Tottenham 2 Chelsea 1: Blasé Blues display as Spurs canter to deserved win

Anyone wanting to understand why Chelsea have lost games this season need only watch the team’s limp display against Spurs on Saturday. This was the wrong kind of carefree.

This was not the performance of champions. Giving a display that, in the first half especially was entirely devoid of energy, dynamism movement and pressing, I was reminded of the tame efforts away to Aston Villa and at home to Inter earlier in the season. Meanwhile Spurs, buoyed by a big win against Arsenal three days previous, were superior in every department and thoroughly deserved their win. Lampard’s late consolation meant the scoreline would eventually flatter his team.

It’s almost too hard to know where to start pointing the finger. John Terry had a largely terrible game, looking awkward from kick-off. His red card was thoroughly merited, and may indeed have come earlier. In the first half the excellent Gareth Bale terrorised Ferreira down the Spurs’ left, with the Portuguese suddenly looking out of his depth after a string of good performances. Deco was ineffectual and left Lampard far too much to do, and the front three of Malouda, Drogba and Cole (latterly Anelka) lacked the energy and inspiration to seriously trouble a Tottenham defence shorn of Ledley King. Attacking moves fizzled out with a litany of passing errors in the final third.

Petr Cech – who kept the scoreline respectable with a string of great saves – and Branislav Ivanovic were probably the only players in blue shirts to emerge with any credit from a lifeless display.

Harry Redknapp’s side deserve plenty of credit too. Almost a mirror image of Chelsea, they played positive, attacking football from the whistle with a blend of pace, commitment and quality. Dawson was excellent at the back, twice cutting out chances Chelsea did manage to create. While I’ve no doubt next week’s game against Man Utd will go differently for them, surely they will seal a deserved Champions League spot at the end of the season.

From a Chelsea perspective however, this was a loss worrying principally because of the complete lack of tempo and drive from the off. In the early stages it seemed like Scholes’ late winner against Man City earlier in the day had infected Chelsea with a torpor that was dulled their play from the start. Things improved a little in the second half, but Terry’s clumsiness and subsequent red card put paid to any optimistic hope that Chelsea might somehow find a way back into the game.

It is remarkable that Chelsea dominated possession – 61% to Spurs’ 39% – but were so much less effective with the ball. Most of the game was played in Chelsea’s half, pointing to the serenity and lack of urgency about Chelsea’s play. Spurs were much more threatening in front of goal too, making 17 shots at goal compared to just eight from the league leaders. Tottenham forced 13 corners to Chelsea’s four.

Chelsea aren’t good starters. The team seems to take a while to ‘warm up’, and that’s been the case all season – 59% of Chelsea goals have been scored in the second half of games. But in the biggest games being slow out of the blocks isn’t good enough. Giving the best sides – and Spurs will move into that category with more performances like Saturday’s - the run of the green in the first twenty minutes allows them to not only set the tempo for the game but also puts them psychologically on the front foot. As it was, it put Spurs 1-0 up, and it was a long way back from there.

After Utd’s slightly fortuitous win at Man City, this wasn’t the time for a half-hearted stroll around White Hart Lane. The manager sets the tone for this team, and the players need to execute on that. Both Ancelotti and the players are at fault for allowing such an abject performance to occur at such a critical stage in the season.

Can Chelsea respond to yet another set-back against Stoke next week? Yes – and they’ll have to. Hopefully the humbling in north London will remind Ancelotti’s men that, regardless of quality, wins aren’t automatic but rather the product of ability, commitment and attitude combined. Assuming they get past Stoke, Chelsea fans will look forward to a very different showing at Anfield on 2 May.

Comments

[Ricardo]

A good honest, well written review of the game, congratulations (from a Spurs fan)

[Spurs Fan]

As a spurs fan it is refreshing to hear comments like this. In stark contrast to Arsenal fans who had every excuse under the sun for losing their game, other than that they were outplayed. It was a fantastic game to watch and will live long in the memory. Best of luck for the rest of the season. Hopefully we will give you a hand next Saturday.

[chiv]

It good to see real chelsea fans are back, not the arrogant gits that have tainted blogs for the passed few years.

One thing I would disagree with; the possession, the beeb give spurs 57%!

Chelsea just weren't in the game, and as for JT; not the behaviour you need from a captain was it?

[whitehartlad]

Your problem is John Terry. Apart being the most hated player in the Premiership for obvious reasons, The bloke looks like a Championship class defender now and has done for some time. He was embarrasingly poor and has rode his luck for awhile. He is turned far too easily and has nompace. I think he will be a real liability for the World Cup. Michael Dawson is superior in every department. Overall Spurs won easily and Chelsea just couldn't cope with our overall domination. In the end it could have been 4 or 5 nil.

[chelsfan]

agree with this article and, most strangely, with the Spurs fans who have commented.

chels were second best everywhere, and as you say Cech saved us from a 3 or 4 nil score. Don't think teh game reflected the 'real' difference between teh teams, but spurs are on the up. think rednapp has done a very good job, know he's had money to spend...

[Charles Pilbeam]

Chelsea start far too many games in first gear and I wonder if it is the cautious influence of Ray Wilkins - the most negative midfielder ever to play for England. He loved to pass the ball backwards and when he felt adventurous he would square it!! Whatever the reason they need to wake up and in the meantime I am going to have a few quid on Portsmouth for the cup at juicy odds!!!

[bridgeviews.co.uk]

Thanks everyone for your comments - and for the for sensible comments from Spurs fans. Glad my post is seen as balanced. No point being anything but honest...

Chiv - I got my stats from the Telegraph website. Figures to tend to change from site to site. I guess the point I was really trying to make was that Chelsea certainly had the majority of possession (albeit 1-2% one way or the other) but, unlike Spurs, did almost nothing with it. That's not typical for this Chelsea side at all.

We're agreed on John Terry. He hasn't been as bad as one or two of you suggest, but he has put in one or two suspect performances. As for him as a person: I don't think the 'crime' he committed was as apocalyptically terrible as the world is making out, and I don't agree with the media using people's private lives as they do. But that said I still think he is an odious individual and I'm fed up of having to try and defend my club because of him in pubs. So I won't. I'd like to see my club start to claw back a better reputation, and John Terry is a serious barrier to that happening.

Technically, and the 1-2 poor games he has had aside, I still think Terry is one of the best two CBs in the country. Dawson is in an excellent vein of form and very much deserves a WC spot, but I can't (yet) agree that he is a better option than Terry. Sorry!

[n22yidd]

Spurs fan in peace.

Great blog. Sometimes it shows your class to just admit you wasnt the best team. God knows how many times you guys have turned us over. Before the game i would have happily taken a draw, due to you being the best in the country in my opinion. I couldnt have been more wrong. Afterwards i had a long chat with a chelsea fan who is a season ticket holder. He thinks your management have serious tactical problems once you go behind in games? I certainly felt there was a lack of fight.

Whatever rivality we have i will you all the best for the league. All i care about is the champs league.

Also what a shame bale isnt english on his current form

[bridgeviews.co.uk]

n22yid - thanks for your comment. As I said above, there's no point being straight about it. You're no less supporting your team by being realistic. Sometimes I think fans get being a 'real' fan confused with blind support...

Not sure if this is what you meant, but I think we, along with Man Utd, are pretty much the best team in the league. We simply had a very off day on Satuday, for whatever reasons, while Spurs played brilliantly. Some of the individual performances from your boys were very, very good. You're right - Bale in the first half was excellent.

Your mate is probably right - Chelsea seem to struggle when behind as we haven't previously. Perhaps not as resilient as we used to be, and I think we sometimes lack the pace and creativity to break down stubborn, well organised defences holding out against a lead.

According to the stats that I've kept, I have Chelsea down as having won from having conceded first 4 times, and drawing once.

[Spursfan]

When JT is not on form, it's not so much the defender Chelsea miss out on as the leadership he usually supplies, which is surprising in a team with so many strong personalities. Someone from your midfield needs to step up to the mark when things are going wrong.

[Account Deleted]

G.bale outplayed P.Ferreira in this game...I`m big fan of P.Ferreira but he really cannot compete with young and energetic bale...I believe if terry not sent off...we cant snatch a draw at least...

[Iain]

As a Spurs fan I have to say it's a pleasure to read a measured, well written piece for a change. Thank you.

Good luck (when not playing us).

[Capleton]

'sfair enough, I suppose. We got stuffed. But I seem to recall that the last time we laid down and died at the ground formerly known as Three Point Lane, it didn't take too long for "normal service to be resumed"!

[Big Mal]

We will probably still win the league but there are real problems, the biggest veing Terry. He has been simply awful recently and I fear that he is shot away. Some players when they lose it, lose it big time and he looks like someone who will. He has no pace, but now his macho posturing and 'I am bigger than the club' are costing us big time. Really sad, but he must go.