When you've got to win, you've got to win
Well that was unexpected. Not because Spurs are in any way awful or that Chelsea are that great. In what remains a congested fixture list, if there was one game this week that would be subconsciously sacrificed, it would be the domestic cup game. But alas no. There was an awakening of sorts from Jose Mourinho’s side. A moment of desire and dare I say togetherness.
This game had a mad untidy intensity to it. We weren’t doing that badly considering we slapped together a side, although early on, I momentarily forget we were playing at home. I kept thinking we could actually compete with a proper balanced side. The game was a mess and in need of cool and calculated studs on the ball. Instead, Chelsea were frantic with their movement whereas we lacked a bit of composure and finesse. They pressed, we surrendered. I’m not about to delve into blow-by-blow details of the game as I dislike the repetition of match reports (when we’ve all seen the game and know what happened). But it’s worth noting the undeniable difference in application after the swift half time team talk.
Sergio Reguilón over committed a tackle (lunging in and left in no mans land) which was mostly thanks to over eagerness and exuberance, in the lead up to Chelsea taking a 1-0 lead. The first half was chaos. The visitors had a better handle on possession whereas our tenacity was like a pup tearing a sofa to pieces. Erik Lamela, was the eternal poster boy for perseverance and determination but whilst he fought hard he found it difficult to play the simple ball after the graft to claim it (although worth noting he was a tremendous engine for the entirety of the evening, even with the messy missteps).
The two sides continued to lock horns. Uncle Mourinho and Frank Lampard clashed in the technical areas with comedic bars and ironic put-downs. On the pitch, it was now reminiscent of two sluggers in the middle of the ring, throwing punches but mostly smacking each others gloves. Both taking turns to work out a game plan that will deliver the decisive knockout blow.
I still kept thinking, ‘God damn, I’m enjoying this’. It felt ominous but not in a dreadful way. ‘We were either winning this 2-1 or losing this 3-0’, was the core of my inner punditry. Someone is bound to throw a uppercut or left-hook, leave their opponent floored.
Now then, let’s shift towards the post half time team talk time. The momentum, perhaps inspired by Jose and Frank enjoying colourful words, shifted ever so subtly towards the home team. Us. Rejoice! Gone was the reactionary acceptance of their pressing football. We took the games tempo back from them and started to dictate better movement and shape, be it short or long. Why? Well, I guess because we decided to take it to them rather than sit back and struggle with the counter. Mourinho instructed his team to…drum roll…ATTACK!
/faints
/smelling salts
I’m back.
The game was still sprinkled with a frantic pace but there was certifiable endeavour from Spurs, made all the more impressive by the fact we had no recognisable centre forward (Kane started on the bench) in the team. So I’m going to skip the timeline of events as promised and just jump to the bits I want to highlight.
Reg was mightily impressive and you can already see in this extended preview of what he’ll bring to our team; pace, awareness and a upper tier level of quality. He’s a talent. Talking of which, Tanguy Ndombele completed another ninety minutes of football. He’s gradually growing in stature and although it will take more games for him to connect (telepathically) with the players around him, the signs are hyper positive.
Tanguy quite obviously has peak IQ and footballing intelligence. We often malign the fact we lost Christian Eriksen, a divisive player, but one that allowed us to tick from deeper positions. A player with vision and creativity and one that did attain instinctive reflexes with the likes of Lamela, Dele Alli and Kane. Our French maestro will surpass the Great Dane.
His in-game intelligence to see space and opportunity is a game-changing essential we need as part of a competitive side that can contend. The fitter he gets, the more comfortable and expressive he will be. Which is something Jose and his tactics will benefit from. Which means we might be treated to less of the containment and more of the expansive.
The aforementioned Lamela and Eric Dier stuck in a tremendous shift, grafting and leading by example. Lamela is another divisive character. The Gareth Bale replacement from the not so Magnificent Seven, that turned out to be nothing of the kind. A player that didn’t fit and wasn’t suitable, forced to reinvent himself into a catalyst of chaos.
It was fate that he provided the equaliser late on that sent the game into penalties. Reg with an assist and Erik taking advantage of some fairly weak defending from Chelsea to slap the ball in for 1-1. The Argentine is the embodiment of everything you want from a Spurs player in terms of mettle and energy and application. But the delivery is where he pushes supporters into division. Perhaps if you accept him for what he is rather than what you expected him to be, you’ll be more comfortable with Coco and his pops.
Before we got our deserved goal, we all got treated to Dier running off the field with Jose chasing him down the tunnel. In isolation, that description sounds maddening. Thankfully, it was nothing more than a toilet break and Mou wanted to make sure Eric didn’t spend too long on the bog doing crosswords. A moment of comic relief and, well, relief for the games Man of the Match. Post-game he sat the award on the toilet seat and shared the hilarity via Instagram. The serious caveat to this is, Eric is absolutely spent and his body was sending a desperate message to rest and recover. He won’t be playing on Thursday.
Kane’s Inclusion in the second half gave us that missing spearhead. Hugo between the sticks (as echoed by Mou post-game) was a statement of intent, starting the club captain and not treating the cup game like the annoyance some of us expected. Pierre-Emile Højbjerg and Lucas Moura also with appearances. Which turned out quite nice when we lined up for the penalty shoot-out.
Christ, I hate pens. I really do. I’d rather not watch them. Would prefer to switch the telly off and just wait ten minutes and then find out if we go through or not. Spurs are barely kings of composure.
Well, well, well…how times are (kinda) changing.
Dier. Lamela. Højbjerg. Lucas. Kane. All with excellent pens. In fact, all of the penalties were coolly slotted away. Until Mason Mount took Chelsea’s fifth and skinned the outside of the post with his effort. I’ll take that. We’ve suffered in shoot-outs too often in the past so I make no apology in celebrating a defining moment in Mourinho’s fledgling tenure. Tottenham’s b-team defeat Chelseas’s new team and this weird pandemic struck pre-seasonesque showcase continues to surprise.
The most defining moment of the game for me (and for everyone) was being able to celebrate Lamela’s goal without VAR asking you to pause and wait for two minutes. Liberating!
We’re in the quarter-finals and it’s at this stage where you can start to consider a visit to Wembley (probably via your sofa). Onwards now to Thursday with another home game, this time in the Europa and then Sunday, it’s Manchester United. Even though we drew 1-1 (Newcastle) and again 1-1 in the cup (not really relevant), there is a suggestion that this team is starting to gain a little form which might push towards that much needed identity. With the news Son is back post International break, we just might be able to dig deep and finally - after two years - reclaim ascendency. Oh yeah and Bale. And perhaps, fingers-crossed, a brand new Dele (I will die on this hill).
I’m getting carried away.
One game at a time. Which is all we can do. With the transfer deadline a handful of days away, we can do with further consolidation so that there truly is no excuse ready made and waiting.
COYS
