The ManicaPost
The reaction from Mauricio Pochettino at full time was understated — an embrace for the gracious Antonio Conte and a handshake for each of his players.
| This was a big result for Tottenham, however, and a big result for the Premier League. |
Chelsea’s brilliant winning run had to end. To put together such a sequence in a league as competitive as this one is impressive. To maintain it all the way through the Christmas and New Year period would have been ominous.
Now it’s gone, it is only natural that the other top teams will look at this game and take heart.
There was no mystery to how Tottenham did this. Just like their defeat of Manchester City here in the autumn, it was a victory earned by organisation, hard work and creativity when it mattered.
Tottenham can do this when the mood takes them. They have players who have bought into Pochettino’s creed. They have athletes prepared to run further than they have previously gone and they have players such as match – winner Dele Alli who could play their way into any team in the country and many in Europe.
Tottenham’s problem is consistency and, perhaps, depth. It will be interesting to observe them in the January trading window.
For Chelsea, the questions begin now. That should not faze them. This was not a particularly bad display.
However, Liverpool and Arsenal, whom Chelsea play consecutively at the end of the month, will have seen the way Tottenham knocked Conte’s team ever so slightly out of their stride. The TV pundits did not say it but Chelsea captain Gary Cahill did.
‘We were just below our levels,’ said the defender. ‘Some stray passes, some heavy touches.’
That was a good summary. Nothing drastic, but enough. Tellingly, there were signs of frustration from Chelsea players that we have not seen for a while and when we talk about this we usually end up mentioning Diego Costa.
The centre forward has been an exceptional influence on Conte’s team this season. The angry, erratic bull of last season has rarely been seen. But here Costa argued persistently with Chelsea midfielder Pedro after some miscommunication in the first half.
Then, as the teams left the field at the break, there was what we might generously call an exchange of views with Marcos Alonso.
It was something and nothing, but it was noticeable all the same, simply because it was something there has been little evidence of in recent weeks.
In terms of the outcome of the game, the period at the start of the second half was key. Tottenham had edged ahead – perhaps deservedly so – at the end of the first period courtesy of a Christian Eriksen cross and an Alli header.
But after the break Chelsea came on strong.
They started to enjoy possession deep in Tottenham territory and it looked as though a goal would come.
Had referee Martin Atkinson awarded a penalty when Victor Moses fell into the penalty area, it probably would have done.
But soon after Chelsea fell to a sucker punch. Same Tottenham players. Same kind of header. Same goal. Despite the fact there was still half an hour to play, that was pretty much that.
Chelsea’s heads did not drop and neither did their energy levels. Conte’s team only know how to play on the front foot and they persevered, knowing that a goal might change things in the same way it did when they ended Tottenham’s title bid at Stamford Bridge last May.
This time, though, they did not get the break of the ball. There was a lack of fluency – a lack of edge – in the important attacking areas of the field and, as a result, Hugo Lloris in the home goal did not really have to make a significant save.
England manager Gareth Southgate was here to watch and he spoke to friends afterwards of how impressed he had been with Alli, especially the way he was able to anticipate and meet the long diagonal crosses from Eriksen that at first glance did not seem to carry particular danger.
There were other impressive Tottenham performances, too.
Holding player Victor Wanyama was terrific in closing down the space sought by Pedro, Costa and Eden Hazard.
The latter of that trio was as ineffectual as we have seen for some time and that said much for the way that Wanyama and wing backs Danny Rose and Kyle Walker went about their work.
This is not a game that will necessarily turn the season. Chelsea are a formidable team and, as they turn for home, they have a five-point lead and an immediate future that contains no European football.
But if the chasing pack feel fractionally encouraged, then that is fair enough. In Manchester, Jose Mourinho will be energised.
For the first time since late summer, his United team are on the fringes of the debate once again.
Chelsea face some questions at last. Just as it should be. — Daily Mail
