With a look at the semi-final match statistics and maps, we analyse how the Blues were able to achieve a record-setting win against the south Londoners and what changed between the two halves at Wembley…
Thomas Tuchel knows how to win semi-finals, that much is clear.
Yesterday at Wembley our head coach succeeded for the 11th time in 11 attempts at this stage of knockout competitions spread across his native Germany, when he was working in France at PSG, and now at Chelsea where he has contested two FA Cup semis as well as ones in the Champions League, Club World Cup and Carabao Cup.
It did however need some quick work from Tuchel at half-time against Palace to ensure our passage into our 16th FA Cup final. For the start of the game our opponents Crystal Palace switched from the 4-3-3 shape that had got them so far to a 3-5-2 formation, with Cheikhou Kouyate moving back from midfield to become one of three central defenders.
