Chelsea secured easy passage into the quarter-finals of the Carling Cup with a 4-0 win over Bolton at Stamford Bridge.
Carlo Ancelotti’s men were always in control against a side who lacked the quality and defensive nous to deal with the home side’s power and guile.
Salomon Kalou and Florent Malouda struck in the first half and, as Bolton rallied, Deco and Didier Drogba extended the lead beyond doubt with counter-attacking strikes.
A first XI including Michael Ballack, Deco, Malouda, Kalou, Joe Cole and Alex can hardly be described as second-string but it was weakened by the Premier League leaders’ high standards.