Stoke City vs Chelsea: Five things we learned from the Potters' League Cup victory

Eden Hazard's performance shows team still care about their manager Jose Mourinho

Chelsea's Baba Rahman vies with Mame Biram Diouf (Reuters)

Unlucky Hazard highlights hunger

Last season’s Footballer of the Year has failed to reach his lofty standards this season but he could not be faulted for a lack of effort last night. He was involved in much of Chelsea’s best work, from the moment he surged past three Stoke shirts and set up an early chance for Diego Costa. The Belgian worked tirelessly, and in the face of one or two robust challenges, kept on trying the little twists away from opponents and flicks to team-mates. It was not just Hazard – Chelsea showed an appetite for the battle which suggests they are still playing for their manager. For much of the match it seemed they would not get their reward, as the missed chances piled up, but eventually it came with Loic Remy’s late equaliser. Sadly for Hazard, the night still ended in dismay with his decisive penalty saved by Jack Butland.

Stoke banking on Butland

Before kick-off Gordon Banks was among the members of Stoke’s 1972 League Cup-winning side presented to the home crowd. The World Cup winner will have enjoyed what he saw from Stoke’s latest England goalkeeper, Butland. On the night Asmir Begovic returned to the Potteries, Butland showed why he is proving a more than able replacement for the Bosnian international. He stuck out a leg to foil Diego Costa early in the match, the first in a succession of important stops right through to his fingertip save from Kenedy right at the end of extra time and then his matchwinning penalty save from Hazard. As for Begovic, he is having a less happy time at the Bridge. He saved well from Walters in the first half but could do nothing about the Irish international’s winner – when his cause was not helped by Gary Cahill’s failure to get close to the striker. It was another of the little defensive lapses that have added up for Chelsea this term and as a result it means Begovic’s eight away games as a Chelsea player have brought just one clean sheet.

No tinkering but no Fabregas

It was the League Cup that gave Mourinho his first trophy in England. The same pot brought the first silverware of his current tenure too and last night it offered hope of respite. Even before kick-off his selection had underlined that this really did matter. Whereas in the last round at Walsall, there were opportunities for fringe players Radamel Falcao, Loic Remy, Kenedy and Baba Rahman, here there were fewer changes – Rahman did start but otherwise it was a strong starting lineup. The telling omission was that of Cesc Fabregas. One question that Stamford Bridge regulars have been asking of late is why the 28-year-old has managed to be an ever present in the Premier League this season, despite a string of underwhelming performances. He has started every league game yet at West Ham was taken off at half-time and paid the price last night when he did not even make the bench.

Jose’s penalty woes

Mourinho and penalty shoot-outs do not really go. With Chelsea he lost a Champions League semi-final against Liverpool on penalties. He suffered the same fate with Real Madrid in a 2012 Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich. After this defeat he bemoaned his sheer bad luck noting that “the semi-final with Chelsea was Arjen Robben, a fantastic penalty taker” and “with Real it was Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka, and now it is our best penalty taker [Hazard] but the last thing I do is to blame”.

Sign him up

Is there a harder-working striker in the top division than Jon Walters? The Stoke striker’s sixth goal for club and country this season was certainly spectacular but this is a player who will do the dirty work all night long in the cause of his team. Ten years ago he was playing for Wrexham yet at 32, he can ruffle the feathers of the best. He might have killed Chelsea off when flashing a shot just over the crossbar and it was only after he had left the field – to a standing ovation – that the Londoners snatched their equaliser. Walters is in the final year of his contract at the club and yet to agree a new deal and if not at Stoke, he could surely do a job for a long list of other clubs.