Chelsea's familiar profligacy proves their undoing as Man City book FA Cup final spot

If one were to find themselves utterly flummoxed by Manchester City's unexpected elimination from the Champions League at the hands of a fortuitous Real Madrid on Wednesday, their bewilderment would have only deepened when witnessing City's narrow victory over Chelsea to secure a spot in the FA Cup final on Saturday.  

Pep Guardiola's weary stars put forth a lackluster performance as they sought to rebound from their midweek disappointment. What stood out most was City's complete lack of control. They appeared disjointed and fatigued – a clear residue of their grueling 120-plus minutes against Madrid and the subsequent penalty shootout.  

From start to finish, City found themselves thrust into an unfamiliar, uncomfortable realm. The match felt chaotic, unbridled, almost as if it had been orchestrated to favor the wildly erratic Chelsea. The Blues posed a continuous threat, creating golden opportunities, particularly for Nicolas Jackson. However, the lingering question remains as to why they couldn't capitalize on those chances. 

Though it may come across as harsh, the stark reality is that Chelsea once again fell short at Wembley, with many of their wounds being self-inflicted. Their latest defeat was filled with moments that left supporters pondering "what if." One such moment came when Enzo Fernandez played a perfect pass to Jackson, who curiously hesitated to take a shot, raising questions about his earlier childish insistence on taking a penalty off Cole Palmer against Everton.  

The thoughts of Chelsea fans must have been running wild when Conor Gallagher once again set up Jackson, who was thwarted by a save from Ortega, the opposing goalkeeper. In the ensuing play, Palmer delivered a cross from the right, and Jackson's tame point-blank header was met with a block. Meanwhile, John Stones denied Noni Madueke's shot, and Palmer showcased his mesmerizing skills, evading Rodri and creating an opportunity to shoot, only to be denied by a diving Ortega.

City then seized their moment. It was always perilous to leave the door ajar for the ruthless nature of a formidable team, even if they appeared fatigued and merely operating on autopilot. Bernardo Silva, who had experienced the agony of a woeful penalty in the shootout on Wednesday, was now granted a chance for redemption. 

Silva advanced toward the Chelsea area with determination, and with a well-timed pass from Jeremy Doku, Kevin de Bruyne delivered a low cross that was parried out by Djordje Petrovic. In a stroke of fortune, the ball deflected off Silva and found its way into the net, prompting Guardiola to jubilantly punch the air.

City will go on to face either Manchester United or Coventry in the FA Cup final on May 25, depending on the outcome of their match on Sunday. This will mark City's 13th appearance in the final of this competition, and there is the intriguing possibility of a rematch of last year's exhilarating 2-1 victory over United in the Manchester derby at Wembley.

On the other hand, Chelsea once again saw an opportunity slip through their fingers. Wembley, once a place of joyous triumphs for them, has turned into a nightmare in recent seasons. They lost the 2019 League Cup final to City, the 2020 FA Cup final to Arsenal, the 2021 FA Cup final to Leicester City, the 2022 League and FA Cup finals to Liverpool in penalty shootouts, the League Cup final to Liverpool this season, and now this setback.

While Chelsea often proves themselves capable of holding their own against top-tier rivals on significant occasions, their notable lack of ruthlessness has consistently impeded their progress. It's important to recognize that the team remains a work in progress under the stewardship of Mauricio Pochettino. 

Despite enduring a challenging debut season at Stamford Bridge and yet to claim any silverware in England, Pochettino undoubtedly requires patience to fully implement his vision and bring about success for the club. The lingering question, though, is whether he will be granted the necessary time to achieve his objectives.