It was strange watching Chelsea fall to Manchester United on Monday.
Not because of the result. United have prevailed at Stamford Bridge plenty of times before.
No, it was the lack of quality that really stood out, as if we were watching two mid-table sides going through the motions. The intensity and passion normally associated with this fixture took the night off.
It made me wonder whether tomorrow’s derby will turn into a similar affair. Might we see the kind of feisty scrap witnessed so often in the past or something more mundane to reflect the situations at these clubs?
Tottenham, after all, have problems of their own, as witnessed on Wednesday against RB Leipzig. Without Harry Kane and Heung-min Son, the team looked largely toothless, or like a
gun without bullets if you’re Jose Mourinho.
For me, though, there’s more to it than that. Even with Kane and Son in Mourinho’s opening weeks, Spurs were nowhere near right. I suppose we have to call this period transitional as Mourinho attempts to build something more substantial.
Mind you, he’s bound to have his players properly wound up for this one at his old home. And given the lack of firepower, it’ll be fascinating to see what tactics he employs. Already outmanoeuvred once by Frank Lampard, the Portuguese will be desperate to avoid a repeat.
As for Lampard, there was so much to fix from Monday’s defeat, one of them being the choice of striker. The shunning of Olivier Giroud has always baffled me. France’s third all-time top scorer still has plenty to offer, certainly more than Michy Batshuayi as a lone front man.
If Tammy Abraham doesn’t make it, Giroud will surely get the nod this time. It’s an option that Mourinho must privately envy.
