie around the corner for Carlo Ancelotti’s side. But an FA Cup third round tie against mediocre lower league opposition provided the ideal opportunity for Ancelotti to test the water following the departure of Didier Drogba and company.Watford did not even have the injured Nicolas Anelka to contend with. But 20-year-old Daniel Sturridge stepped up to the plate admirably, the former Manchester City striker opening his Chelsea account in his third start with two well-taken goals.
‘It’s important for us to have him in good condition without Drogba,’ admitted Ancelotti.
‘He scored two goals and that’s important for a striker. But he deserved it and it will improve his confidence. He has a lot of potential and great quality and he can show that in January.’Injuries, rests and the Africa Cup of Nations saw Ancelotti make seven changes from the side that struggled to victory over Fulham last time out.And while such a one-sided affair made it difficult to judge how they will cope this month, Sturridge and Yuri Zhirkov turned in performances which suggest Chelsea can remain on top of the pile.
The same was true of Florent Malouda, whose rant in the French press about a lack of first team starts and preferential treatment for Frank Lampard was overlooked by Ancelotti.‘I spoke with Malouda before the game against Birmingham and explained to him my position and he explained his,’ said the Chelsea manager.
‘For me, it was finished then and there. After that, he spoke in the French press. But there’s no problem, Malouda is doing professional work.’The word professional typified Chelsea’s performance. And the writing was on the wall for Wwatford with less than five minutes gone when Sturridge had the presence of mind to stab John Terry’s wayward shot past Scott Loach.The England Under 21 keeper could have done little with the four more that were to come, but neither did he do much to inspire confidence amongst his defence.Chelsea, by contrast, were brimming with the stuff — a fact demonstrated by Terry indulging in dummies, back heels and forward runs at every opportunity.
Alex and Lampard had further opportunities to extend Chelsea’s lead before their second arrived in the 13th minute courtesy of a John Eustace own goal, the Wwatford midfielder booting the ball into his own face when trying to clear off the line.Any semblance of cup magic was dispelled in the 21st minute when Malouda’s knee deflected Zhirkov’s strike from distance past a wrong-footed Loach.Chelsea were clearly in the mood for more and Lampard’s dipping 25-yard effort in the 64th minute was the pick of the bunch.Sturridge, whose transfer fee will be decided by tribunal later this month, may have increased the amount Manchester City can hope for by wrapping things up with neat control and an even neater finish four minutes later.
Despite the comprehensive nature of the win, Manchester United’s shock defeat at the hands of Leeds United illustrated that FA Cup ties can never be treated as formalities.And Ancelotti was pleased at the serious nature with which his team went about their work.
‘It (Manchester United’s defeat) was a surprise but this means that in every game if you don’t stay focused, every game can be difficult,’ he said.‘We stayed focused at the start of the match and afterwards it was easy to win this game. If we had not stayed focused, it would have been easy to lose.’Watford’s two on-loan talents, Tom Cleverley from Manchester United, and Henri Lansbury from Arsenal, may have caught the eye in the second tier.But neither youngster was able to make any impression on Chelsea’s defence.
Jay DeMerit did force a save from Hilario, in for the rested Petr Cech, early in the second half with a near-post header but that was the best the visitors could conjure up for their 6,000 fans.‘We go back and watch the DVD and we’ll look at it and be honest with ourselves,’ said Watford manager Malky Mackay.‘They’re world-class players — they’re two levels above us, they’re top European players — but there were situations where we could have done better.‘That’s where we have to improve. If we learn from it, it’ll benefit us in the long run.’

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Sun:

Chelsea 5 Watford 0
MARK IRWIN at Stamford Bridge

MANCHESTER UNITED and Liverpool please take note. This is how it is supposed to be.
Big team draws little team in the FA Cup, batters them senseless and strolls into the next round.
Any romantics looking for a spot of Cup magic were wasting their time at Stamford Bridge as poor Watford were overwhelmed by the Premier League leaders.
After a month of uncertainty and upset, this was as straightforward a victory as Carlo Ancelotti could have wished for.
Two goals from Daniel Sturridge, his first for the club, John Eustace's own goal and further efforts from Florent Malouda and Frank Lampard were more than enough to book a fourth-round date at Preston.
Yet even a five-goal margin flattered the Championship visitors who were unable to take any inspiration from Leeds' heroics at Old Trafford just hours earlier or Reading's draw with Liverpool on Saturday.
Ancelotti could not have asked for more accommodating opponents for his first match without his absent African quartet.
For Didier Drogba and chums were not even missed as Chelsea kicked off the New Year in impressive style.
Three goals up within 21 minutes, this tie was over long before the final whistle and won with the minimum of fuss.
Ancelotti had been told in no uncertain terms that he must treat the FA Cup with utmost respect after the club had worked so hard to win the competition last year.
And the Italian did not disappoint as he sent out an impressively strong line-up to take care of business.
It took them just five minutes to shatter Watford's illusions when Sturridge turned in John Terry's wayward shot at the back post.
Sturridge, signed from Manchester City in the summer, had been waiting a long time for his breakthrough goal.
It was little more than an hour later that his second arrived, despatched in impressive style from Ashley Cole's deflected cross.
But Chelsea had scored three times in between those Sturridge goals as they equalled their biggest margin of victory under Ancelotti.
Watford were embarrassingly out of their depth and did not exactly help their cause with their haphazard approach to defending.
And nothing exposed their limitations more than Chelsea's second goal in the 14th minute.
Joe Cole's volley was pushed out by keeper Scott Loach and deflected straight back into the danger area by Adrian Mariappa.
Lampard bundled the rebound towards goal and Eustace, attempting to hook clear, booted the ball against his face and into his own goal.
It was a farce of a goal which needed about four TV replays to establish exactly what had happened.
And there was an element of uncertainty about Chelsea's third, a low shot from the impressive Yuri Zhirkov which deflected past Loach off Malouda's heel.
Malouda had started the day with a whinge about his lack of starting opportunities in midfield.
But it will take more than one decent performance against such limited opposition to convince his boss.
At least he had the bit between his teeth here, flashing another shot just wide and sending over a corner for Terry's header to be cleared off the line by Lloyd Doyley.
Sturridge squandered a decent opportunity to extend Chelsea's lead and Terry, clearly auditioning as Drogba's stand-in, had another effort deflected behind by Eustace.
Watford were now facing the mother of all beatings and if there was any crumb of comfort to be taken by manager Malky Mackay it came from the knowledge that his players did not chuck in the towel.
They even had the temerity to threaten the Chelsea goal in the 53rd minute but Jay DeMerit headed straight at Henrique Hilario.
That was as good as it got for Mackay's men and any idea of holding Chelsea at bay for the rest of the match evaporated with Lampard's 64th-minute strike.
Branislav Ivanovic rolled the ball into the path of the England midfielder and Lampard drilled an unstoppable 25-yard shot beyond the reach of keeper Loach.
It was the pick of the bunch from a Chelsea team who will use this result as the launchpad for their New Year ambitions.
They had exited December plagued by doubts after a worrying run of results had seen their Premier League lead whittled down to two points.
But they will take heart from this convincing victory and a welcome clean sheet.
With only one game a week throughout January, Ancelotti is convinced he has more than enough resources to cope.
Nicholas Anelka will return from his hamstring injury for Saturday's League visit to Hull and Petr Cech and Michael Ballack are also rested and recovered after their day off.
Job done for Chelsea. But there are much sterner tests ahead.

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Mirror:

Chelsea 5-0 Watford:
Martin Lipton

Vulnerable without their African aces? Not the same when Didier Drogba is missing?
Pity nobody told Carlo Ancelotti, Daniel Sturridge and Chelsea that they are supposed to start falling apart now.
The only time Watford were safe at Stamford Bridge was when the final whistle was sounded, sparing them from any further punishment as they were battered black and blue.
And while there will be far more testing times for Ancelotti's side before Drogba and Co return from Angola, this was the opening to January that the Italian had promised when he declared the blip was over.
"I am a good magician, no?" pondered Ancelotti, after pulling the Sturridge rabbit out of the hat and watching the England under-21 striker flower with the perfect way to kick-start his Blues career.
Maybe not yet, Carlo, but if Chelsea were struggling for form before their great escape against Fulham last week, they emphatically put the bleak midwinter wobbles behind them as they eased through to round four.
Chelsea will finally discover how much they must pay Manchester City for Sturridge when the FA tribunal to assess the fee meets later this month.
That price may have gone up after the impressive close-range finishes which topped and tailed Ancelotti's easiest win as Chelsea boss, a comprehensive dismissal of a Watford side whose on-loan stars, Henri Lansbury and Tom Cleverley, made no impact at all.
It could have been more, too, and even if all three first half goals were scrappy, Watford were lucky to be only that far behind as poor Scott Loach was horribly exposed.
Watford contributed to their own downfall with shocking defending, failing to deal with Frank Lampard's left-wing corner which Sturridge eventually turned home for the first.
Then Joe Cole's strike across the face of goal from Florent Malouda's cross sparked a bout of pin-ball in front of Scott Loach's goal, completed as John Eustace farcically turned into his own net.
And when Malouda - embarrassed over pre-match suggestions, fiercely denied, that he had complained at Lampard's untouchable status within the club - diverted Yuri Zhirkov's strike past the stranded Loach, the contest was already over.
Ancelotti suggested the news from Old Trafford had helped his preparations. "What happened to United was a surprise, for sure," added the Italian.
"This showed that if you don't stay focused every game can be difficult.
"We put in a good performance, we stayed focused at the start and after that it was easy to win.
"I think that we can do a good January and have good performances without the African players."
At least Watford had a go at the start of the second half, skipper Jay DeMerit forcing Hilario into his first save of the game with a near-post header.
Watford shouldn't have bothered, with the chance stinging Chelsea into an effortless response that turned a thumping into a rout.
Lampard had not scored in open play since October 24 but there was nothing Loach could do as the England ace took aim from 25 yards out and launched a strike that bent like Jimmy Anderson's new ball deliveries as it found the top corner.
Three minutes later and it was five, Ashley Coke receiving from Zhirkov, with the alert Sturridge reading the deflected cross with a superb first touch, followed by an instinctive poke home with the outside of his left foot.
Sturridge was denied the chance of a hat-trick as Ancelotti sent on Fabio Borini in his place but by now it was nothing more than a damage limitation exercise for the hapless Hornets.
Thankfully for Mackay's men, there were no more, although Malouda was a fraction away from crowning the afternoon with a stunning sixth as Chelsea did the job with the minimum of fuss.
As New Year starts go, however, this was more than satisfactory for Ancelotti. He will expect it to be a springboard for more.


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