Michael Carrick does not like the Golden Generation comparisons. Little wonder, he is making a fine job of management.

He joked this week that the media never considered him part of that set as a player. Now, he is distancing himself from their managerial travails all on his own.

Carrick is good, and so are his team. They were brilliant value for the lead they will take to Stamford Bridge in a fortnight’s time. In his first full season in the dugout, the Middlesbrough boss is one game away from taking a seat at Wembley.

He needs that less than Mauricio Pochettino, but Carrick’s players certainly wanted it more than the Argentine’s. They really are a witless bunch, proof that you can buy players but you cannot buy a team.

Chelsea were booed by some of their own fans on full-time. It was a surprise they had waited until then. It felt for too long as if they were playing with the complacency of knowing a second leg is to come. Their manager might not have a leg to stand on if they fail to turn the tie around.

Middlesbrough enjoyed a famous 1-0 win over Chelsea in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg

Middlesbrough enjoyed a famous 1-0 win over Chelsea in the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg

Chelsea are left with work to do in the second leg after being frustrated by the Championship outfit on Tuesday night

Chelsea are left with work to do in the second leg after being frustrated by the Championship outfit on Tuesday night

Midfielder Hayden Hackney put Middlesbrough ahead in the 37th minute against Chelsea

Midfielder Hayden Hackney put Middlesbrough ahead in the 37th minute against Chelsea

Isaiah Jones' cross was slotted home from six yards out by the late-arriving Hackney

Isaiah Jones’ cross was slotted home from six yards out by the late-arriving Hackney

Pochettino said beforehand that Chelsea needed to treat their Championship opponents like they were the best team in the world. Maybe his side took that instruction too literally – because it was only when Boro scored through Hayden Hackney in the 37th minute did they try to exert any of the superiority that should have been evident from the off.

But as Chelsea dug in late on in search of an equaliser, Boro shoved them in a hole. Their early flair had made way for resistance and how their supporters enjoyed it, even if this is just half-time.

Hackney was the scorer, but their star man was midfielder Dan Barlaser. Not far behind in contributing to Boro’s advantage was Chelsea’s Cole Palmer. His miss in first-half stoppage-time drew laughter from the home crowd, a volley over the crossbar from three yards after Tom Glover had spilt a shot into his path. 

Palmer was not laughing and nor was he earlier in the half when intercepting Jonny Howson’s errant pass – his only misstep of the night – and, with just Glover to beat, the England forward dragged wide.

Cole Palmer missed a sitter for Chelsea in first-half against Middlesbrough on Tuesday night

Cole Palmer missed a sitter for Chelsea in first-half against Middlesbrough on Tuesday night

Palmer fired over the bar with the goal gaping after Tom Glover spilled Enzo Fernandez's shot

Palmer fired over the bar with the goal gaping after Tom Glover spilled Enzo Fernandez’s shot

Chelsea midfielder Palmer dragged another effort wide in the first-half with just Glover to beat

Chelsea midfielder Palmer dragged another effort wide in the first-half with just Glover to beat

MATCH FACTS

MIDDLESBROUGH (3-4-2-1): Glover 6; Van den Berg 7, Fry 7, Engel 7; Jones 7, BARLASER 8, Howson 7, Bangura 6 (Clarke 20min, 6.5); Hackney 7, Crooks 6.5; Latte Lath (Coburn 5, 6.5).

Scorer: Hackney 37.

Manager: Michael Carrick 8.

CHELSEA (4-3-3): Petrovic 6; Gusto 5 (Gilchrist 90), Disasi 5, Silva 5.5, Colwill 5; Fernandez 5 (Broja 63, 5), Gallagher 6, Caicedo 5; Madueke 5.5 (Mudryk 63, 5), Palmer 5, Sterling 6.

Booked: Colwill.

Manager: Mauricio Pochettino 5.

Referee: Samuel Barrott 7.

But do not be fooled into thinking this was a catalogue of missed chances, either. Chelsea forced only one save from Glover in the second half and, on this evidence, the contest rests at 50-50.

Those odds were heavily weighted in Chelsea’s favour before kick-off. Boro had gone from the plum draw of Port Vale in the quarter-final to the bitter lemon of the Blues. They had lost their previous nine against the West Londoners. 

Not just that, the last time they met in this competition was in the final of 1998, a 2-0 defeat. That was Paul Gascoigne’s debut and, despite being a second-tier side, he was one of seven internationals. Here, that number was zero, highlighting the gulf between the teams. Not that you would have known.

Pochettino naming two goalkeepers on a bench of one substitute less than the number permitted did not garner much sympathy, not when they started with two midfielders in Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo who both cost north of £100million.

Completing the midfield was Conor Gallagher, and you suspect Pochettino is using the captain’s armband as barbed wire around a player he wants to keep this month. The club, however, fancy the ‘pure profit’ of selling an academy graduate in an FFP world.

There is another way to beat off-the-pitch restrictions, and that is to perform better than Chelsea currently are on it. They started how they intended to continue – badly. Malo Gusto attempted to head back to his goalkeeper inside 30 seconds, at least that’s what you assumed he meant. 

The hosts were forced to make a second change when Alex Bangura was forced off by injury

The hosts were forced to make a second change when Alex Bangura was forced off by injury

The left-back made such a mess of it that Boro’s Emmanuel Latte Lathe found himself in the clear. Maybe the Ivorian was caught cold – it was 2C on kick-off – because Axel Disasi made enough ground to distract the striker, whose weak shot was gathered by Djordje Petrovic.

It was only on viewing a replay did you realise why Latte Lathe had stayed down – the connection of Disasi’s studs on his ankle. Would VAR intervene? Well, it might have done had the absence of the technology at the Riverside Stadium not led the EFL to remove it from both semi-finals.

Carrick spoke on the eve of the game about his key belief being to encourage his players to express themselves. They must have been listening, because the hosts strutted their way to a deserved lead. 

Middlesbrough striker Emmanuel Latte Lath went off after being caught by Axel Disasi

Middlesbrough striker Emmanuel Latte Lath went off after being caught by Axel Disasi

IT’S ALL KICKING OFF! 

It’s All Kicking Off is an exciting new podcast from Mail Sport that promises a different take on Premier League football, with a show every Monday and Thursday this season.

It is available on MailOnline, Mail+, YouTube , Apple Music and Spotify

Barlaser dropped a ball of perfect weight for Isaiah Jones to chase and the winger turned Levi Colwill inside and out before rolling into the goalmouth for Hackney to turn home.

The scorer only returned last week after six weeks out, and with it returned the Premier League talent spotters. They were here again last night and, while the 21-year-old will remain this month – especially given the possibility of a Carabao Cup final – he will almost certainly be playing in the top-flight next season. Boro will need promotion for that to be with their club.

You would not bet against that with Carrick continuing to make a name for himself, and this was his best yet. Pochettino, meanwhile, is starting to look more like the Golden Generation he once played against.

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Post source: Daily mail

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