CHELSEA 1 – 1 SPURS
What can I say about yesterday’s game that hasn’t been said already on countless websites and football forums? Well, there seems to be some differences of opinion, so I might as well add mine for good measure.
So here we were, top versus bottom. A pretty well hyped Chelsea against a Spurs side slated with good reason in their opening two games, but a London derby nevertheless. And did I go into this game with great expectations? No chance – so at least I wasn’t disappointed then!
First half, pretty much as expected, we were all over them for 45 minutes and deservedly 1-0 up thanks to a Juliano Belletti goal. Unfortunately, it was too big an ask for Frank Lampard to concentrate for longer than that so our deserved lead didn’t quite last until the break. And whilst I know there’s plenty out there who’ll argue England’s most cheered for midfielder was unlucky, I prefer to call it ‘casual.’
Second half then and it started pretty much as you were, plenty of domination – at least until the boredom set in anyway. Yes ok, I appreciate Spurs had brought that bus with them again and it’s a bugger to get past, but a little effort wouldn’t have gone amiss. Lots of huffing and puffing granted, but unfortunately you don’t get three points for that lads. What happened to playing as a unit? To having a little flow to the game? I could pass better than that in high heels if I’m honest.
Clearly the ref didn’t help our cause – his early booking of Deco was a bit keen to say the least and certainly kept him quieter than he could’ve been for the rest of the game and his insistence on stopping play whenever he reluctantly gave us anything must’ve pushed the ‘respect’ campaign to the limits as far as some of our players were concerned. Having said that though, he did manage to turn a blind eye to Modric being laid flat by JT during the second half, so maybe it’s just my bias that made it appear so one-sided?
Anyway, overall we lacked imagination, creativity and certainly any urgency once Spurs were gifted with the opportunity to peg us back. Poor individual performances and in the second half a really disjointed team performance. Substitutions were pretty insignificant – like for like – albeit of a slightly poorer standard, with the exception of Di Santo, although what he was meant to achieve in the space of 5 minutes when Anelka had been given around 89 and achieved precisely nothing, I’m still pondering.
The absence of Ballack and Drogba was glaringly obvious and although he did ok, Belletti obviously wouldn’t be anyone’s first choice in the holding role. I’ve a sneaking suspicion our new right-back isn’t enjoying the games as much as he thought he would, and Lampard – let’s just forget this week happened eh?
Highlight of the game? Makelele’s appearance as guest of honour – although quite why no-one threw him a shirt and sneaked him on in the second half, I’m not sure.
Goals: Belletti, 28 Bent, 46
Teams:
Chelsea: Cech, Carvalho, A Cole, Bosingwa, Belletti (Kalou 76), Terry, Deco, Essien, Lampard, J Cole (Malouda 66), Anelka (Di Santo 89).
Substitutes not used: Cudicini, Bridge, Alex, Ferreira.
Tottenham: Gomes, Woodgate, Gunter (Huddlestone 63), King, Giovani (Lennon 59), Jenas, Zokora, Bale, Bentley (O’Hara 73), Modric, Bent.
Substitutes not used: Cesar, Assou-Ekotto, Dawson, Gilberto.
Blue is the colour
