3 things we learned from Chelsea vs Tottenham Hotspur, as intense Spurs grab deserved win
Final score: Chelsea 0-2 Tottenham Hotspur
Goals: Mike Penders (own goal), Mathys Tel
Sent off: Cole Palmer (second yellow)
It wasn’t pretty, but Spurs won’t care. For just the second time in 37 attempts, they’ve won at Chelsea in the league. They are building serious momentum under Roberto De Zerbi.
Here’s what we learned from a tense, tight derby.
Joao Pedro’s absence is a big problem for Chelsea
Hearing Joao Pedro was out injured was a big blow for Chelsea. They just couldn’t cope without him.
Alonso could have brought in Danny Welbeck as a like-for-like replacement. Instead, he decided to overcomplicate things. It did not work.
Youngster Quenda came in, with Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers playing as dual false nines. That created a 4-2-4 in possession and left big gaps in midfield. There was also too much confusion in Chelsea’s press. Nobody knew what they were doing.
If Welbeck had simply come in, Chelsea would have been less disjointed. They might have found some rhythm. Instead, the players seemed to be figuring it out on the fly. That is a big concern.
If Joao Pedro is out for a long period, Welbeck starting in his place has to be the answer. Chelsea’s entire attacking unit faltered without a spearhead to work off.
Intense Spurs have lift-off, and they deserve it
The sight of Roberto De Zerbi stomping his feet in frustration is now increasingly familiar. He also slams his hands against his legs. Spurs put in another very promising display, just like they did against Manchester United, Everton and Aston Villa this season. This time, they finally got the bit of luck they deserved.
Spurs zipped the ball around well and were solid in defense. They got Mathys Tel and Mohammed Kudus on the ball out wide in dangerous areas. James Maddison and Sandro Tonali dictated play in midfield. Mateus Fernandes provided brilliant energy alongside them.
The intensity and organization were top notch. This is a statement win for Spurs and De Zerbi.
When Tel’s superb strike made it 2-0 late on, he ran onto the pitch in delight and did a happy dance.
Spurs have clearly put in the hard work. They are tough to play against, and their press is intense and precise. Every single player knows what they should do. As injuries clear up, De Zerbi will have even more options, and Spurs will get even better.
Conditions play a big part as Penders has a debut to forget
There’s no doubt the conditions had a huge say in this game. Chelsea couldn’t get their silky playmakers on the ball enough. The swirling wind and rain suited Spurs, who didn’t mind going more direct and playing out wide.
The two big moments in the second half also owed something to the conditions.
First, young goalkeeper Mike Penders came to punch a corner in his first Premier League start. He got it all wrong. The ball slid off his fist and went in for an own goal to give Spurs the lead. Chelsea’s fans tried to play the linesman for missing an offside, but that was on Penders. The conditions got an assist.
Then Cole Palmer slid in and left his foot in on Conor Gallagher. He was deservedly shown a second yellow and sent off for a naughty challenge.
Penders, 21, will now have to pick himself up and go again, with Emiliano Martinez out for many more weeks. The Belgian knew it was a howler, but he made some decent stops to keep Chelsea in it. This defeat was about way more than one goalkeeping error, but it came at a critical moment.
