What Happened As It Happened. Chelsea vs. Spurs.

where am i? what year is it? who's the president?

Because I’m going to work tonight; this post will be a little different. More of a as it happens match report; could work amazingly, maybe not.

0 – Looks like we’re playing a 4-3-3, Jenas, Huddlestone and Palacios in the midfield trio and Lennon Keane and Defoe upfront. Going to Stamford to attack!! COYS

3 – Looks like we’re matching up with a diamond formation also when needed, expanding outwards. Quite ingenious considering Palacios’ importance. He’ll certainly need backup today.

4 – Drogba might have been onside there…

7 – Nice interchange there! Corluka setting up the move down the right hand side. Shows that we are capable of making something out of nothing. Not sure whether Wilson meant his pass though.

7- Bosingwa…. Can’t let those full backs have that kind of space!!  Good aerobics from Cudicini though.

9- Good take again from Cudi; the central midfield trio seem to be performing well at the moment. Jenas looking good supporting Wilson; though will want to make more of a mark on the game to get the skeptical fans onside.

11- Benoit far to casual with his clearance there! Led to a great chance for Defoe though, good save by Cech, and a great ball from Palacios!

13 – Huddlestone on the left foot; not a bad attempt at all, as the ball was bouncing. Will take something special to beat Cech today. But if there’s one thing Spurs do, it’s special. Am I right?

14 – Corluka makes my heart stop sometimes! Sliding tackle in the area leading to a wasted corner. Thank god he’s not Belhadj.

15 – Great play from Lennon on the left, cuts inside and sets up Jenas who has a great attempt on goal, beats Cech but goes just wide of the post, best chance of the match so far.

16 – Robbie may be floating in the channels but hes still to make a massive mark on the game. Gee up Keano. Lampard misses a header just left of the post under pressure from Corluka and King.

18 – Liking how expansive our midfield is looking indeed. Seem to be containing them in the middle aswell at this stage; forcing them down the flanks. They score goals when their play is compressed though so we’ll have to be careful!

20 – Palacios with a speculative effort from 35 yards. I think we’ll allow him that one, but don’t make it a habit Wilson.

22 – Anelka with a shot from a hard angle, side netting. Aslong as we dominate the possession and close them down, we can minimize chances like this for them. They’re more or less exclusively playing down the flanks now too. A goal should really bring this to life.

23 – Nice work for BAE keeping Bosingwa quiet; very improved since this time last year. Am I the only one who wants the afro back though?

26 – Seem to have lost our cool a bit now; some sloppy passing is gifting them possession. This is also giving us less time to bring the play out of our half and form a strong attack. I have a feeling that Aaron will make a mark today.

28 – John Solako on SSN has just said exactly what I just wrote. Punditry it’s a mug’s game. Nice to see we’re slowing down the pace a little again. Forcing Chelsea to play our way is exactly the way we want to be playing right about now.

30 – Not sure who just went down. But Chelsea just broke from what looked like a foul, resulting in a move that Ballack nearly scored. Excellent composure from Corluka to diffuse the situation.

31 – GOAL – CHELSEA – Ashley Cole roams from an attacking position behind Corluka who was caught unawares, latches onto a Drogba cross. Let’s have a response please.

33 – Looking at the replay Defoe should feel aggrieved we didn’t get a free-kick from the break. We’ll need to slow the game down again if we can. Also bringing Lennon into the game should expose their weaknesses more.

36 – Jenas stops Drogba on the break. Looks like he got the ball, but Drogba seems to have taken a knock, Oh wait a minute, he’s fine. Essien vs. Defoe; who says Spurs can’t play nasty.

38 – Aaron Lennon is FAST. Another great break. I’d have to see it again to see if a freekick is warranted. Defoe fouls Drogba now, and may receive a booking if he doesn’t calm down. Good to see that he’s hungry. Chelsea free kick, 37 yards. Wasted.

40 – We’re just lacking that venom out up top. Palacios receives a warning for a hard tackle. Giovani dos Santos on for Keano for me would be a great move. I expect we’ll more like see Crouch and a long ball game implimented.

42 – Ashley Cole feigns injury on his face from Jenas to take the  run of play. The beautiful game if I’ve ever seen it.

43 – A goal before the break would be a lot to ask safe to say Harry would be happy for the lads to come into half time as is. To concede another would be devastating.

44 – CHEATSKI. Ballack is ‘hurt’ by Jenas. Dangerous free kick given…. Drogba lines it up… Hits the wall. Though Chelsea still look dangerous until the ball is collected by Cudicini.

HALF TIME – Harry will be happy to have the lads come in. For me Keane seems to lack danger upfront and for the most part is involved in linking up play. For the most part we’re playing with only one upfront. Crouch or Gio on would be a better move if we’re looking to get a point today.

On the whole; I can reiterate that a win here would be an improbable result and its the performance of the side we should be looking to get to the highest level. At this stage I feel we’ve done ok but I’d like to see a fair bit more from us, and certainly no capitulation as we saw against Manchester United; though that was probably more due to Palacios’ substitution. COME ON YOU SPURS.

KICK OFF 2ND HALF

46 – Ledley hurt, his knee! Absolute nightmare. Hutton coming on for him with Corluka moving to CB. Where he can be a bit shaky. Prove me wrong Charlie, prove me wrong.

49 – Chelsea looking very dangerous now indeed.In and around our final third. Drogba is the man who’s causing all the problems. Passing wise we seem far too tentative and really need to up our pace a bit.

51- Peter Crouch for Keano please. How can Keane be this undroppable. It’s ludicrous. All the action is happening in our half. Assou-Ekotto again showing good strength against Anelka before Drogba puts his 2p in. Ballack with a sliced shot from 30 yards.

54 – PENALTY SHOUT. Cavalho takes Keano down in the area. Howard Webb offers no recompense. What a mug.

55- Nice attacking move with Hutton rushing forward results in a corner. Keano still amazed at the fact we didn’t win a penalty. Me too mate me too. Looping corner results in a fine header from Bassong I believe which is saved as play breaks down.

57 – Chelsea break on the counter attack down all wings players flying forward. and.

GOAL – CHELSEA – Solako is saying that we’ve been robbed. too right. The difference is that they’re taking their chances and keeping the ball in our final third. Harry will need to respond if he wants anything from the game now. Though after Keano causing Cavalho problems he may think twice.

61 – Chelsea looking very comfortable on the ball, and with the majority of our players marking the advanced players like superglue, the full backs are having free reign. Trouble if we let them continue this way.

GOAL – CHELSEA – Didier Drogba makes a mug of Charlie simply through his pace, receives a bit of luck as the ball takes a touch from Corluka and rounds Cudicini. Any kind of response would be the sign of an improved side. Whether it’s bringing someone on who’s hungry to prove their worth or looking at a new style of play.

64- Not sure what’s just happened but Bassong just managed to bodyslam Drogba and Anelka I think. If you can’t win football, I guess wrestling is the next best thing? Freekick 20 yards out… Off the wall for a corner. Despite a blatant handball from BAE. It’s embarrassing to see the team degrade this much despite the score-line.

67 – Crouch on for Defoe. Not sure what to make of that Keane’s leadership must be seen as invaluable. Attacking move for spurs collapses, though in the break-up Palacios nearly takes one back for us with a flying kick. Thats what I like to see.

70 – Ironically Crouchy breaks with the ball. Chelsea’s defenders stand off him with the assumption he’ll pass to Keano. Crouchy has a jig and takes a shot, just over the bar, perhaps a step closer and it would have been a stand-out opportunity. Keano is a bit upset that he wasn’t fed.

73 – Great save from Cudicini from an Essien shot fed by Anelka. All caused from a sloppy passing mistake allowing Chelsea to break. Lapse in concentration happening all across the field. The mentality aspect really seems to be what it is that defines a ‘top 4′ side; it’s also safe to say that at this stage we’re not quite up there with Chelsea and Man U. Who win games by hook or crook and seem to not be able to even cognify the idea of losing. We’ll have some of that please.

75 – Bassong seems hurt; allows everyone to have a few drinks and think about what they’ve done. A bad injury for Bassong would spell disaster and it looks like he’s going off on a stretcher as got knocked out. Krancjar for Bassong with Huddlestone shifting back into centreback. One day all of our centre-backs will be fit at the same time.

81 – Nice to see Krancjar’s had a nice haircut. He looks a bit like when he was in is prime. We’ll have to make a mark for Sebastien’s sake. Drogba seems to have pulled something taking a shot. Not a good sign for Chelsea. Looks like Kalou will be making an appearance.

85 – Ashley Cole handles the ball in his area? You decide. Howard says no! Krancjar is looking great, like a midfield Corluka, very composed and creative, though not the quickest out of the blocks. He’s one we’ll have to get a system sorted for.

87 – Defenders are looking very standoffish not wanting to be caught out. Naturally this is giving Chelsea’s attack all the time in the world.  Could be another goal coming.

89- Anelka off for Borini, young italian. If he scores against us it would surely be the icing on a very disappointing cake. Cech claims a ball from a high cross taking out Mikel. He seems shaken but may not need a sub. 8 mins to be added on for the abundance of injuries.

91 – Wilson bodychecks Lampard for a dangerous freekick from the left hand side of the area. Wasted oppurtunity as Lampard smashes it high and wide.

92 – Crouch with an attempted scissor kick, didn’t make contact. Jenas receives a yellow card. Probably for his lack of massive impact in the game. Crouch probably should have started this game in my eyes. Has doubled our opportunities since coming on despite our lack of a finishing touch.

95 – GOAL. SPURS, dissalowed Crouch was fairly offside for that one. Took it well despite this. Cudicini has played very well today. Arguably states his claim for the number 1 spot today, as without him it could have been a far more dramatic headline. Especially if Gomes had made a ‘howler’.

98 -Chelsea waste some time taking the game into the 98th minute, final whistle any second..

Final Thoughts;

On today’s performance you can really see the gulf between Spurs and Chelsea that comes from consistency and  the right mentality. To be totally honest they deserved their 3 and could have had more, though that penalty shout which could be a bit here or there could have galvanized the troops somewhat. Plenty of work to be done if we’re wanting to get into the top 4; some of that regarding Harry’s tactical decisions. As the 4-3-3 was impressive for the opening 20mins but lacked the versatility to really contain Chelsea in our final third once Palacios was beaten.

Keane maybe couldn’t be taken off in this one, as without Modric he is the tenuous link between the midfield and the strikers, but I feel Crouch from the start may have offered more of a problem for Chelsea, albeit somewhat of a linear one.

Time to build ourselves up again.