Chelsea ease past Morecambe into FA Cup fourth round

For all the debate about this FA Cup third round, at a trying time for football, it ended up proving useful for both Chelsea and Morecambe. 

Frank Lampard got a badly needed and confidence-boosting win - a necessity indicated by a strong starting line-up - while Timo Werner got a first goal in 12 games. 

Morecambe meanwhile made the German and his teammates work for every minute of this eventual 4-0 win, a result that ended up seeming a little harsh on them due to the discipline of their defending.

It may not have been the full Stamford Bridge experience in the circumstances, but it was a good FA Cup experience for Derek Adams’s team, and there was even the temporary hint of something greater as they did frustrate Chelsea for the opening period. 

There was the one thrill that these games should idealistically provide, as Adam Phillips almost put Morecambe ahead with an ambitious effort from out wide that came close to catching Kepa Arrizabalaga out. 

The goalkeeper was one of few Lampard sops to the idea that this was a game to be taken lightly, as all of Werner, Kai Havertz, Mason Mount and the brilliant Hakim Ziyech started.

He evidently needed this, and really didn’t need any kind of difficulty.

The game was over in terms of any kind of suspense as early as the 18th minute, as Mason Mount put Chelsea ahead, for a lead that was never going to be levelled. The team’s play hadn’t been spectacular up to that point but Mount’s finish was divine. Picking up the ball about 25 yards from goal, the midfielder let fly with a sweet and sweeping low effort that flew into the bottom corner. Goalkeeper Mark Halstead didn’t even have the chance to change his positioning.

Morecambe’s contained approach had ensured it was almost a long-range shooting contest rather than a contest between the teams, although this resilience was to their credit. It also ensured it was the perfect kind of platform of a game for Ziyech.

With all of the Morecambe players in their box, he was left the freedom of the area outside to try and pick out gaps and pick his way through them with perfect passes. He is also the type of creator who rarely fails in doing so. Ziyech also greatly backs himself.

This is why he is fast becoming one of the most entertaining players in England, up there with Jack Grealish, and a successor to David Silva. A game against Morecambe doesn’t exactly involve a test of his talents, but it did allow an exhibition of them.

One of Ziyech’s best moments was one that didn’t actually make its target, a supreme slide-rule pass that opened up the entire Morecambe box, but was cut out just before Callum Hudson-Odoi could get there.

The playmaker was just trying this kind of thing repeatedly, greatly elevating the spectacle, and a slightly trudging Chelsea as a team. It was of course a Ziyech cross that brought the second goal, finding Kai Havertz at the back post to head down for Werner to finally claim that finish. It was his first in 12 games for Chelsea and 13 for club and country.

It never developed into any kind of shooting gallery or game to rack up goals, though. That was partly because of Chelsea’s form, but mostly because of Morecambe’s diligence and resilience. They didn’t cave, through the increasing lead, or the decreasing energy levels. That attitude was demonstrated by captain Aaron Wildig throughout the second half, imploring his teammates to “see it through”. Chelsea were finding it difficult to work their way through. They didn’t have the freedom of the pitch, and still had to create.

Ziyech duly did, another of his indulgently inventive passes eventually finding Hudson-Odoi to make it 3-0.

Havertz then finally got his goal - a towering header - to complete a day with sufficient merit for both sides.