The times when Tottenham had been able to ending this fixture with 9 males attempting to execute a excessive line towards Nicolas Jackson are over, however on present proof the choice to switch the excesses of Angeball with one thing extra restrained and grown-up has merely invited soul-searching of a special nature.
The loud, sustained blast of booing that broke out when the ultimate whistle arrived on the finish of this sorry defeat to Chelsea mentioned a lot in regards to the identification disaster gripping Thomas Frank's aspect. Of all of the methods to lose a derby this was absolutely one of many worst ones. It was not that Spurs had been unhealthy, extra that they had been scared to play. There was an unambitious lineup from Frank, who began with six attacking gamers on the bench, and it led to his workforce ending with a staggering xG of 0.05 as their shedding run towards Chelsea trundled right into a fifth sport.
“I might say that hurts massively,” Frank mentioned. “I've by no means been answerable for a workforce that created that little. By no means. I'll look into what we are able to do to make it higher.”
It was an unsightly method from Frank. Spurs lacked the gamers to counterattack and Chelsea shrugged at a stream of overhit lengthy balls. Robert Sánchez claimed nearly the whole lot. There was no pushing Chelsea round. They matched Spurs' physicality and restricted them to a few pictures, solely certainly one of which resulted in Sánchez having to make a save.
This isn't soccer that will probably be welcomed by the group on the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Spurs are alleged to play with panache however this was depressing. Xavi Simons enduring the ignominy of being subbed on and off summed it up for Spurs, whose file of solely 13 factors from their previous 19 dwelling video games is the worst of any workforce to have been within the Premier League all through that interval.
The numbers are unflattering. Again to the one about xG: this was Spurs' worst since information started within the 2012-13 season. The absence of Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison shouldn't be hurting this a lot from a inventive sense. But for all that Spurs have recorded some spectacular outcomes on the highway since changing Ange Postecoglou with Frank, a lot in order that they started this sport in third place, they're horribly wanting concepts at dwelling and by no means regarded able to conjuring an equaliser as soon as Chelsea had been in entrance.
One aim was sufficient for Enzo Maresca's aspect to maneuver degree on factors with their London rivals. It was scored by the wonderful João Pedro, ending the ahead's barren run, and there have been excellent performances in midfield from Reece James and Moisés Caicedo.
Nevertheless, Chelsea didn't should be way more than scientific and environment friendly to say a restorative win after a interval dominated by give attention to their poor self-discipline file and final weekend's setback towards Sunderland. Spurs had nothing to harm the world champions. It was all so rudimentary from the hosts and the indignities for Frank continued when Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence blanked their supervisor as he tried to instruct them to remain on the pitch to applaud a mutinous dwelling crowd at full-time.
Nothing had labored. Spurs had been proper to half firm with Postecoglou, who took his dedication at all times to have a go to expensive extremes, however the jury is out on Frank. Chelsea had been unmoved by the Dane's smothering ways, which concerned a field midfield smothering house, João Palhinha following Enzo Fernández all over the place and Randal Kolo Muani being given little assist in assault.
Spurs lacked pure width on the left and had been pressured to regulate their plan when a concussed Lucas Bergvall made method for Simons within the seventh minute. Nevertheless, Chelsea had been by no means going to be bodily overwhelmed once they had James and Caicedo shielding their defence.
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Chelsea's strikes had been slicker, significantly with Alejandro Garnacho repeatedly creating overloads on the left, and their excessive press was a outstanding function. It disrupted Spurs, who ought to have conceded when overplaying led to the primary clear opening, just for João Pedro to shoot straight at Guglielmo Vicario.
It was a tame end from João Pedro. Was it proof of a scarcity of perception? The Brazilian has regarded drained in latest weeks and isn't coaching at full velocity however he led the road right here in sturdy trend and supplied slippery motion instead of Marc Guiu and the suspended Liam Delap.
Spurs did not heed the warnings. Maresca mentioned that Rodri is the one defensive midfielder on the earth who can match Caicedo. Spurs couldn't reside with the Ecuador worldwide. Invited to press once more, Caicedo gained possession as soon as, then muscled on to a delicate cross from Simons and dominated a 50-50 with Van de Ven earlier than discovering João Pedro, who lifted the ball previous Vicario for his first aim since August.
Spurs flickered, Mohammed Kudus drawing a plunging save from Sánchez, however they need to have been out of it by half-time. Vicario repelled a piledriver from João Pedro and there was fury from Chelsea when a warning for Rodrigo Bentancur's wild lunge on James was deemed ample.
Chelsea had possibilities to increase their lead in the course of the second half. Spurs made changes however they remained blunt and couldn't even get their deliveries from set items proper. Chelsea won't have many simpler wins this season.
