The gulf in class was again evident and saw Chelsea’s fourth win over Tottenham Hotspur this season. Thomas Tuchel had already got the better of Antonio Conte on three occasions so the former Chelsea title-winning boss was looking to turn the form book around at Stamford Bridge. Following his super-sub appearance against Leicester City on January 19, Steven Bergwijn went straight into the Spurs starting line-up whilst Dele Alli was left out of the squad with talk still suggesting he will be loaned out before the end of the January transfer window but it was the same old story once again.
Deja Vu With Chelsea’s Fourth Win Over Tottenham
Chelsea Dominate Possession as Spurs Goal Chalked Off
Stamford Bridge has never been one of the happiest hunting grounds for Tottenham and it was Chelsea who made the majority of the running in the first half with 73% of possession and Spurs were given a very early warning when Mason Mount crossed but Romelu Lukaku, struggling for form, shinned the ball over the bar. It was the same combination that gave Lukaku an even better chance after half an hour but he didn’t even connect after swinging his leg wildly at the ball and it should have been 1-0 to the hosts.
VAR checked for a possible red card when Matt Doherty fouled Malang Sarr but a yellow card was judged to be enough. Japhet Tanganga also found himself in the book meaning two players needed to watch their step for the remainder of the match.
Despite all of Chelsea’s possession, Tottenham were not without their moments, mainly through positive running with the ball from Bergwijn, who showed strength on a number of occasions. Ryan Sessegnon found himself in good positions on the left on two occasions and whilst his first moment led to a ball that was neither shot nor cross, his ball on 40 minutes was more accurate and found Harry Kane who turned Thiago Silva and slotted home. Referee Paul Tierney blew for a push by Kane on Silva but it looked a very soft call and Spurs were aggrieved to not have the lead.
Quick-Fire Chelsea Double as Spurs Lose At Stamford Bridge Again
If Spurs were angry at not going in 1-0 up at half-time, that anger was soon turned to despair within minutes of the re-start as Hakim Ziyech rifled an unstoppable left-footed strike past Hugo Lloris. The half was only a minute old when that shot hit the net and on 54 minutes it got even worse. Eric Dier needlessly gave a foul away on the left-hand side and when it was whipped in, to add further insult to Tottenham’s injury, it was Silva who nodded home and Spurs were again beaten by Chelsea.
It’s Happened Again – Chelsea’s Fourth Win Over Tottenham
It’s not often that you face the same opponents in one season on four occasions and Tottenham will now be glad to have seen the last of Chelsea in 2021/22. Chelsea would be forgiven for loving seeing Tottenham’s name on the fixture list as it is one that brings them points more often than not.
This was not a poor performance from Spurs but their team compared to Chelsea’s is miles apart in terms of quality. Bergwijn ran hard and gave his all, Kane did what he could with the scraps he was offered but Tanganga struggled against pace, Dier gives away needless fouls too often, Harry Winks lacks the creative quality of Mason Mount and Conte is working wonders to have this team in the fight for the top four at all.
Next Up and Conte’s Need to be Backed
There is now a two-week pause in the Premier League as Chelsea sit in third place whilst Spurs are down to seventh but still have four games in hand on Chelsea and far from out of the race for the top four but Conte needs some backing in January and more importantly in the summer transfer window. His current squad just isn’t strong enough and it’s hard to see them challenging for silverware unless Daniel Levy ensures he has the right players to improve.
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