What we learnt: Chelsea 4-0 Brentford

Chelsea v Brentford - The Emirates FA Cup Fourth RoundLoftus-Cheek needs some shooting practice – The youngster missed a hatful of chances against Brentford, testing Bees goalkeeper Daniel Bentley twice as well as hitting the bar in a game somewhat reminiscent of last rounds 4-1 win over Peterborough where Loftus-Cheek also missed some glorious chances to open his Chelsea account for the season. He showed good movement and anticipation to get into such dangerous positions, but his final ball was severely lacking.

Batshuayi’s not the finished article – Despite scoring his fifth goal in just five starts for Chelsea, Batshuayi has a long way to go if he’s to emulate the heroics of Diego Costa and Didier Drogba before him. His hold up play was dreadful, with his first touch letting him down on several occasions, whilst his movement was non-existent, and as a result brought criticism from both the crowd and his own players. You can see just why Conte fancies playing Hazard up top instead of Batshuayi.

Nathan Ake has to feature more regularly – Although Brentford didn’t really pose much of a threat, it was Ake’s confidence on the ball which shone through, as he played himself out of tight corners with confidence and precision. His aerial presence was also to be admired, winning almost all of his duels in the air. The perfect performance on his first start for the club in three years.

Conte has a tough decision to make over Willian and Pedro – Tuesday night’s game against Liverpool is, in essence, a must not lose fixture, but still, the decision remains over who will start at right-wing; Pedro or Willian? The pair both scored against Brentford, which means they have now scored in back-to-back rounds in the FA Cup this season. Willian’s goal was arguably better, a sensational free-kick to open the scoring, but Pedro’s coolness in front of goal to slot home had the markings of a natural goal scorer. In my opinion, it should probably be Pedro who starts at Anfield, as he offers more of a defensive option following his exploits at left wing-back so far this season. Willian’s rampaging runs and bursts of pace are more suited to when Chelsea need to chase a game, much like when the Brazilian came on and scored against Manchester City.

The perfect send-off for a true Chelsea legend – What a way to say goodbye to the club you have served so valiantly, to score a goal and win a penalty in front of a rapturous Matthew Harding stand after coming on as a substitute. Branislav Ivanovic has given us so many great memories over the years – his winning goal against Napoli, the Champions League brace against Liverpool or his winner against Manchester City, the list goes on. His protracted move to either Zenit St Petersburg or West Brom looks set to go ahead, and as a result, Chelsea must wave goodbye to yet another member of the heroic and illustrious Chelsea side that won the club’s maiden Champions League in Munich five years ago.

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