SPURS 1-1 CHELSEA
For the first time in a while I don’t think we got what we really deserved from a game because whilst the half-time score might have been justified, there was no justice about the result with Didier turning from hero to villain for most of us.
Not that it started that way, with our Ivorian relegated to the bench after some pretty lacklustre performances of late but at least it wasn’t all youngsters for company, with Frank Lampard finally back from injury.
Couple of early chances from us, with Kalou dithering slightly less than the Tottenham defence yet still enough to miss out on a chance. Essien has a crack with a half volley but it too close to the turf to get any power in it.
And then a chance for Spurs – and surprise, surprise, it’s in. To be fair, it was a bloody good finish from Pavlyuchenko and a great first touch but getting past two defenders? Wake up lads! We responded well enough although I suspect if John Terry hadn’t been on the pitch we’d have been lucky to go in just the one goal down at the break, with the Chelsea captain having a storming first half.
Second half sees Drogba come on for Mikel who’d spent his first half imitating a sponge – no, sadly not soaking up the pressure, just plain bloody soft. And whilst Defoe gave us a half-scare at the start, it didn’t take us long to look a bit more comfortable. Drogba certainly got into his stride forcing a save from Gomes within his first ten minutes of play but we still had to be on our guard here and there, with Spurs threatening to catch us with a break.
Deservedly though, it was finally us who scored with a combined effort from Didier Drogba and Gomes. Drogba heading the ball on and going at it as enthusiastically as Tevez through City’s gate, before smacking it just within Gomes’ reach. Fortunately though, the Spurs keeper preferred to keep his fingers in their sockets and opted to give it a gentle nudge on its way rather than stand firm. 1-1 game on and neither side settling for a point it seemed.
Bloody Assou-Ekotto got in the way of a certain second from us, deflecting over the bar from Sturridge just before another pretty amazing event – the return of Frank Lampard after weeks of promising. We definitely finished the stronger though and would’ve undoubtedly finished with a win if Didier Drogba had remembered Frank Lampard was on the field.
As it was though, when Gomes had his second charitable moment flattening Ramires in stoppage time, it was Drogba who stepped up. Just a shame he couldn’t take his penalty as well as he’d have taken the glory though – and Spurs took a point whilst we definitely dropped two.
Overall though, as gutting as it was to drop points the way we did, the performance itself was much more satisfying than any we’ve seen for a while. Much better from Chelsea.
TEAMS
SPURS: Gomes, Hutton, Dawson, Bassong, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon, Palacios (Sandro, 89), Modric, Bale, Pavlyuchenko (Keane, 77), Defoe (Crouch, 60).
Unused Subs: Cudicini, Bentley, Giovani, Corluka.
CHELSEA: Cech, Ferreira, Ivanovic, Terry, Cole, Ramires, Mikel (Drogba, 60), Essien, Kalou (Sturridge, 68), Anelka, Malouda (Lampard, 76).
Unused Subs: Turnbull, Van Aanholt, Bruma, McEachran.
GOALS
SPURS: Pavlyuchenko 14
CHELSEA: Drogba 68
Blue is the colour
