Chelsea vs Tottenham: Five things we learned as Sarri edges Pochettino in penalty pot-luck

David Luiz scored the winning penalty to set up a Chelsea vs Manchester City Carabao Cup final next month

Chelsea defeated Tottenham 4-2 on penalties to reach the Carabao Cup final after a cagey match ended 2-1 to the Blues, leaving the two sides level on aggregate.

Chelsea rebounded positively after Maurizio Sarri's midweek shellacking and capitalised on a dominant start to take the lead after 27 minutes, when N’golo Kante eeked a close-range shot through three pairs of legs and into the net.

Ten minutes later and Eden Hazard doubled the lead as he latched onto Cesar Azpilicueta’s cross to put Chelsea ahead on aggregate.

It looked as if the Blues might run away with it, but then just five minutes after the interval, as Spurs benefitted from a switch to a back-five, Danny Rose’s cross found the forehead of Fernando Llorente whose header arrowed into the net to put the tie on even keel.

A tense half-an-hour followed with both teams becoming cagier as the prospect of penalties loomed, with Olivier Giroud missing a golden opportunity to snatch the win in the dying minute of the match.

The miss would, in the end, prove meaningless though, and Chelsea will now meet Manchester City in the final next month.

Here are five things we learned..

The David Luiz conundrum

You know what’s going to happen. You’re mentally prepared, you’ve seen it already 100 times this season, you’ve played against it. Chelsea are going to recoup possession in the final third, David Luiz is going to linger back like a fly-half waiting for a drop-kick, and then he’s going to launch a cross-field ball, more often than not to Pedro.

Yet, within 10 minutes, Luiz had already played three such balls with frequent success. Even Eric Dier’s attempt to stamp on his ankle couldn’t deter his throwing leg. It’s an impossible equation, to always have a man up top pressing him, running your own striker ragged and stunting your own attack. Or do you drop deeper, cluster the pockets the Brazilian loves to target, and squeeze out space yet simultaneously relinquish your hold on the midfield. There’s no easy answer and that’s what has made Luiz so successful this season. The player who has made more through balls in the league than any other, and shows no sign of stopping.

Tottenham’s risqué full-backs

As early as three minutes into the match, David Luiz collected the loose ball and looked up to his right, in preparation of launching one of those same long balls to see Ben Davies so far forward the Brazilian may have been struggling to locate him. He duly looped a ball over the top and Pedro raced through and may well have scored if it weren’t for a fine save from Paolo Gazzaniga.

Ten minutes later, and an almost mirage image occurred on Tottenham’s right-hand side, with Serge Aurier lost somewhere looking to attack on the right wing. It was a pattern which became so carelessly frequent in the first half, with Eden Hazard and Pedro running full reign on either flank often left to charge one-on-one against Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen. And, as Spurs need to chase the game intensified, the avenues continued to become easier to exploit, with Danny Rose’s introduction in place of Ben Davies making little difference. Spurs’ own willingness to charge forward and break through the wings, leading to their downfall.

David Luiz dictated Chelsea’s attacks from the base of defence (AP)

Moussa Sissoko bolsters the midfield, but leaves injured again

There seemed to be solace for Mauricio Pochettino‘s injury-ravaged side after the quick return of Moussa Sissoko tonight, returning ahead of schedule after being forced off during Spurs defeat against Manchester United at Wembley.

The Frenchman again proved so integral to Spurs’ transition between defence and attack, adding a heavyweight box-to-box presence in the midfield, dangerous when driving forwards directly but also in doing the dirty work, covering at right-back when Aurier maraudered forward. Currently, he is one of the finest midfielders in the league, offering a dynamism that the likes of Eric Dier never could.

But then, in the second half, Sissoko limped off seeming to be struggling with the same groin strain that has hampered him recently. How long can Spurs survive without replacements while grinding themselves down to the last sinew.

Attacking Kante scores again, but at what cost?

N’golo Kante scored his fourth goal of the season – last season he only scored one - but at what cost does the attacking version of the Frenchman come? When displaced from his usual anchor role in midfield, Kante can often become lost in the game, shunted beyond the midfield corridor he is so unparalleled in martialing.

Tonight, though, Kante showed how he has steadily adapted to his new position, commanding the midfielder, the engine which keeps Chelsea ticking. But at what cost does it come in the long-term? Surely, Chelsea undermine themselves by limiting a PFL Player of the Year, the defender with the self-replenishing tank, to half an ignition?

A battle between second-choice strikers

It could well have been billed as the battle between disgruntled second choice strikers at Stamford Bridge. Fernando Llorente, who has craved a Spanish homecoming for months, if not years, and Oliver Giroud, who admitted he’s struggled with playing backup.

It was Llorente who scored Tottenham’s first goal tonight, while Giroud did the unsung work, the interplay which freed Hazard allowing the Belgian to breathe back on the wing. But neither seized the occasion as their own, Llorente missing a great chance in the second half before being withdrawn, Giroud with the greatest of them all, a free header in the final minute. He should have scored.

Gonzalo Higuain waved to the stands at Stamford Bridge prior to kick-off, the Blues have their replacement, they’ve got the former Galactico. Tottenham wait desperately on the return of their talisman, Harry Kane, and tonight proved that their longevity is so much more fragile without bringing in a temporary replacement.