Hato shows he can solve long-standing left-back problem at Chelsea with incredible display v Charlton | OneFootball

Chelsea claimed a convincing 5-1 win over Charlton Athletic in the FA Cup to advance to the next round.

The Blues made light work of the Championship side on Liam Rosenior’s debut in the dugout.

Chelsea struggled to break down the opposition at first, but Jorrel Hato broke the deadlock with a stunning volley just before the half-time break.

The West Londoners then cruised to victory.

Tosin Adarabioyo, Marc Guiu, Pedro Neto, and  Enzo Fernandez all netted to give the FIFA Club World Cup champions an easy passage to round four.

However, the role Hato played in this victory cannot be overstated.

The Chelsea left-back netted his first goal on his 12th appearance for the West Londoners and put in arguably his best performance for the club.

Hato has looked like a fish out of water since his summer switch to Stamford Bridge, but has begun to find his groove.

Against Charlton, Hato was one of the standout players on the pitch. Besides the goal, he could have scored another.

The 19-year-old also won 5/9 duels and made some important blocks to help his side win the tie.

Hato stepped into midfield effortlessly and helped win the battles in the engine room, showing his versatility.

Hato can solve long-standing left-back problem at Chelsea

Since Marc Cucurella’s arrival, the club has struggled to establish a reliable, natural back-up at left-back, often relying on makeshift solutions.

That lack of depth has been exposed across multiple competitions in recent seasons.

However, against Charlton, Hato looked every inch a modern Premier League left-back, comfortable defensively, progressive in possession and intelligent in his positioning.

His ability to tuck into midfield, while still providing width when required, offers Rosenior genuine tactical flexibility.

If Hato can build on this momentum, Chelsea may have an internal solution to a problem that has lingered far too long and one he appears capable of solving with aplomb.

Lauded as a ‘tremendous talent’ at Ajax, he must be keen to show the new boss what he can do.