SACK the coach and return to winning ways was the plan – and it worked a treat for Chelsea under caretaker Roberto Di Matteo to send Chelsea through to the quarter-finals. Di Matteo made his name as an FA Cup hero in blue, but just so as no one gets the wrong idea, much of the game was lifeless and ordinary, but they did enough, which is more than could be said for departed Andre Villas-Boas' side in recent weeks.
Under as much scrutiny as the team were the fans at St Andrews.
Banners were unfurled pre-match that said 'Rafa not wanted, Special One needed' and 'play for the shirt, not your egos' and with the game barely a minute old before Jose Mourinho’s name was filling the night sky.
Anxious to avoid disrespect to the caretaker they followed this up with 'only one Di Matteo'.
But they also looked like a side with one dimension that was limited in possession and often delivered a touch more than a bit over-cooked.
Juan Mata (pic) and Ramires both had chances on goal – the latter pushed wide by a defender, with a deflection missed by the referee.
Di Matteo, for his part, spent the whole game almost motionless on the edge of his technical area, arms folded, making sure everybody could see who was in charge.
Ten minutes after the re-start, and Chelsea were still struggling. But, from out of nowhere, Ramires raced down the right to supply Salaman Kalou in the middle. The Ivorian fluffed his touch, striking it against a defender but Mata was there to strike home even if keeper Colin Doyle got a hand to the shot.
Six minutes later it was 0-2 as Raul Meireles set off a 25-yard rocket that left the keeper no chance.
Chelsea should have made it three moments later when Guirane N'Daw pulled down Fernando Torres in the box and ref Anthony Taylor awarded a penalty.
But Mata was no better with the 12-yarder than he had been the first game, and the spot-kick was saved by Doyle.
Another chance went begging when a Torres cross set-up sub Daniel Sturridge only for the England man to clip his own heels with the ball but set up a date with Leicester at home in the next round to be played a week Sunday.
