Jacob Steinberg was at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium tonight. Here’s his report. Thanks for reading this MBM.
Thomas Frank gives Sky his verdict. “The fans started very well … they did everything they could to back the team in a game where we didn’t perform well … Chelsea were better than us on the day … we need to work hard to keep getting better … we couldn’t match their energy or intensity unfortunately … we have to get things right and be ready for Tuesday [against Copenhagen] … a lot of things hurt me today … we created very little … we lacked freshness … we put a competitive performance in [against Villa] but we did not do that today … there is a reason we started [Xavi Simons] on the bench … two games with a short turnaround … there is not too much into that … we need to keep working very hard … we are building something … unfortunately today it was not good … we are irritated and frustrated about that but we have to get our head down and keep working.”
… and is he confident that he can build a team that supporters enjoy watching? “Not in doubt.”
Enzo Maresca speaks to Sky. “It was a good performance for sure … you have to be brave on and off the ball … we created many chances … we are very happy for us, and for the fans, it is a big derby … when we can become more consistent, we can be closer to the top … [Caicedo] is top … him and Rodri are the two best defensive midfielders probably in the world … we could have scored one or two more … much more relaxed for us … but we are very happy … 1-0 away against Tottenham … a clean sheet … really happy … we need to be defensively solid if we want to be top … we went from 11th to fourth … there are things we have to do better but we are on the right path.”
The match-winner João Pedro speaks to Sky Sports. “I needed this goal … a long time I don’t score … the team expect [goals] from me … I am very happy … I always want to help the team with goals and assists … first I need to play well … then the goals will come … if you don’t shoot you get frustrated … but if I don’t shoot I will create space for the others … so long as Chelsea win I am happy … I play for the team … I said to [Moisés Caicedo, for his work to assist the winner] I will invite him for dinner … he says yes!”
The xG at the end of the game: Tottenham Hotspur 0.05, Chelsea 2.92. To be fair to Spurs, that’s a whopping increase of 0.04 over their first-half performance.
Chelsea celebrate their fifth consecutive Premier League victory over Spurs. It’s their sixth win in seven visits to this new stadium. It’s their third in a row here. The previous two wins saw them score four goals each time; they could easily have had four tonight as well. In fact, they almost certainly should have had at least four, so dominant were they. But they passed up some huge chances, allowing Spurs to retain a sliver of respectability via the scoreline. But that scoreline masks how good Chelsea were, at least compared to Spurs, who were simply abject from beginning to end. The hosts could easily have had both Rodrigo Bentancur and Djed Spence sent off as well. A disastrous evening at the office for Spurs, who were sent packing with boos in their ears. Chelsea whizz up the standings to fourth, and are currently enjoying their win very much. A lot of smiles on their faces as they cavort in front of their fans.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal | 10 | 15 | 25 |
| 2 | AFC Bournemouth | 9 | 5 | 18 |
| 3 | Tottenham Hotspur | 10 | 9 | 17 |
| 4 | Chelsea | 10 | 7 | 17 |
| 5 | Sunderland | 9 | 4 | 17 |
FULL TIME: Tottenham Hotspur 0-1 Chelsea
Chelsea win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Chelsea always win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Well, six in seven.
90 min +7: Spence goes long, in the hope of finding Richarlison, but Sanchez comes to the edge of his box to claim. That is surely that.
90 min +6: … and it continues to bubble as play restarts and Spurs go nowhere fast.
90 min +5: Spence prepares to launch one last attack with a throw … but Estevao has taken a whack on the nose, and requires some treatment. More frustration in the stands.
90 min +4: Fernandez finds Pedro in the box with a sliderule pass down the inside right. Pedro looks for the bottom right. Vicario parries around the post, and nothing comes of the corner.
90 min +3: Estevao dribbles down the right and rolls infield for Pedro, who shuttles further on to Gittens, free 12 yards out. He simply has to score, but leans back and converts in the rugby style.
90 min +2: A free kick for Spurs on the halfway line. Everyone expects Vicario to put it into the mixer, but instead plays short to Spence, who is forced to turn tail. What a waste. What a fiasco. The home fans incandescent with rage.
90 min +1: The first of six additional minutes.
90 min: A simple long punt causes James some distress, facing his own goal with Odobert on his shoulder. James does extremely well to lean into the ball, controlling with his chest before swivelling and clearing. Spurs claim a penalty, but there was no hand.
89 min: Tosin replaces Fofana, who takes his sweet time to depart, much to the irritation of a couple of Spurs players.
87 min: … Kudus loops weakly into the arms of Sanchez. Groans pinging around the stadium walls.
86 min: Fernandez and Pedro combine down the inside-left channel, but upon reaching the Spurs box, can’t get past the stubborn Romero. Spurs go up the other end, Johnson advancing down the right and winning a corner. From which …
85 min: Neto can’t continue, though, and makes way for Estevao.
84 min: Neto goes down with cramp. James rolls the ball out of play. When Spurs restart the game, Sarr gives the ball back to Chelsea. The home fans boo him for doing so.
82 min: Caicedo has the chance to send Neto free down the inside-right channel but underhits the pass, allowing Udogie to nip in and intercept. Chelsea just can’t get the second goal that would put this game to bed. To repeat: they should be a dot on the horizon. But it’s still just 0-1.
80 min: The clock continues to turn, with Spurs offering very little in attack. The home fans make their views known.
78 min: Spence hangs out a leg and brings down Fernandez with force. Then he goes nose to nose with an unhappy Cucurella. That’s the second time Spence has got away without being booked for a poor challenge. Spurs haven’t given a good account of themselves tonight at all.
77 min: James shepherds the ball back to Sanchez. In doing so, he catches Richarlison with a flailing arm. It’s all a bit too theatrical, and play is waved on.
76 min: Lavia replaces Gusto. “I know there has been talk of an orange card for years,” begins Brendan Large. “Prime example was Bentancur (although I thought it was a clear red). Could we have a rule where the player involved is not allowed to be taken off and also is warned that ANY further infringement will result in red? Then the player is punished by having to stay within the rules and also can’t be let off by being subbed.”
75 min: Kudus is booked for a clumsy barge on Cucurella.
74 min: Chelsea take another couple of shies at goal. Neto from a tight angle on the right. Parried by Vicario. James sprays a long-distance shot over the bar. At the risk of belabouring the point, how on earth is this just 0-1?
73 min: A triple change for Spurs. Porro, Kolo Muani and Simons – the substitute substituted – make way for Odobert, Udogie and Johnson.
71 min: Kudus cuts in from the right and tries to make himself enough space to shoot. He doesn’t quite manage it. He’s crowded out. The home fans are becoming super-frustrated.
70 min: Romero launches into a slide tackle as Pedro skitters down the left, and is very fortunate that the Chelsea player hurdles his leg. Had the Spurs captain made contact, that could have become very interesting.
69 min: Fernandez flies into Palhinha, studs grazing across the knee, and the referee whips his yellow card out immediately. That’s another challenge that could easily have resulted in a red card. Once again, both sets of players consider kicking off, but just about keep a lid on it. Still plenty of time for one of those classic bench-emptying Spurs-Chelsea brouhahas to erupt.
67 min: Garnacho is replaced by Gittens. He’s not particularly happy about it, but to be fair the sulk is very mild. A face on. A few shakes of the head. That’s it.
65 min: Porro throws long into the Chelsea box. Romero juggles the ball a bit, but can’t work space to either pass or shoot, and eventually clanks into Chalobah. Free kick, pressure off.
64 min: There’s not a lot going on, other than muttering in the stands.
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62 min: James dinks a ball down the inside-left channel and very nearly finds Garnacho on the left-hand corner of the six-yard box. Too much pace on the pass, and it’s a goal kick. The Tottenham defence once again totally absent.
60 min: James sends a viciously whipped free kick into the Spurs mixer from the right. Nobody in blue attacks it. Any touch towards goal would have caused Vicario a serious problem. Goal kick.
59 min: Simons is booked for cynically bringing down an in-flight Garnacho. Before the free kick can be taken, Spurs make a double change, replacing Bentancur and Danso with Romero and Richarlison.
58 min: Simons shovels a cute pass down the inside-right channel, nearly releasing Kudus into the Chelsea box. Kudus is hoping to chest down and shoot, but Chalobah extends a telescopic leg to divert the ball behind for a corner, from which nothing occurs. Sanchez celebrated that challenge with Chalobah like he would a goal.
56 min: Pedro barges Danso off the ball with absurd ease. He cuts back for Neto, who doesn’t quite catch his low drive. Chelsea come again, Caicedo winning yet another ball in the Spurs half and setting Garnacho on his way down the left. Garnacho cuts back for Neto, who can’t twist his body to get a shot on goal from six yards. How on earth is this just 0-1?
55 min: A simple long ball down the middle nearly undoes Spurs. Pedro can’t reach it before Vicario flies out of his box to head clear. Vicario has done well to keep the score respectable for Spurs.
54 min: Gusto strides down the right and curls long, in the hope of finding Pedro in the middle. The cross not quite right. It’s all Chelsea, just as it was in the first half.
52 min: James buzzes around Bentancur, simply refusing to allow the Spurs man advance the ball out of his final third. He eventually wins the ball, and it’s curled into the middle for Fernandez, who heads over carelessly from six yards. It should be 0-2. To be honest, Chelsea should be out of sight.
50 min: Porro bursts down the right and wins a corner. Kudus whips into a crowded six-yard box, but Sanchez rises high amid the melee and punches clear. Danso flings a throw in from the other flank. Fofana misjudges the flight and the ball nearly breaks to Bentancur, six yards out, but the required control isn’t there, and that man Caicedo is on point to hoick clear.
48 min: Fernandes tries to plant a low curler into the bottom right from distance. He’s given enough time by a Spurs defence all over the show, but doesn’t quite catch it. Vicario gathers.
47 min: Caicedo nicks the ball yet again and moves to advance down the left. Danso hangs out a cynical leg to trip the Chelsea man, and goes into the book. Spurs are in serious danger of losing their discipline. You could argue they’d done so already with those Bentancur and Spence challenges.
Spurs – who were booed off at the sound of the half-time whistle – get things going again. The players huddle and bark some instructions at each other. Players and home fans in a state of high agitation.
The xG data at the break: Chelsea are on 1.04, Spurs 0.01. For the hosts, the only way is up. Chelsea are very much on target for a fifth consecutive Premier League win over Spurs, and their sixth victory in seven visits to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Half-time postbag. “Our first thought is to go back and be safe. Shameful that our first thought is to pass back. Every time a blue shirt arrives in our peripheral vision we go back. We should not be scared” – Mark Goodchild
“Not a Chelsea fan by any means, but that was a nailed on red card for Bentancur. Booking James just adds insult to injury - he was only complaining because Bentancur wasn’t sent off” – Joshua Keeling
“Afternoon pints, you say? I got a free one this afternoon when I popped in to town to see daughter Anna at Bertie Mooney’s in Dundee and give her her pocket money, even though she’s 23. I think the technical term in the hospitality world is a ‘mispour’. What was I to do, refuse? I’m still there, eagerly awaiting the same thing to happen with a triple Macallan” – Simon McMahon
HALF TIME: Tottenham Hotspur 0-1 Chelsea
… which may explain why Chelsea aren’t best pleased as the two teams leave the pitch for the break. A lot of complaining going on. They’ve been by some distance the better side, though; another goal or two wouldn’t have flattered them.
45 min +6: That Bentancur challenge wasn’t the best; another referee might have sent him off. But Jarred Gillet is letting an awful lot go this evening. And now Spence lands his studs on Neto’s boot. Play is waved on. Spurs have got away with a couple of poor challenges there.
45 min +5: Spurs launch their first meaningful attack of the evening, Kudus cutting in from the right and aiming a low drive across Sanchez and towards the bottom left. Sanchez parries strongly, the ball stubbornly refusing to sit up for Kolo Muani to tap home.
45 min +4: Chalobah is also booked for dissent. This Chelsea side aren’t finding it difficult to locate trouble right now.
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45 min +3: Bentancur is booked. James – livid, because he wants his opponent sent off – sees yellow as well.
45 min +2: Bentancur catches James on the shin. Studs raking down the ankle. A loud scream as James stays down. It threatens to kick off, but the referee is across quickly to calm things down.
45 min +1: The first of six additional first-half minutes sees Van de Ven play a poor backpass that nearly releases Neto on goal. Vicario comes out of his box to blooter clear.
45 min: Danso steals the ball off Pedro near the centre circle, but there are no passing options ahead. He’s forced to turn tail, and when Bentancur thinks about sending the ball back to his keeper, the home crowd tell it as they see it. Their frustration at Tottenham’s attacking impotence clear for all to hear.
44 min: Gusto makes off down the right and cuts back for Pedro, who skelps a first-time shot goalwards from the penalty spot. It’s straight at Vicario, who nevertheless saves well with a strong hand, tipping over the bar. A few inches either side, and that would have been 0-2. Nothing comes of the resulting corner.
42 min: In the technical areas, Thomas Frank is hysterically gesticulating to the Spurs players, while Enzo Maresca is calmly applauding his. That just about sums it all up.
40 min: Spence nearly has his pocket picked out on the Chelsea right by Neto. He drags his man down but the referee waves play on. Hmm. Another referee on a different day might have awarded the free kick and booked Spence, but here we are. Spurs can’t keep carrying on like this.
38 min: A free kick out for Spurs on the left, and a chance to strike back quickly. Porro curls it in, but it’s so easy for Sanchez to pluck from the sky. Sanchez then looks long for Pedro, who can’t control the ball. That’s a let-off for Spurs, as Pedro would have been clear on goal otherwise. The home defence all over the shop.
36 min: That really had been coming. Spurs are tying themselves up in all sorts of knots as they attempt to pass it out from the back. Caicedo was utterly relentless there. Two 50-50 duels won in quick succession, before barging his way past Danso and teeing up his mate. What a wonderful all-action midfielder he is.
GOAL! Tottenham Hotspur 0-1 Chelsea (Pedro 34)
Spurs play themselves into trouble again. Caicedo wins the ball down the inside-right channel off Spence. Spurs get the ball back, but then it’s Van de Ven’s turn to be stripped by Caicedo, who is buzzing around relentlessly. Caicedo enters the box, sees off Danso, and rolls across to Pedro, who whips into the top left. It had been coming.
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33 min: If you gave Pedro his time again, he’d surely not try to trick the keeper by giving him the eyes and looking to slot at the near post. A shot towards the right-hand side of goal was surely the option.
31 min: Porro ships possession with a loose pass that deflects into the box from the Chelsea left. Pedro nips in and he’s one on one with the keeper! Vicario saves a low drive with his feet.
30 min: Before the throw comes in, the referee picks up a couple of empty Jack Daniels miniatures and hands them to a steward. Then Danso delivers. Sanchez claims, and Chelsea, having put three men on the halfway line while defending the throw, counter at speed. Fernandez tries to escape down the right but Spence does enough to put a stop to his gallop. Clever tactics from Chelsea, though.
29 min: Anyway, the corner. Porro delivers it from the left. It’s eyebrowed away from danger by Pedro, though here comes Danso, preparing to take a long throw from the other flank.
28 min: Vicario is feeling the back of his knee, but for now it looks like he’s fine to continue. He’s back on his feet, but not moving particularly smoothly.
27 min: Spence makes good down the left and earns a corner off Gusto. But before the set piece can be taken, Vicario goes down and calls for some treatment. On come the doctors again. Speaking of which, here’s Espen B: “All credit to the Spurs medical team but surely it would be better to have to have an independent doctor the way the NFL does. Not only do you have pressure from the player himself to continue, but if you have a Jose Mourinho as manager, you are in danger of losing your job if you actually do your job.”
25 min: That was better from the hosts, but Chelsea continue to be the better side. Garnacho turns on the jets and reaches the byline to the left of goal. He cuts back, hoping to find Pedro, but the ball doesn’t make its way through to the striker. Spurs clear their lines.
23 min: Spurs sling the ball back into the mixer and win another corner. From that one, sent in by Porro from the right, Simons has half a chance to shoot from the edge of the D but turns the opportunity down. He should have bought a ticket to the raffle, because when the ball’s finally delivered into the box, it’s an easy claim for Sanchez.
22 min: Gusto carelessly concedes a corner with a wayward backpass. A gift for Spurs. Porro swings it in from the left. It might be squeaking into the top-left corner! Chalobah heads off the line and clears.
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20 min: Garnacho and Fernandez are combining well down the Chelsea left. The latter flicks a cute pass infield to release Garnacho into a pocket of space just inside the Spurs box. Garnacho tries to thread a shot across Vicario and towards the bottom right, but gets it all wrong. The ball trundles harmlessly into the keeper’s arms.
19 min: James has a dig from distance. High and wide right. Vicario watches it sail out of play with a cigar on.
18 min: Spurs haven’t got going at all. Bergvall’s early departure has almost certainly jiggered their plans. “I wish it wasn’t notably praiseworthy to substitute a concussed player, but it is,” observes Kári Tulinius. “As a supporter of Arsenal it doesn’t come naturally to me to say this: well done Spurs.”
16 min: Vicario flaps at James’s corner, but gets away with it. Spurs clear. Chelsea try to keep the pressure on. Fernandes claims a free kick, tangling on the right with Van de Ven, but the referee waves play on and the ball rolls out for a goal kick.
15 min: Garnacho makes a nuisance of himself down the left. Twice. First time he lays off to Fernandez, whose attempted cross pings up off Porro’s leg and onto his arm. Chelsea claim a penalty, but come off it and come on. Garnacho comes again and wins a corner. From which …
14 min: Chelsea are seeing most of the ball, though, so in that sense something is beginning to take shape.
13 min: That early Bergvall sub has affected the momentum of the game, and with it the derby atmosphere. Nothing’s quite got going yet, and it’s fallen fairly quiet.
11 min: Pedro twists and turns down the right and wins a corner. It’s only half cleared, and Cucurella is gifted the opportunity to have a crack at goal from the edge of the D. His shot is blocked and cleared.
9 min: That’s a concussion substitution. Spurs still hold a full hand of five subs. It also means Chelsea are allowed to make an extra sub, if they so desire.
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7 min: Bergvall really wants to come back on. But he clearly can’t continue, a little shaky on his feet. The physio, to his great credit, digs his heels in. Bergvall disappears down the tunnel in disappointment, but the Spurs medical staff are doing the right thing by the young man. Simons comes on in his place.
5 min: Bergvall is desperate to stay on. The physio insists he walks to the sidelines. The player complies, but shakes his head in irritation while doing so. “No, no,” he insists. Spurs down to ten for now.
4 min: Bergvall has taken an accidental whack to the head, and is stumbling around in a very uncertain manner. He goes over once, then upon getting up, nearly again. That doesn’t look good. On comes the physio.
3 min: Both teams are wearing black armbands this evening in memory of former Spurs defender Willie Young, who passed away this week.
2 min: Kudus has a probe down the right but there’s nobody else in lilywhite on his wavelength, and the chance to attack passes.
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Chelsea get the ball rolling. We’re fully into autumn now, so a miserable quantity of rain is falling. It’s expected to clear up as the match progresses but let’s see.
The teams are out in N17. Spurs in lily white, Chelsea in royal blue. London derby + expectation + anticipation + fine new stadium x afternoon pints = rare old atmosphere. We’ll be off in a couple of your Greenwich Mean Time minutes.
Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca talks to Sky. “Spurs line up with so many different midfielders … Thomas Frank was doing the same [pressing] with Brentford … they will change nothing … it will be a tough game … we did not expect [to lose against Sunderland] but now we move on … game by game … I don’t have any doubt that we will be there [in the Premier League] but the season will be a marathon.”
Spurs boss Thomas Frank speaks to Sky Sports. “We always try to pick the right team for the right game-plan and opponent … we can tweak a little bit … this team has a very good chance to get the three points … energy … pressing skills … an open game … I think it is going to be a good game … it is a massive opportunity for us today … under the lights … a big game against Chelsea … we will come out with great energy … super excited.”
The 3pms have finished. Spurs are still where they were this morning: in third place, thanks to Manchester United’s failure to win at Nottingham Forest, the game at the City Ground ending 2-2. Chelsea however have slipped from ninth into the bottom half of the table, leapfrogged by Crystal Palace and Brighton & Hove Albion, who beat Brentford 2-0 and Leeds 3-0 respectively. Billy Munday tells all the stories in Clockwatch.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arsenal | 10 | 15 | 25 |
| 2 | AFC Bournemouth | 9 | 5 | 18 |
| 3 | Tottenham Hotspur | 9 | 10 | 17 |
| 4 | Sunderland | 9 | 4 | 17 |
| 5 | Man Utd | 10 | 1 | 17 |
| 6 | Man City | 9 | 10 | 16 |
| 7 | Crystal Palace | 10 | 5 | 16 |
| 8 | Brighton | 10 | 2 | 15 |
| 9 | Liverpool | 9 | 2 | 15 |
| 10 | Aston Villa | 9 | 1 | 15 |
| 11 | Chelsea | 9 | 6 | 14 |
| 12 | Brentford | 10 | -2 | 13 |
| 13 | Newcastle | 9 | 1 | 12 |
| 14 | Fulham | 10 | -2 | 11 |
| 15 | Everton | 9 | -3 | 11 |
| 16 | Leeds | 10 | -8 | 11 |
| 17 | Burnley | 10 | -7 | 10 |
| 18 | Nottm Forest | 10 | -12 | 6 |
| 19 | West Ham | 9 | -13 | 4 |
| 20 | Wolverhampton | 10 | -15 | 2 |
But the table, extremities apart, is tight. Spurs could end the evening in second spot with a win here; Chelsea can rise all the way to third if they beat Spurs by two goals tonight.
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Spurs make two changes to the team selected for the 3-0 win at Everton last weekend. Lucas Bergvall and Pape Matar Sarr come in for Brennan Johnson and Xavi Simons, who drop to the bench. Cristian Romero returns from injury but is only good for a place on the bench.
Chelsea also make two changes to the XI that started their last Premier League fixture, the 1-2 home reverse to Sunderland. Wesley Fofana and Malo Gusto replace Josh Acheampong and Marc Guiu, who are both benched. Both sides with slightly more defensive selections than last week, then.
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The teams
Tottenham Hotspur: Vicario, Porro, Danso, van de Ven, Spence, Joao Palhinha, Sarr, Kudus, Bentancur, Bergvall, Muani.
Subs: Scarlett, Odobert, Johnson, Romero, Tel, Udogie, Richarlison, Simons, Kinsky.
Chelsea: Sanchez, James, Fofana, Chalobah, Cucurella, Gusto, Caicedo, Pedro Neto, Fernandez, Garnacho, Joao Pedro.
Subs: Jorgensen, Adarabioyo, Bynoe-Gittens, Santos, Hato, Acheampong, Guiu, Estevao, Lavia.
Referee: Jarred Gillett.
VAR: Craig Pawson.
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Preamble
There are two ways to look at this. Tottenham Hotspur are currently third in the Premier League, while Chelsea flounder in ninth. So that’s way number one, and it was good for Spurs.
Here’s the other way. Chelsea have won their last four Premier League fixtures against Spurs. They’ve won five of their six Premier League matches at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. They’ve scored four times on each of their last two visits. They’ve only lost one of the last 13 Premier League meetings. They’re 37-8 up on wins in the Premier League era, leading by an aggregate score of 121-63. So that’s way number, er, two, and it’s fair to say the recent record between these two clubs is fairly lopsided.
Hold on, come to think of it, there’s a third way. Spurs have just lost at home to Aston Villa and won well at Everton, while Chelsea won well at Nottingham Forest before losing at home to Sunderland. So way number three suggests we simply don’t know what on earth to expect here tonight. Hey, unpredictability is the fun and lifeblood of football. Kick-off is at 5.30pm GMT. It’s on!
