London derby is over, we get away with maybe non deserved point because we've been overplayed in disturbing way, but passion about it didn't completely calm down yet. I want to point on some things I noticed which I find very important.
Christian Romero is master of dark arts
I noticed he knows all tricks after couple of games in Spurs shirt, but he pushed that to whole new level during game against Chelsea. He didn't commit any single foul, but of course had couple of sharp tackles. He seems to know every hole in football rules. I am saying that because some people are saying that hair is considered like part of shirt in football rules, so pulling hair can be threaded like pulling shirt, so in eyes of rules he did pulling for shirt which everyone does a bit on corners. It could be foul, but referee didn't give that. VAR looked that and decided it was not for red card and because VAR checked he will not have any consequences for that after the game! How does this sound to you ? How cool is that ? He also had something to tell to James after equalizer. :) I love this player but this was like dancing on tinny ice and if he wanted to take revenge on Cucurella for deliberate stepping on his leg he could do that with one nice sharp tackle and get yellow card. However master did it in right time near the end and maybe this disturbed concentration of Chelsea defenders which let three Tottenham players jump on ball for equalizer soon after. Romero is real big master of dark arts and he is using them in right moments of the game.
Hojbjerg's goal from attempt outside of the box
I wrote multiple times that Tottenham players need to improve shoots from outside box. Antonio of course know that and is forcing them to try more. It's very very important. I can't stress enough how important this is. Other clubs see us in this way: ok they have Son, they have Kane, we need to pay good attention on them, we need to have some attention on this young Sweed Dejan too, also Bentancur only in passing but rest are pretty harmless for goal. Well goals like this will force them to reconsider that strategy. Hojbjerg is now danger for goal which will need attention too. More attention on players like Hojbjerg, Bentancur, Royal, Sessegnon will make more space for Son and Kane to do their things. This goal just like Dier's in preseason will make them look us with different eyes.
Ivan Perisic corners
OMG did you see that ? Those balls flied like guided missiles avoiding defenders infallible hitting heads of our players which are not that bad in doing headers as I thought. What they lacked in the past was quality corner taker who can send such superb crosses. We've got one like that now his name is Ivan Perisic and he can do that with both legs from each side! Times of 10 corners without any danger for goal have passed! Prepare to concede a goal after every 3-4 corners from now on. Harry Kane will like this delivery service. Dier, Davies, Romero, Lucas won't complain if some ball hit them too.
Lack of pace
Those were good things. Let's go on bad now. We had promising beginning of the game with few promising attacks, but around 10th minute Chelsea players push game in next gear and we were completely unable to answer on that. We lacked pace, looked slower in every duel, start losing balls, start getting caught and surrounded by couple of Chelsea players and unable to transfer ball on their half. Well there was one long ball from Harry Kane which lead to big chance for Sessegnon and few fouls for yellow card by James over Son near center, but that was just indigent for club like Tottenham. We were so badly overplayed in that period. I can't say was it because some tactical issue like Tuchel changing formation and Antonio didn't address that on time, overloading in midfield or inability or lack of pace of our players. Tottenham TV thinks we were overloaded in midfield, but I disagree with that because Son and Dejan should participate in midfield and with Hojbjerg and Bentancur that's 4 players with 5 behind them. How can that be overloading ? Unless it was big overload in football skill. It was not like front 3 were all up cut off, they all returned back but couldn't do much.
Pathetic defending from set pieces
I must confess I didn't see for a very long time such pathetic defending of corner after which defender from other club takes volley from inside the box all alone. He scored so easily like he is practicing volleys on training ground. Professional club and title contender must defend better. Zonal marking they say, everyone cover their part of box, but it seems anyone can enter inside some zones and get free volley. It happened on first Chelsea goal and to prove that was not isolated accident they allowed same player to attempt new volley from other side soon after. Fortunately he missed that one. Respect to zonal marking, but when you see player is running inside alone and ball is coming to him I guess you need to do something.
To big confidence
Son and Dejan seems to think they are better than they actually are. Do you remember that 'the best front three' stories ? It all felt in water after this derby. They're allowing 2-3 opponents to surround them and try to dribble and lose balls in dangerous areas where losing means big chance for opponent because your defense is not on position. Son did it in first half, but Lloris deflected ball into corner and after couple of them we conceded goal. Dejan did same thing in second half and we conceded goal after that. Both events happened near out line. In both of them they were surrounded with 2 or 3 opponents. Why not to try some useful and easy solution when you are in dangerous area ? I am talking about things like trying to hit opponent with ball to make out for yourself or sending long ball forward. Why not release ball faster before they all gather around you ? You can maybe dribble or push ball through legs of some players but not against top 6 clubs and not in dangerous areas. Dribbling in dangerous area against 2-3 is always bad idea. To big risk. I mean it's cool if you succeed, but if you lose ball it's goal chance for other side. It's to big unnecessary risk which should not be done against top 6.
Coach incidents
All incidents were initiated by home coach Tuchel. Tottenham scored clear goal, away bench start to celebrate Conte turned toward Tottenham fans and made gesture and Tuchel start blabbering and jelling. Soon after he ran near Spurs bench celebrating Chelsea goal with already received yellow card. Then at the end he grabbed Conte's hand and then pull his arm and blabbered something about looking into eyes and initiated new confrontation for red cards.
People have picture of him doing handshake not looking at Dyche's face earlier. So not looking in eyes was not real reason. Real reason was that he wanted to make an incident, just like after first Tottenham and second Chelsea goal. It was not enough but he showed biceps like he is to strong on press conference, blabbered something against referee, despite knowing it's forbidden and finished with good I'll be banned but man like this referee will do his job next week, that's so nice. I hope FA will show him how strong he really is with something like 6 match ban, while free of charges Conte who didn't deserve red card at all and just reacted on his jelling and violent aggressive behavior. His only foul was fact that he offered handshake to this person after the game.
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