When forwards fail, Chelsea’s defense answers - Trip to Wales for the EFL Cup
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Reading Time: 3min | Tue. 16.12.25. | 15:48
Chelsea’s forwards are in catastrophic form, highlighted by the fact that in the Premier League the defense has scored six more than them
Tuesday night brings an intriguing EFL Cup quarter-final, as Chelsea travel to Cardiff City in the competition’s lone tie that does not feature two Premier League sides. A place in the semi-finals is at stake, but the spotlight is firmly on the visitors — and not entirely for the right reasons.
Quarter-final action. 👊🔜#CFC | #CarabaoCup pic.twitter.com/pnB5lH8wTp
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) December 16, 2025
Chelsea arrive in Wales having finally snapped a four-game winless run, yet optimism around Stamford Bridge remains fragile. The Blues’ journey through the League Cup has been far from convincing: narrow, one-goal escapes against Lincoln City and Wolves have done little to inspire confidence, while the wild 4–3 victory over Wolverhampton exposed the same defensive and mental lapses that continue to plague Enzo Maresca’s side. Even a routine 2–0 league win over Everton failed to fully shift the narrative, overshadowed by Maresca’s fiery post-match remarks and growing tension around the club.
🚨 Enzo Maresca has opened up on this being his "WORST 48 hours" at Chelsea! 😳👀 pic.twitter.com/s70LargzB7
— CaughtOffside (@caughtoffside) December 13, 2025
The biggest concern, however, lies up front. Chelsea’s attacking line is in deep crisis. Their Premier League starting strikers have managed just one goal combined, a statistic that places them dead last (20th) in the division for striker output.
Remarkably, Chelsea’s defenders and midfielders top the league in goals scored, underlining just how dysfunctional the forward line has become. Goals are coming — just not from those whose primary job it is to score them.
🚨Chelsea’s goals by position so far in the PL. [sky] pic.twitter.com/9novgGiWTJ
— CFCDaily (@CFCDaily) December 15, 2025
Cardiff, by contrast, approach the tie with momentum and belief. Brian Barry-Murphy’s side are enjoying a strong cup run and are chasing a fourth straight win, with history beckoning. The Bluebirds have not reached a League Cup semi-final since the 2011–12 season, when they eventually fell to Liverpool on penalties in the final. Already this campaign, Cardiff have eliminated Premier League opposition, earning their place as the lowest-ranked side left in the competition.
Victories over Swindon Town, Cheltenham Town, Burnley and Wrexham have propelled Cardiff into the last eight for just the third time in their history. While Chelsea have dominated recent head-to-head meetings — winning the last five encounters — cup football offers no guarantees, especially when confidence and cohesion are flowing in one camp and clearly lacking in the other.
Neil Warnock was fuming the last time Chelsea visited Cardiff City in March 2019.
— The Athletic | Football (@TheAthleticFC) December 16, 2025
Victor Camarasa had given relegation-threatened Cardiff the lead against Maurizio Sarri's side, but the Welsh outfit, who had a strong penalty shout waved away after Antonio Rudiger pulled Sean… pic.twitter.com/2Jee4lela7
For Chelsea, this is more than a quarter-final. It is another test of character, structure, and — above all — whether their misfiring attackers can finally answer the most uncomfortable question surrounding the club right now: who is going to score the goals?
EFL CUP - QUARTER-FINALS
Tuesday
23.00: (8.50) Cardiff (5.50) Chelsea (1.33)
Wednesday
22.30: (1.40) Man.City (5.00) Brentford (7.00)
23.15: (1.75) Newcastle (3.60) Fulham (4.90)
Tuesday (23.12)
23.00: (1.53) Arsenal (4.10) Crystal Palace (6.50)
***odds are subject to change***
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