MEANS TO AN ENZ

LIAM ROSENIOR can finally take a moment to breathe and start planning for a trip to Wembley.

A visit from soon-to-be League Two side Port Vale threatened to make an already bad few weeks so much worse.

These ties are a lose-lose for the big boys, especially when you are under the gun as Rosenior has been.

The Blues boss has only been in post for three months but it will have felt like a lifetime. Not just because of the games, but the nonsense noise the club have created themselves.

There is nothing to really celebrate about the Club World Cup winners beating a team of freebies from the Potteries, but defeat would have taken the noise to a new level.

After four defeats before players headed off with their countries, the international break was supposed to be a moment to relax and reflect.

That was when Enzo Fernandez and Marc Cucurella decided to indulge in some friendly fire, turning their guns on the lack of experience in the squad and flirting with clubs in Spain.Rosenior dropped the nice-guy act at last and banned Fernandez not only for the FA Cup but next week’s clash with Manchester City.

The angry Argentine sat in a £420 cap, grinning behind the Blues dugout — dubbed the “naughty spot” by a cheeky BBC commentaor – and chatting away with partner-in-crime Cucurella, who was named on the bench.

Up against all that, with belief falling away from Stamford Bridge, this went as well as it could have done for Chelsea and Rosenior.

He said after the 8-2 aggregate thumping by Paris Saint-Germain that he struggled to sleep. This week should be a lot easier.

Seven goals, one inside two minutes, six different goalscorers, a clean sheet and a debut given to one of their bright talents in Ryan Kavuma-McQueen. Port Vale’s dream lasted just 63 seconds.

The 6,000 travelling supporters had filled the Shed End hoping for a miracle from a side which had not cost the club a penny and is propping up League One.

Jon Brady’s team was made up of eight free transfers, two loanees and one academy graduate, up against a Blues XI which cost £402million in fees with all bar one of them capped at international level.

There was little hope for them, but for that first minute there would have been some belief in the away end.

Jorrel Hato quickly burst that bubble, bundling in after Vale goalkeeper Joe Gauci had flapped at and failed to clear a Pedro Neto corner inside two minutes.

The visitors dug in well for a spell after that, creating a couple of their own openings, but handed the Blues another on 25 minutes.

After Andrey Santos fed Pedro Neto down the right, the winger shoved Liam Gordon over far too easily and squared for Joao Pedro, who feinted before finishing in the corner.

Vale and been dogged, but lapsed at the crucial moments, making this a breeze to Wembley for the Blues who never needed to get out of first gear.

After weeks of being battered and bruised across Europe, this was a stroll in the spring sunshine.

Their afternoon was made all the more comfortable just before the break as Jordan Lawrence-Gabriel’s own goal made it three.

That was the first move in which Chelsea had really turned the style on, with Malo Gusto flicking to Pedro, before claiming the ball back for the striker. His shot was saved but fell for Cole Palmer – captain for the first time – whose effort struck the Vale defender and went in.

Rosenior started sending on the substitutes not long after the break, but it did not slow the Blues’ progress to the final four.

Rosenior knows that, with Manchester City and Manchester United to come in the league, the noise and nonsense will soon return.

For now, he can at least get some kip — Sun.