Independent:
Derby County 1 Chelsea 3
Schürrle wraps it up to ease Blues into semis
Kevin Garside
No trophy is too insignificant for Mourinho. The Capital One Cup presents him with an early opportunity to put silverware in the cabinet for the first time since his return from Real Madrid, and on a fiery evening in Derby, Chelsea gave every indication they intend it to be the start of what might become a domestic clean sweep.
Goals by Eden Hazard, Filipe Luis – his first for the club – and Andre Schürrle after Derby were reduced to 10 men, sealed a place in the semi-finals for Chelsea and reminded Derby of the gulf that separates Championship aspirants and the Premier League elite.
Chelsea can put their feet up for six days before reconvening at Stoke next Monday to begin the festive marathon. For Derby it is as you were, following the defeat at home to Chelsea in the third round of the FA Cup in January.
They regrouped to reach the Championship play-off final only to lose to Queen’s Park Rangers. On this evidence they appear better equipped to get the job done without the trauma of a knockout lottery at season’s end.
The victory was not without cost to Chelsea. Kurt Zouma, standing in for Gary Cahill, was cleaned out by his own keeper, Petr Cech, who smashed him to the ground as he raced out to punch clear a corner three minutes before the break.
Cesc Fabregas gestured to the bench for a stretcher and neck brace, indicating the seriousness of the injury. The Chelsea players gathered around the medical staff as aid was administered. Zouma was down for four minutes before being carried from the pitch.
Derby skipper Richard Keogh was full of optimism in his programme notes. No fear, he screamed. Bring it on. And then the teamsheets dropped. Mourinho paid Derby the compliment of packing the team with front- end pedigree.
The blood must have drained from Keogh’s face when he saw the likes of Hazard, Fabregas, Terry and Matic leaping off the page. A chance to test Derby’s Premier League credentials sounds fine in the abstract, less attractive when the teams are in the tunnel.
After an imperious opening two minutes, during which Derby barely sniffed the ball, Jonny Russell brought Schürrle to the attention of the referee, his pace too much for the German, who sent him flying to earn the first yellow of the match.
Derby fairly charged into the game, paying England’s pre-eminent force nil respect. Real Madrid loan star Omar Mascarell excelled at the base of the Derby midfield and, at the point of the diamond, Will Hughes was exceptional.
There was real concern written across the features of Mourinho when Craig Bryson scythed through the mighty Matic, who collapsed histrionically, prompting the referee to call immediately to the Chelsea bench for assistance.
The Serb returned gingerly to the fray but his limping presence was symbolic of Chelsea’s failure to properly impose themselves.
And then out of nothing the remarkable Hazard landed the first blow. Keogh’s attempted pass out of defence was intercepted by the jet-heeled Belgian, who shuffled past one attempted tackle, then drilled a right-footer low past Lee Grant.
The invention and ambition had been largely Derby’s, yet it was Chelsea who led – a theme not unfamiliar to Mourinho, of course.
Hazard hardly needed a goal to boost his confidence. Minutes later he popped up in a central position, accelerated into space to receive a ball from Fabregas, nicked the ball off the foot of a defender who thought he had it, and let rip left-footed. The ball was diverted for a corner which came to nothing, but Hazard had clearly pleased Mourinho, who applauded vigorously on the touchline.
In that brief cameo, Hazard both nipped Derby’s bravura in the bud and demonstrated attributes that are unanswerable when fully engaged: turbo pace, touch, a dipping shoulder, hunger for the ball and an eye for goal.
Derby kept at it impressively, urged on by a crowd who still believed their boys might at least bloody the blue nose. That took on a worrying dimension three minutes before the break, though, when Zouma left the field on a stretcher.
The first chance of the second half fell to Hughes following another rapid break down the right by Russell. After dancing past Terry, Russell cut the ball back to Hughes, whose right-foot shot was diverted away from goal by Cech’s trailing leg.
Within five minutes Chelsea’s lead had doubled, Hughes bringing down Didier Drogba to give Luis a sighting of goal. Luis gave it the full Brazilian, curling the ball past Grant from 30 yards.
That appeared to be that. Chelsea pinged the ball about imperiously, playing out the evening.
But Derby had other ideas and Russell was at the heart of it, slipping the ball to Bryson in much the same position as Hughes had found himself 20 minutes earlier.
This time the ball evaded Cech’s telescopic limbs to send the iPro Stadium into a frenzy – at least for seven minutes until defender Jake Buxton was sent off for infringing the progress of Chelsea substitute Loïc Rémy.
Buxton protested his innocence ridiculously and, before he was even out of the shower, Chelsea had deepened his embarrassment with Schürrle stroking the ball home with Derby’s defence completely shredded. And that really was that.
Subs: Derby Ibe (Dawkins, 57), Hendrick (Hughes, 76), Best (Mascarell, 84). Chelsea Ivanovic (Zouma, 45), Rémy (Drogba, 63), Ramires (Hazard, 84).
Booked: Derby Martin. Chelsea Schürrle. Sent-off: Derby Buxton (78).
Man of the match Hazard. Match rating 8/10.
Possession: Derby 44%. Chelsea 56%.
Attempts on target: Derby 1. Chelsea 5.
Referee J Moss (Tyne & Wear). Att 30,639.
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Guardian:
Chelsea ease past Derby County but Kurt Zouma injury causes concern
Jamie Jackson at Pride Park
José Mourinho is closing in on a sixth major trophy that would end the drought of his second Chelsea tenure. This was a regulation win though the manager was concerned at the time it took the stretcher-bearers to reach a stricken Kurt Zouma near the end of the first half.
After colliding with Petr Cech from a Derby County corner the French defender was left on the turf. As the stretcher was called for, the bearers dawdled so first Mourinho implored them to hurry, then Cesc Fàbregas and César Azpilicueta followed their manager’s lead, and after a long delay Zouma was finally taken away for treatment and Branislav Ivanovic came on to replace him.
Asked if this had frustrated him, Mourinho said: “Yeah. The players’ body language [indicated] there was some trouble but I had no idea what was going on because of the distance and they [the stretcher-bearers] were coming – walking. Then I was informed that this was the direction they have. They can’t run, I didn’t know if the information was right but I think they can’t run.
“If he is injured and the body language of the players is that he had to go off you don’t know the dimension. I didn’t know if it was a knee, I don’t know, I had no idea at the time – I think the people with the stretcher want to help but if they didn’t run I have to believe that is the instruction they have.”
Mourinho is confident the 20-year-old should recover quickly. “He is fine. We don’t think he needs hospital treatment. He was a bit dizzy and he had some blood in his mouth because of a cut,” said the manager. “He has gone for some exams with the docs. He’ll be available for Monday [away to Stoke City]. I thought the collision was a punch, but it was Petr’s head.”
Chelsea’s passage to the semi-finals next month was not completely smooth after Derby briefly threatened a comeback with Craig Bryson’s 71st-minute goal that made it 2-1. But the home support’s joy soon faded when the Chelsea substitute Loïc Rémy raced on to a pass and Jake Buxton fouled the forward. After consulting the assistant, Jonathan Moss showed the red card, the referee judging Buxton to be the last man.
While Mourinho claimed “I didn’t see”, Steve McClaren was in no doubt there had been an injustice. “Absolutely [it was wrong]. I’ve seen it quite a few times and I doubt that would have been given in the middle of the park. We believe it’s wrong,” said Derby’s manager.
While McClaren said he was considering an appeal – Buxton faces a two-game ban as he has been sent off once before this season – within minutes of the defender’s departure André Schürrle made it 3-1 to keep Mourinho on course to claim the same cup that began a supremely successful first spell in charge at Chelsea.
Mourinho had indicated how seriously he was taking the tie in his selection. The Portuguese made five changes from the team that beat Hull City 2-0 at Stamford Bridge on Saturday but still fielded a powerful starting XI. Didier Drogba, Azpilicueta, Zouma, Schürrle and Fàbregas came into a team that also included the captain John Terry, Cech, Mikel John Obi, Eden Hazard, Filipe Luís and Nemanja Matic. “If we were not professional we would lose, I knew that,” said Mourinho.
The match began slowly: there was a corner for the visitors, a couple of speculative forays downfield for Derby, and a foul on Matic by Bryson near the centre circle.
The quicker brains and feet of Fàbregas and Schürrle appeared the greatest threat to Derby’s defence, the attacking-midfield duo attacking primarily through central areas and along the left.
It was from this flank that Chelsea opened the scoring. Fàbregas pinged the ball to Hazard, who cut in from the left across Derby’s area then reversed a smart shot that wrong-footed Lee Grant and beat the goalkeeper to his right.
Eleven minutes into the second half Luís doubled the lead with his first goal for Chelsea, a sweetly curving 25-yard free-kick.
Derby’s brief rally failed to disturb Chelsea, who deservedly eased through. Apart from the injury to Zouma, Drogba took a knock to an ankle, but Mourinho said: “He is a strong guy with a strong mentality. I think he’ll be OK.”
Chelsea will be strong contenders in all four main competitions – they face Watford at home in the FA third-round in January – but Mourinho scoffed at talk of a quadruple.
“No – we don’t speak about that. It’s important to win on Monday. We go match by match. We don’t choose competitions or matches. The next match is the most important thing. We go like this. The players tonight showed that attitude by playing a very professional game.”
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Telegraph:
Eden Hazard, Filipe Luis and André Schürrle score to seal semi-final spot for Jose Mourinho's side
Henry Winter
Chelsea take the League Cup seriously, so seriously that players of the technical quality of Cesc Fabregas and Eden Hazard played with relentless hunger in defeating Derby County to reach the semi-finals.
Even with the rain teeming down, and the home fans giving raucous backing to their team in-between feuding verbally with their Chelseacounterparts, it never felt like a cup tie that might conjure up an upset. Chelsea were a class apart.
It was not simply the finesse of Fabregas and Hazard that made the Premier League leader simply too good for the Championship hosts. It was this appetite, this desire to press for the ball, to make tackles, to do the dirty work as well as playing like angels at times. Fabregas recorded his 15th assist of the season. Hazard netted his ninth goal of the season.
After Hazard began the scoring, Filipe Luís added a sumptuous free-kick before Craig Bryson gave Derby brief hope until André Schürrle had Chelsea fans singing even more of Wembley. There was plenty of spirit from Steve McClaren’s side, another promising cameo from Will Hughes, and the energy of Johnny Russell to admire but class told here, the class of Fabregas and Hazard. They are an example to all aspiring professionals with their mix of effort and expertise.
The game finished with two of the starting centre-backs missing. Kurt Zouma needed lengthy attention, and a slow journey to the tunnel on a stretcher, after being caught accidentally by Petr Cech. Jake Buxton was dismissed in the second half for pulling back Loïc Rémy, who was through on goal, and the life went out of Derby’s fightback.
It was a mistake by Buxton’s central-defensive partner, Richard Keogh, that gifted possession to Chelsea in a dangerous area after 23 minutes. McClaren’s side like to build from the back but they needed to be warier with Chelsea’s ambush parties around.
Didier Drogba pressed Keogh, Hazard pinched the ball and Chelsea went for the jugular. The Belgian rolled the ball back to Fabregas and darted into the box, collecting the return. Showing balance and a killer instinct, Hazard waited until the sliding Buxton committed himself before placing the ball effortlessly past Lee Grant.
Poor Keogh. It had been his ill-directed clearance in last season’s play-off final that proved so costly, gifting the ball to QPR’s Bobby Zamora.
Derby tried to get back into the game and forced a corner four minutes from the break, the dead-ball taken by Russell. Cech came flying out to punch clear, flattening Zouma on the way.
“He’s fine,’’ said Jose Mourinho of Zouma. “He’s a bit dizzy and had some blood in his mouth because of the cut but he will be available for Monday [against Stoke City].’’ Chelsea’s manager was calmer afterwards but was angry at the time.
As Zouma lay stricken on the ground, Mourinho was understandably annoyed that the stretcher-bearers were moving so slowly and he urged them to speed up. Having endured that distressing Cech accident at Reading in 2006, Chelsea are particularly mindful of head injuries.
“The stretcher-bearers were walking but I was informed they can’t [ie, not allowed to] run,’’ said Mourinho.
Zouma received good attention from the Chelsea medical staff but the lack of urgency on the behalf of the stretcher-bearers was disconcerting. Fabregas and César Azpilicueta even grabbed the front of the stretcher to pull it quicker towards their prostrate team-mate.
After the lengthy stoppage, Branislav Ivanovic came on.
Derby kept looking for gaps. When Russell crossed from the right, Hughes met the ball first time but Cech was well placed to block.
Chelsea stepped up again. Their second goal again stemmed from the punishing of a touch of Derby naivety. Hughes ran with Drogba, challenging him, and the tall Ivorian made the most of the contact, falling to the ground, securing the free-kick in an inviting position.
It was 30 yards out, to the right of centre, ideally positioned for a left-footed player. Luís took responsibility, placing the ball down, running in and sweeping the free-kick over the wall and past Grant. It was an exquisite goal, a combination of placement, curl and power, and a spectacular way to open his Chelsea account following his £16 million move from Atlético Madrid in the summer.
Chelsea then lost the hobbling Drogba, who was replaced by Rémy.
Derby refused to give up. Hughes tried to open up the Chelsea defence and then, to the utter delight of the Derby fans, Bryson found a way through after 71 minutes. This time it was a Chelsea mistake, Ivanovic heading the ball out towards holding midfielder Omar Mascarell.
On loan from Real Madrid where he briefly played under Mourinho, Mascarell calmly transferred the ball to Bryson, who laid it right to Russell.
Derby’s No 11 cut in, gliding past Luís before sliding the ball across to Bryson. The midfielder did not pause, simply meeting the ball first time and shooting from right to left past Cech.
Derby briefly believed. Any such hope was wrecked within six minutes. Rémy flew through the middle, running shoulder-to-shoulder with Buxton, who put an arm across, clearly impeding the Chelsea striker.
As the ball ran clear, Grant slid out, seeming to handle just outside the area. The assistant referee signalled an offence. McClaren readied his reserve keeper, Kelle Roos. Mourinho brandished an imaginary card. The real one eventually appeared. Jon Moss took his time, heading across to his assistant, consulting for a few moments, before walking back and sending off a bemused Buxton.
“There was a little tussle between the two players and we can’t believe Buxton was sent off,’’ said McClaren. “We thought it would be Lee Grant. It was a huge surprise, a big decision and a poor decision. It might not have changed the result but it robbed us in the last 15-20 minutes when we were on top. We can appeal it but whether it will do any good, I’m not sure.’’
Down to 10 men, it got worse for Derby. With eight minutes remaining, Fabregas picked out Rémy, whose shot was saved by Grant.
Schürrle was quickest to the loose ball, slamming it into the net and confirming Chelsea’s passage into the semi-finals.
=================
Times:
Derby County 1 Chelsea 3
Derby consigned to role of plucky losers by Eden Hazard and Filipe Luís
Matt Hughes
There is something ominously familiar about Chelsea’s relentless pursuit of silverware, which continues on all four fronts. In José Mourinho’s first season in England, 2004-05, Chelsea led from gun to tape, winning the League Cup in February before wrapping up the Premier League with something to spare in April, and being denied a Champions League final place only by the “ghost goal” that continues to haunt their manager to this day.
A decade later, Mourinho appears intent on staging a repeat. He may view winning the quadruple as an impossible dream, but to judge from the energy and enterprise Chelsea showed in winning this demanding tie, his players will give everything to the pursuit.
Chelsea are certainly doing everything that could be asked of them at the moment, swatting aside spirited and talented opponents to reach the Capital One Cup semi-finals. The visiting side enjoyed some good fortune, such as the controversial decision by Jonathan Moss, the referee, to send off Jake Buxton, denying Derby the chance to push for an equaliser in what was shaping up to be a compelling climax. Chelsea also encountered difficulties when Kurt Zouma, the defender, was taken off on a stretcher with a head injury, too slowly for Mourinho’s liking.
The manager has often waxed lyrical about his love of English football, and this lively occasion will have added to his infatuation: a full-blooded cup tie played in driving rain that Chelsea won through goals from Eden Hazard, Filipe Luís and André Schürrle. This competition is particularly special to Mourinho as, in a previous beer-stained guise, it was the first trophy he won at Chelsea.
That 2005 Carling Cup final victory over Liverpool was used as a springboard to greater successes, a template Mourinho is aiming to follow to a tee.
The Portuguese would bust a gut to beat his kids at Monopoly, and the second team he has assembled at Stamford Bridge is filled with kindred spirits. It seemed significant that even on a wet night in the Midlands, Cesc Fàbregas, a World Cup winner, got sufficiently stuck in to be named man of the match, while there were also big contributions from other A-listers such as Hazard and the indomitable John Terry.
Derby played some good football and enhanced the reputation of the Sky Bet Championship, but did not help themselves by giving Chelsea a head start.
After 24 evenly contested minutes, Richard Keogh lingered too long in possession on the edge of his own penalty area and was bundled off the ball by Didier Drogba. As quick as a flash, Fàbregas pounced and played an angled ball through to Hazard, who cut inside to beat Lee Grant for his ninth goal of the season. That it was his first away from home is simply a statistical quirk, as the Belgium midfielder is no pampered home boy.
To their credit, Derby refused to cave in and were threatening through the movement of Will Hughes and Johnny Russell, before the lengthy stoppage caused by Petr Cech’s skull cap clashing with Zouma. Derby should have equalised seven minutes into the second half when Russell broke down the right and crossed for Hughes, whose shot was saved by Cech low to his right.
Chelsea made the most of their let-off as they scored their second four minutes later, with Luís curling a sumptuous free kick from 25 yards inside Grant’s near post — a suitably memorable strike for his first goal for the club.
Again, Derby did not buckle, however, and took advantage of a rare defensive slip from Chelsea to force themselves back into the game with 20 minutes remaining. A sloppy clearance from Branislav Ivanovic found its way to Craig Bryson, who exchanged passes with Russell before beating Cech with a powerful strike.
Chelsea seemed resigned to weathering a torrid final quarter, particularly after the introduction of the pacey Jordan Ibe as a substitute, but their anxiety was eased by Buxton’s sending-off with 12 minutes remaining, a decision that seemed harsh as Loïc Rémy had pulled his shirt first. To compound Derby’s sense of injustice, Rémy was integral to Chelsea’s third goal four minutes later, with Grant saving his shot, only to look on helplessly as Schürrle tapped in at the far post. Chelsea march on.
Derby County (4-1-4-1): L Grant — C Christie, J Buxton, R Keogh, C Forsyth — O Mascarell (sub: L Best, 84min), — J Russell, W Hughes (sub: J Hendrick, 76), C Bryson, S Dawkins (sub: J Ibe, 57) — C Martin. Substitutes not used: K Roos, L Naylor, P Coutts, I Calero. Booked: Martin. Sent off: Buxton.
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): P Cech — C Azpilicueta, K Zouma (sub: B Ivanovic, 45), J Terry, Filipe Luís — J Obi Mikel, N Matic — A Schürrle, C Fàbregas, E Hazard (sub: Ramires, 84) — D Drogba (sub: L Remy, 63). Substitutes not used: M Schwarzer, M Salah, D Costa, Willian. Booked: Schürrle.
Referee: J Moss.
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Mail:
Derby 1-3 Chelsea: Eden Hazard, Filipe Luis and Andre Schurrle strike to secure Blues' place in Capital One Cup semi-finals
By Ian Ladyman
Briefly we had the whiff of a comeback.
As the rain fell in Derby, Steve McClaren’s progressive Championship side, two down and seemingly finished, had just pulled a goal back on Chelsea seemingly out of nowhere. As is always the case in such situations, momentum had switched at a stroke.
Derby found energy, Chelsea only uncertainty.
And then, a long ball forwards from the Chelsea half prompted a race between a fresh visiting substitute with a point to prove and a 29-year-old Derby defender who had spent much of the previous 80 minutes locked in sapping combat with Didier Drogba.
There was perhaps only like to be one winner and as Loic Remy and Jake Buxton hustled for the ball, arms inevitably became entwined and both tumbled to the floor.
The inevitable question was: Who grabbed who first?
Replays showed that Remy may have been guilty while another argument suggested Buxton had been the initial offender, placing his arm across his opponent.
Whatever the case, Buxton was adjudged guilty by a linesman and walked the long walk. Moments later Chelsea – a man to the good and back in control of their own nerves – scored a decisive third goal and a place in the last four of one of Jose Mourinho’s favourite competitions was theirs.
Certainly it was controversial and it may have robbed us of some late intrigue.
The lesson here for defenders, though, is that in these situations, they always have the most to lose. Better perhaps to avoid the flailing arms, the tangling limbs, and put your faith in your own turn of foot. Failing that, perhaps, just close your eyes and hope the centre forward misses.
Here, it was an unfortunate end to what had been a gripping game.
Chelsea had started slowly but had, for the middle hour, been imperious.
The manner in which they have responded to their recent Barclays Premier League defeat at Newcastle has been impressive and only a brave man would put money on Stoke as Chelsea head west along the A50 from here to begin their Christmas and New Year’s programme next Monday night.
Derby, though, are a capable team. They looked sporadically dangerous with the ball and deserved to be in the contest until the death. Ultimately, perhaps, Chelsea’s greater quality in the final third made a greater difference than the late linesman’s flag.
Initially, Derby were impressive, quick, sharp and mobile. By some distance, their best player was the young Englishman Will Hughes.
Impossible to miss given his peroxide blond hair, Hughes is easy on the eye as a footballer, possessing a neat touch and a decent first yard of acceleration. Here, he troubled Chelsea for a while but was too often let down by team-mates not on the same wavelength.
At times, Hughes wanted it short and it went long. On other occasions, the pass in to his feet was a fraction off. These things can make a difference.
And so it was that Chelsea reached the midway point of the first half having conceded ground and possession but no real chances. They then sprang forward to score with their first real attack of note and sadly the goal had its root in a dreadful mistake.
Captain Richard Keogh played an unfortunate part in the build up to the Bobby Zamora goal that sunk Derby in last season’s play-off final and he erred again here, conceding the ball unnecessarily to Cesc Fabregas on the corner of his own penalty area.
There was still much to do for Chelsea but good teams don’t need asking twice and when Fabregas fed the ball inside to Eden Hazard the Belgian twisted to his right to create a better angle and shot low past Lee Grant in the Derby goal.
It was a real blow for Derby simply because Chelsea hadn’t looked like creating much until that point. For the next ten minutes, however, Mourinho’s team suddenly looked capable of closing out the game quickly.
Another chance arrived for Hazard – the shot was dragged across goal – before left-back Felipe Luis hammered a drive straight at Grant. Derby reached the interval without further setback, though, while Chelsea lost defender Kurt Zouma to a head injury suffered while defending a corner.
Whether that shook Mourinho’s players we don’t know but Hughes spurned the opportunity to punish a slow start by the visitors to the second half when he drove a low shot at Petr Cech following good work from Johnny Russell down the right.
Hughes perhaps should have scored and he rued his error shortly when Chelsea’s Luis curled a free-kick past Grant from 25 yards to extend the lead with half an hour still to play.
In truth a Derby comeback didn’t look likely. Their race looked run.
But Craig Bryson swept in a super goal from 18 yards after Russell set him up with twenty minutes left and the tide threatened to turn their way.
Soon after came the talking point, however. When Andre Schurrle swept in a rebound after Remy’s low shot was parried, Derby supporters were still grumbling.
Derby (4-3-2-1): Grant 6; Christie 6, Buxton 6, Keogh 5, Forsyth 6; Mascarell 6 (Ibe, 84), Bryson 7, Hughes 7 (Hendrick 75, 6); Russell 7, Dawkins 6 (Ibe 57, 6); Martin 5
Subs not used: Naylor, Coutts, Roos, Calero
Scorer: Bryson 70
Booked: Martin.
Sent off: Buxton.
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech 6; Azpiluceta 6, Terry 7, Zouma 6 (Ivanovic 45, 6), Luis 7; Matic 6, Mikel 6; Schurrle 7, Fabregas 8, Hazard 7 (Ramires, 84); Drogba 6 (Remy 63, 6).
Subs not used: Schwarzer, Costa, Salah, Willian
Scorers: Hazard 23, Luis 56, Schurrle, 82.
Booked: Schurrle.
Referee: Jon Moss 7
Man of the Match: Cesc Fabregas
Attendance: 30,639
=====================
Mirror:
Derby 1-3 Chelsea: Blues move closer to silverware with Capital One Cup quarter-final win
James Nursey
An early goal from Hazard put the Blues in the driving seat at the iPro Stadium and they never really looked back after that
Jose Mourinho believes he is building a team of winners at Chelsea after hailing their competitive “DNA”.
The Chelsea boss was anxious to scotch talk of a quadruple after his men advanced into the last four of the League Cup.
But he praised their professional display for dispatching Championship high-fliers Derby on their own patch in front of a noisy sell-out crowd.
Mourinho showed the Rams respect by naming a strong side for the quarter-final clash.
And it paid off as Chelsea avoided both extra-time and an upset at the iPro Stadium where Eden Hazard, Filipe Luis and Andre Schurrle netted.
Mourinho said: “I knew if we didn’t come with a strong side and a strong bench it could be a problem for us.
“We had to bring a strong team.
“They are a Championship side but not a typical Championship side, they have more quality than that and play good football.
“But I think we played in a very professional way.
“I think the mentality is part of the group DNA.
“I don’t need to push people to play a certain game.
“I don’t need to press them to be ready to play a certain match.
“I am so happy with them.
“That is the kind of attitude I want in my players. I am so happy with that.”
Eden Hazard broke the deadlock when Cesc Fabregas capitalised on a poor clearance from Rams’ skipper Richard Keogh to tee up Hazard to fire Chelsea ahead in the 23rd minute.
They then recovered from a horror injury to defender Kurt Zouma who was carried off in a neck brace with a head injury after keeper Petr Cech accidentally caught him before the interval.
After the re-start full-back Luis curled his first goal for the club with a brilliant free-kick from 25 yards out into the top corner in the 56th minute after Will Hughes fouled Didier Drogba.
County replied to halve the arrears with 20 minutes left as Craig Bryson whipped in a superb effort from outside the area before Rams stopper Jake Buxton saw red for holding back sub Loic Remy.
Remy came on for veteran Drogba who twisted his ankle and was quickly in the thick of it.
Just as the Rams were threatening to take the tie to extra-time with a spirited rally, Buxton was ordered off seven minutes after Bryson notched.
German international Schurrle then ended the hosts’ faint hopes with a clinical finish after more good work by the impressive Fabregas.
Mourinho added: “We controlled the game for most of the time but they fought until the end.
“Especially a few minutes after they scored their goal they put us in trouble.
“Sometimes people don’t realise how difficult it is to play against Championship teams and this season we are having that experience to play against Bolton previously and in the FA Cup Watford and we know how hard it is.
“But Fabregas is playing so well for us.
“What I like more than his quality is he is a professional”
Rams boss Steve McClaren was also pleased with his side’s battling display which left him “proud”.
But he disputed the decision by referee Jonathan Moss to red card Buxton late on for tangling with Remy on the edge of the box.
The assistant referee gave the decision and McClaren admitted he felt keeper Lee Camp was going to be ordered off instead as he slid outside the box with the ball.
“It was a poor decision,” said a frustrated McClaren.
“We’ll never know what might have happened in the last 15 minutes now.”
Player ratings:
Derby: Grant 7, Christie 6, Keogh 5, Buxton 5, Forsyth 6, Russell 7, Mascarell 6 (Best 84, 6), Bryson 7, Dawkins 6 (Ibe 57, 7), Hughes 6 (Hendrick 76 , 6) , Martin 6
Chelsea: Cech 7, Azpilicueta 7, Zouma 6 (Ivanovic 45, 6), Terry 7, Luis 7, MOTM Hazard 8 (Ramires 84,6), Mikel 6, Matic 7, Fabregas 8, Schurrle 7, Drogba 7 (Remy 62, 6)
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Express:
Derby 1 - Chelsea 3: Jose Mourinho's Blues go marching on
John Wragg
Goals from Eden Hazard in the 23rd minute and Filipe Luis 10 minutes into the second half set up Chelsea for a place in the Capital One Cup semi-finals.
Derby were rarely able to cause panic in a Chelsea team beaten only once this season in any competition.
The fact that they got a goal back in the 71st minute through Craig Bryson was testimony to the way they are trying to play their way into the Premier League, but it was not enough to scare Chelsea.
Derby were reduced to 10 men when central defender Jake Buxton was sent off in the 78th minute for a foul on Chelsea substitute Loic Remy and Andre Schurrle scored Chelsea’s third goal shortly after.
The first trophy Jose Mourinho won as a Chelsea manager was the League Cup of 2005 and he followed that with the Premier League title three months later.
Are there any takers on Mourinho doing that again – and maybe adding the FA Cup and Champions League?
Chelsea lost central defender Kurt Zouma after a horror collision with Petr Cech and Mourinho was worried about that. But Derby? Anybody else for that matter? No.
Mourinho refuses to look at the possibility of a clean sweep of trophies.
But the way Chelsea are dominating opposition he may have to readjust that view.
“We don’t choose competitions, we don’t choose matches, it is the next match, that is the most important thing, whatever competition that is in,” he said.
“We don’t speak about four trophies. It was spoken that we would be unbeatable in the Premier League, we didn’t do it. Now it is being spoken about the quadruple. Can we do it? No.”
Derby manager Steve McClaren wanted to make a judgment on how far his side had developed, from the last time they played Chelsea in the FA Cup just under 12 months ago. They lost 2-0 and the aim last night was to break that comfort zone, make Mourinho sweat a little in that big winter coat he was wearing.
But Derby’s task was made all the more difficult by Hazard’s opening goal.
The thing about lower-level football is that mistakes are more liable to happen and when Derby captain Richard Keogh made an error, Chelsea were on it.
Keogh was looking to make a classy pass but finished up giving the ball away to Hazard.
When Cesc Fabregas then got the pass and in turn put Hazard in possession again, Derby were in big trouble as he elegantly hit his ninth goal of the season.
Chelsea’s only concern was the injury to Zouma just before half-time when goalkeeper Cech collided with his head as he punched away a corner.
Mourinho hurried up four paramedics who were slow to carry a stretcher over to where Zouma had been felled, Fabregas and Cesar Azpilicueta helping out to get some urgency into the situation, and eventually Zouma was taken off.
Mourinho said there was blood in Zouma’s mouth and he was concerned for his player.
“But it has been explained to me that the paramedics are not allowed to run when they are carrying the stretcher,” said Mourinho.
“Zouma has been seen by the doctors, he is fine and he can play for us against Stoke on Monday.”
Chelsea did not have to wait long for their second goal. Luis hit a wonderful 25-yard free-kick that Derby watched with awe.
But they refused to buckle and with 20 minutes to go they had forced their way back after Johnny Russell set-up Bryson for a shot that went in off the post. Just as Derby were getting up a head of giant-killing steam, Buxton was sent off when he was judged by a linesman to have fouled Remy and stopped a goalscoring opportunity.
The decision looked harsh and Derby could appeal.
It seemed as if it was goalkeeper Lee Grant who was going to be red-carded for sliding out of his area in the melee that involved him, Buxton and Remy – McClaren saying the decision was wrong.
But then Schurrle pounced with his 82nd-minute goal and the tie was over.
Derby (4-3-3): Grant; Christie, Keogh, Buxton, Forsyth; Hughes (Hendrick 76), Mascarell (Best 84), Bryson; Russell, Martin, Dawkins (Ibe 57). Booked: Martin. Sent off: Buxton 78. Goal: Bryson 71.
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech; Azpilicueta, Zouma (Ivanovic 49), Terry, Luis; Mikel, Matic; Schurrle, Fabregas, Hazard (Ramires 84); Drogba (Remy 63). Booked: Schurrle. Goals: Hazard 23, Luis 56, Schurrle 82.
Referee: J Moss (West Yorkshire)
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Star:
Derby 1 - Chelsea 3:
Blues see off stubborn Rams to book League Cup semi-final spot
In the end, goals from Eden Hazard, Filipe Luis and Andre Schurrle saw them safely through but it wasn’t until late on that they could breathe easily.
Craig Bryson had given Derby hope when he made it 2-1 with 20 minutes to go, but Schurrle’s goal finished them off just minutes after the home side had Jake Buxton sent-off.
The central defender tussled with Loic Remy and was red-carded by referee Jonathan Moss after consultation with his linesman.
Hazard had given Jose Mourinho’s men the lead with a cracking 22nd minute finish after a dreadful mistake by Derby skipper Richard Keogh.
And just as Derby threatened to haul themselves back into it, they were floored by a stunning free kick from Luis.
But Chelsea suffered a sickening blow right on half-time when Kurt Zouma, standing in for Gary Cahill was stretchered off after a horror clash with Petr Cech.
The Chelsea keeper raced out to punch away a Johnny Russell corner and cleared out everyone in his way.
Unfortunately Zouma took the full force of it and lay flat-out for a good five minutes receiving attention.
He lost a tooth and appeared to be concussed as he was eventually carried away by the most sedentary stretcher bearers ever seen.
It quickly became clear that Zouma would be taking no further part and was replaced by Branislav Ivanovic with only stoppage time remaining.
Derby looked reasonably comfortable in the early exchanges and certainly didn’t look out of their depth against a strong line-up for the Premier League leaders.
But all their good work came undone in the 22nd minute when skipper Richard Keogh was guilty of a needless error.
He was rushed into making a clearance close to the edge of his own box and ended up shunting the ball straight to Cesc Fabregas.
The midfielder seized on the opportunity to send Hazard in on goal and he really made The Rams pay for their lapse in concentration.
Hazard shuffled the ball into position right on the edge of the box and picked his spot to give keeper Lee Grant no chance with a low shot which tucked itself into the bottom corner of the net.
Four minutes later Grant was in the thick of things again, moving smartly to parry a well struck 18-yarder from Luis.
Keogh went some way to making amends for his cock-up on the half hour when he made a crucial block from Drogba to prevent Chelsea going further ahead.
Derby got in and around the Chelsea box on a number of occasions but that was about as far as they managed before they came against a wall of blue, refusing to let them have a crack at goal.
Chelsea’s record against lower ranked teams in this competition is impressive – they’ve won 14 and lost none of their last 16 ties.
And though Derby went into the game having lost only once at home all season, they didn’t need reminding that Mourinho’s men represented a massive step up in class.
But Derby came out firing after the break and Cech was forced to make a crucial save to prevent Will Hughes from equalising.
But in the 62nd minute Chelsea increased their lead with an absolute peach of a free kick from Luis.
He swept the ball over the wall from 22 yards and gave the keeper no chance as it sent the net bulging right in front of the travelling fans.
When Bryson sent a shot in off the post, suddenly there was hope they could take the league leaders to extra-time, but it didn’t last long.
Within minutes of Buxton taking the long walk, Chelsea wrapped things up when keeper Grant could only parry Loic Remy’s low shot straight into the path of Schurrle, who rammed it home from close in.
