Chelsea 3 Tottenham 0 - a closer look at how a flexible formation destroyed Spurs

Perhaps amplified by the stuttering performances of their closest rivals, Chelsea’s straightforward-looking defeat of Spurs at the weekend has received plenty of praise from fans and football journalists. It was an impressive display – here’s a brief but closer look at how the match was won.

It’s strange that commentators still refer to Ancelotti’s diamond when in reality that formation hasn’t made an appearance for weeks now. Talk of formations is a red herring: Chelsea in fact now play a system that, ontop of a solid defensive base, allows the attacking players a great deal of freedom when Chelsea have the ball. Against Spurs Chelsea almost played with two holding players when Spurs had the ball, with Ballack withdrawing to a deeper role. With Essien’s tendency to drive up the pitch and the renewed attacking instincts of the full backs, intelligent covering movement from Ballack and Lampard is essential.

In the first half Spurs had the better of the play and, in committing plenty of men forward, at times actually overran Chelsea’s midfield. Either Chelsea were being too gung-ho in getting forward or weren’t being disciplined enough in closing down the likes of Defoe, Keane and Jenas as they burst into the final third. Certainly Chelsea’s eventual success on Sunday owed at least a little to some fantastic last-ditch defending from Essien, Carvalho and Terry in the first half and some wayward finishing from Spurs (although they only managed 4 shots on goal all game to Chelsea’s 21). In the second half Chelsea tightened up, with Ballack and Essien consistently breaking up play (it was especially important to nullify the in-form Aaron Lennon), maintaining possession for the team and starting attacking moves. In total Essien’s pass completion rate was 89% and Ballack’s was 91%, and between them they made 6 successful tackles and an enormous 9 interceptions.

Given this platform, Chelsea were free to unlock the team’s shape when they had the ball, when the formation would more closely resemble a flexible 4-1-3-2 (albeit with the ‘1’ often finding himself in the final third too). Again talk of formation is probably a misnomer: the freedom granted to Chelsea’s attacking players was probably the cause of Spurs’ downfall. Anelka and Drogba – the former especially – didn’t play as traditional centre forwards, and both were happy to drift wide or deep to pick up the ball. This unpredictability made them difficult for the Spurs back four to pick up, and directly contributed to Chelsea’s first goal: as Drogba drifted wide to pick up the ball from Bosingwa, Spurs’ defence found themselves with new players to mark and completely missed Ashley Cole steaming in at the back post.

As it was, players didn’t play tightly defined roles: Ballack played both inside and wide on the right when Bosingwa broke down the line; Lampard popped up across the breadth of Spurs’ half (although was less involved than we might have expected last season); Anelka played mostly down both wide channels in behind Drogba; and Essien covered every blade of grass on the pitch.

Once the first goal had been scored, Tottenham’s legitimate penalty had been denied and Ledley King substituted through injury the game changed again, and Chelsea’s dominance was as much the result of Spurs’ desperation to draw level as Chelsea’s passing football. Pushing too high up the pitch, the Spurs defence gave Chelsea a further route to goal – the long ball over the top to Drogba, who by that point was running riot. In addition to Drogba scoring the third goal, Bassong should have been sent off for a rugby tackle on the Ivorian (ironically this would have saved him from injury) that was also the direct result of a long ball.

Injuries to King, Bassong and Drogba guaranteed a stop-start last twenty minutes to the game and, in turn, an end to both goals and edge-of-the-seat excitement. By that point however the damage was done: Chelsea had scored three without reply and the energy Spurs had shown in the first 30 minutes seemed a distant memory.

An excellent performance, yes - the extra freedom granted to our attacking players certainly makes Chelsea harder to contain and is probably responsible for the likes of Ballack and Cole chipping in with more goals this season. All the same, I think we’d all like to see a more defensively disciplined performance against Liverpool on Sunday 4^th October.

Comments

[Tom]

Had the penalty been given, Carvalho been sent off and Keane scored it (which he always does) the momentum would have turned Tottenham's way. But Webb either bottled it or is just an awful ref, I suspect the latter.

[Russell Saunders]

Tom - thanks for your comment. Assume you're a Spurs fan?

I totally agree that Webb screwed up there. Not entirely sure Ricky should have gone though? We know what its like to be on the end of ropey refereeing decisions.

I have to say I don't agree with you more generally though. Aside from the first 25 mins Chelsea were the better side with a far more potent goal threat (as I said in the article, Chelsea managed 21 goal efforts to Spurs' 4).

Was impressed with Spurs' attacking play in the first 30 though. If Harry can sort out your defence...

What do other fans think?

[hellwelovespurs]

stupid article - chelsea won because of crap ref what go around comes around can't wait for champion league knock out let's see how chelsea do when rest europe don't won't them to win -- all about class and history which chelsea don't have - this is same club that in 80's sent letter packed with shit saying 1 black too many at the club

[MattyB]

More of a flexible referee that destroyed Spurs rather than the formation I think...

[lycan73]

"One black too many at the club?" They may have said it then, but what's the past got to do with the present? At one point, blacks were persecuted to a great degree in the US, but not today. So, would you call the US a racist nation?

[MattyB]

By the way I've just noticed the motto underneath the heading at the top of this blog - "the thinking fan's chelsea blog"
LOL!! That is an oxymoron if i have ever seen one!!
Ps. dont worry chelsea fans if ur too stupid to know wot an oxymoron is...

[MattyB]

Lycan73 - have you seen all the stuff going on in the US lately with Barrack Obama trying to bring in a new health bill?
I think a lot of people would call the US a racist nation actually...

[Russell Saunders]

Hi everyone

One thing is clear from all of this: you spurs fans are still a bit sore from a three nil beating...

I understand the frustration over the penalty, and I acknowledged in my article not only that it was a bad decision by Webb but also that the injuries were very unfortunate.

I'm still not convinced it should have been a red card though - I'm sure 90/100 referees giving that penalty would have given Ricky a yellow.

And where the hell has all this racism stuff come from? Come on, if the best you can come up with when we've beaten your side is to point out the (albeit atrocious) racism at the club 25 years ago - which was present at pretty much every club in the land at the time - you're onto a loser...

And lets not pretend Spurs have anymore history than we do. Is football really "all about class and history"? Or is it about scoring goals, winning games, and trying to enteratin every now and then? The 'history' argument is something I'd expect from Scousers, not our north london rivals to be honest.

[JoshH]

Even with the penalty, still would've been 3-1.

And the ref let just as many fouls slide for the Spurs...seem to remember a little nasty bit with Essien in headlock!

I'm also going to go on record to say this is one of the better blog's I've seen for ANY team. Not just gossip and opinionated rubbish, but always an excellent, honest critique of play, whether the Blues are doing well or not. Definitely for the thinking man.

[Joshua T.]

Spurs fans, you guys want to just merge with Liverpool? I mean, since you guys are so interested in our history now.

Okay, let's look at the penalty first, let's say it was a penalty and let's say Owen scored it. 1-1, fine. Why do you Spurs fans think this would be such a turning point? We've been down by 1 so many times this season, only to come back and win it, so why do you think an equalizer would scare us? Game would've finished 3 - 1 still. Now let's look at the penalty appeal itself, there was some minor contact, but Webb was letting a lot of physical play happen, he really didn't want to stop the play. Being that the slide tackle came in and them a few seconds later Keane decides to fall over isn't a penalty. Trust me, Chelsea knows about what uncalled penalties look like. So look back on it, was it a penalty? Probably, depending on who you ask. What I love though, is what Spurs fans are forgetting the penalty we should've had. Lampards free kick from 25ish yards was deflected by one of the hands in the Spurs wall, sorry guys, if there were to be a penalty for you, there would have to be one for us too.

Spurs fans can cry all they want, they got thoroughly outplayed.

And whoever said Carvalho should've gotten a red card for his challenge, you're laughable.

[Joshua T.]

Apologies, by Owen I meant Keane, was watching the United/City highlights while typing that.

[MattyB]

Interested in your history - wot history??

[Nattyblue]

Wow spurs fans seem to be Livinginthepast FC fans now too, must be something that gets aquired after no major honours recently....

We have won all our games where we have gone a goal down as well, this game wouldve simply involved a 1 -1 scoreline at the time anyway, the ref was bad for both sides as is pretty much every ref in the PL at the moment

Had the pen appeal came later on the game I could understand. But we killed the game off at around the 65 minute mark anyway, spuds had plently of time to score but not enough attempts on the 2nd half.

[MattyB]

Looks like my comments have had the desired effect. Sick and tired of you chelsea mugs coming onto tottenham blogs and talking rubbish.
I don't care if the link comes up on NewsNow when you realise its a Spurs blog bugger off and try not leave silly comments which stir up beef between the fans

[Spurs 4 Life]

I'm a Spurs fan & i'll readily admit that Chelsea played better overall, that a penalty should have been given on Keane tackle, that a yellow would be the most Ricky(as you chelsea fans like to call him) should have gotten, that if Spurs had equalized, things may have changed with the end result. But it didn't, & we have to face the facts as it stands.

& those idiots who mention racist remarks, go find a racist blog to comment in since you are obviously not a football fan of any sort, just a poor excuse for a human being.

[Russell Saunders]

MattyB - I'm with you - no-one should go onto other team's blogs/ forums and deliberately stir things up, and I don't do that. That said, I'm happy for Spurs fans - or any fans - to come on here and make reasonable comment/ judgement if they feel like it. Not sure Spurs fans have done that here... What I don't get though is why you personally have chosen to do it here and now. There's nothing to suggest that anyone from this blog (writer or reader) has gone onto any Spurs blog you read, is there? ps. I know what an oxymoron is ;-)

And I still have no idea what your point re. history is, but I’m guessing that was just a part of your wind up.

Spurs 4 life - thanks for your honesty, I was half hoping spurs fans might recognise thad I'd been pretty honest about the game too (have said time and again that Spurs were easily the better side in the first 30, if not the first half, and that Chelsea rode their luck at times). Of course I’m 100% with you on racism (called a Chelsea fan up for an unnecessary remark aimed at Spurs on my facebook page). If there's anything on this blog or its comments that I've missed, let me know and I'll remove it.

Oh, and thanks to both Joshua T, JoshH and Nattyblue for their comments as well. JoshH you’re a gent, Josh T and Nattyblue – you make good points…

[ph0bolus]

Glad to say that Drogba will be able to terrorize Wigans defense come Saturday.

[Russell Saunders]

ph0bolus - welcome back. Not losing Drogba to a serious injury is huge. Wasn't so bothered about the Wigan game (we should have had enough without him) but we definitely need him for the Liverpool game on the 4th. Less than two weeks away!

[H.H]

one thing Spurs proved in their game against Man U that it doesn't matter if they score or not they don't have the class or mentality to control a game against a top 4 club.

To be honest I like that Chelsea allow the opposition to play, it opens them up and stops them from parking the bus, i might be wrong but i think the fact that more and more we are allowing the opposition to play the first 20 30 minutes is a tactic Ancelloti is employing and not just some weakness of ours.

[Yomi]

I thought d spur fan shud accept the defeat and look ahead, thank God didi is back 2 face wigan

[nimz]

Everyone is going absolutely nuts with the Kean penalty but they are all conveniently ignoring the two other penalties not given in this match, one from the foul on Ballack and the other from the most obvious hand ball in the box on Lampard's free kick. Sore losers! If you lost 1-0 you had a point but when you get thrashed 3-nil you should just shut it.