One moment in the 16th minute captured the story of the match. Harry Kane picked up the ball in Chelsea’s half, still far away from the box, and took a low shot that seemed to be heading straight into Luiz’s legs. Bizarrely, however, the Brazilian stepped out of the shot’s path, seemingly dummying his own goal keeper as the shot whizzed into the bottom left-corner. This moment captured Chelsea’s disarray perfectly as their own complacency and general lethargy sank them.
To somebody who only saw the score-line of this hyped up fixture, it may seem like a surprise that high-flying Chelsea lost, but to anyone watching, the only surprise was that the score-line didn’t read 5-1.
Chelsea’s Disinterest
Going into this match, Chelsea were unbeaten, and were at third place, only 5 points behind leaders Man City. Praise was being heaped on them and on their manager Sarri who rejuvenated a seemingly drab Chelsea side. All this praise was very much deserved.
However, blame it on their position in the league or the international break, the biggest reason why Chelsea lost this match was due to pure disinterest. Chelsea was slow and irrational early on and they never seemed to recover from the two early first-half goals.
After the first two goals, Chelsea behaved like a child about to miss their school bus – concerned, but not interested. Things seemed to improve early in the second half, but after Son’s goal, it was worse than ever. The defence looked like they were expecting attacks and retreated unfazed, as Tottenham had two great chances for a goal.
Chelsea were not defeated by Tottenham, but rather, were complicit in their own loss.
Kane, Erkisen, Alli and Son
Last night was the first time this season that Kane, Eriksen, Alli and Son started the game together – and wow, it showed.
Eriksen was his usual fantastic self, connecting with Spurs’ left back Ben Davies well and Kane accepted a more laid back role early on. But it was the energy that Son and Alli brought into the game that really helped the Lily whites.
In the early part of the first half, Alli made threatening runs into the box and in the 8th minute it was only natural that he was the one to head in Spurs’ first, from a Christian Eriksen free-kick.
Following the goal, Son was in two near one-on-one situations, skying the first, and slamming the second one into Kepa’s legs. After the break, Son’s efforts culminated into a wonderful goal. Collecting the ball near the halfway line, he slowed down, hugging the touchline and used a sudden change of pace to stun both Luiz and Jorginho, opened his body and sank a shot into the bottom-left corner.
Kane and Son grabbed a goal each, Alli got that along with an assist and Eriksen fetched two assists.
Midfield Battle
When you think of the best mid-fields of the Premier League, it is impossible not to think of Chelsea. Kante, Jorginho and Kovacic make a formidable mid-field that has developed into the fulcrum of Chelsea’s team.
Jorginho can pass and change the transition of play, Kante has a supreme ball-winning ability and Kovacic is a bit of both, along with great dribbling ability. However, against Tottenham, the Blues’ mid-field were outrun, outmanned and outnumbered. As I mentioned earlier, Spurs pressed high, meaning in attack, their defence stood at the halfway line. However, this also meant Chelsea’s attackers could not go any higher without being caught offside, so the Blues’ mid-field were sandwiched between the attack and defence, unable to properly contribute to either.
What was expected of Kovacic came (surprisingly, if I may add) from the other No 17 as Moussa Sissoko tackled everything in his path and made great passes up the pitch. The French international also mimicked his counterpart Kante, replicating his ball-winning skills. Jorginho was awful, picking up a yellow card, as he was largely invisible on the pitch, only being remembered for his error that lead to the first goal.
While it is acknowledged that Chelsea’s defence was abysmal, it was really their inability to transition into attack and sustain it – a responsibility usually levied on the mid-field – that cost them the match.
Chelsea’s Bad Wing Play
While Spurs’ were fantastic and deserved the plaudits, on the defensive, Spurs have a habit of clogging the middle of the pitch. Also, players like Hazard and Willian have the capability to draw away defenders. This meant that Chelsea’s full backs were often left with acres of space ahead of them.
You may argue that this was planned, but why would you do it against a team with two fantastic full backs? Alonso can make runs in to the box and create space for Hazard in the attacking third, while Azpilicueta has a killer cross.
You may blame Sarri for not bringing on Giroud (a potent aerial threat) earlier, but the fact is that Morata is fantastic in the air! He bagged 7 headed goals last season and was very good in the first half. Upon receiving the cross, he even clipped a few goal-wards. Had he received better crosses, who knows what he could’ve done?
Spurs’ High Press
From the minute Mauricio Pochettino took over as Tottenham manager, Spurs have played a pressing style of play.
Saturday was a pressing master-class. Spurs had a high midfield press, and despite the fact that both their full-backs remained up the pitch, Foyth and Alderweireld, their centre backs, still hovered around the halfway line. This made Chelsea extremely error prone in their own half as a speeding Serge Aurier or an oncoming Son Heung-Min repeatedly stripped them off the ball. This, along with Spurs’ great speed on the counter, meant that a little slip up from Chelsea, would have the Spurs attack roaring forward hunting for a goal as a seemingly frightened Chelsea retreated.
You may comment on Spurs’ attacking line, their strong midfield or their stable defense, but none of this would have been possible had it not been for what truly won them the match – their pressing.
(The author is a school student who follows football, when he’s not finishing his homework. On a side note, he also answers to the name ‘Pele’ after his mother nicknamed him that for troubling her a bit much from the womb.)
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