Chelsea superstars Eden Hazard and Diego Costa didn’t start in today’s 4-2 FA Cup semifinal triumph over Tottenham Hotspur, but instead came on in the 61′.
Hazard fired home the game-winning goal in the 75′ with Blues boss Antonio Conte admitting in the postgame that the master plan was to indeed bring Hazard off the bench and hopefully provide a spark.
“Our plan was this. I tried also to tell our players to stay in the game, because (if) we pass more time (on the clock), it was better for us.
“Then I decided last 30 minutes to put Eden and Diego in, and then Cesc (Fabregas), because don’t forget Cesc was very important also for us,” the Italian said of his agenda for his club that was slightly favored over their London rivals.
“I must be pleased because in this game I involved all my players in our idea, in our football. I think it’s very important in this part of the season that everyone, every single player, feels a part of this project.”
“In this part of the season when you know you have to play three tough games (in a week), you must make strong decisions and take responsibility to make these decisions. It’s not easy to decide to start the game without two important players, Hazard and Diego, but I think you must take this responsibility and you must involve your players in your plan and then take this risk.”
Chelsea got two goals from Willian in the first half, and later an insurance goal from Nemanja Matic in the 80′ at Wembley Stadium to secure passage to the FA Cup final.
The utilization of Eden Hazard ultimately proved to be a brilliant move by Conte. Last weekend, Conte lost the battle of wits to Jose Mourinho in a 2-0 loss to Manchester United, so he certainly could have used this tactical triumph today. Chelsea will take on the winner of Sunday’s Arsenal-Manchester City FA Cup semifinal. The Citizens are favored in that contest.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times and NBC Chicago.com, contributes to Chicago Tribune.com, Bold, WGN CLTV and KOZN.
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