Chelsea ran riot in the opening quarter of an hour, grabbing two quick goals through Mason Mount and Callum Hudson-Odoi, then added a third just before half-time through Reece James. It was a half as perfect as we could’ve hoped for, living fully up to our billing as overwhelming favorites.
It was not lost on anyone that all three goal-scorers were Cobham boys, of course. Fitting on any day, but especially on the 25th anniversary of Matthew Harding’s untimely death. He would’ve loved this, undoubtedly.
Chelsea didn’t let up in the second half either, with Ben Chilwell adding a fourth and then a Hudson-Odoi cross getting deflected in for an own goal. Norwich then had a man sent off for a second yellow, and truly the only question was how many more we’d get.
The answer? Two more, both from Mason Mount, one from the penalty spot (at the second time of asking, which perhaps was the only thing that didn’t go exactly to plan today).
So, truly a great day.
Carefree.
- Handful of changes from midweek, some enforced with Lukaku and Werner injured. Havertz and Hudson-Odoi come in for them, while Chalobah, Kovačić, and James rotate in.
- Like-for-like changes in RLC for Jorginho, Ziyech for CHO, and Barkley for Havertz as the “center forward”
- That’s 18 different goalscorers now, if you’re counting, with Mount and Hudson-Odoi getting their firsts of the season.
- Padding that goal difference well today! Mount lowkey hat-trick, too, after not scoring at all so far this season.
- Kovačić with a couple nice assists. RLC, Jorginho, Mount also in the official assist-log.
- Last time we scored 7 in a game was against Grimsby Town in the League Cup in September 2019. Last time we won by 7 or more was in the 8-0 against Aston Villa in December 2012.
- Clean sheet!
- Chelsea first of the top teams to play this weekend, four-point gap to Liverpool, for now. They play Manchester United tomorrow.
- Next up: Southampton on Tuesday in the League Cup fourth round
- KTBFFH
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