Pass map time, and I have to say this is a new one... please log in to view this image Normally the right flanks looks like is reasonably-sized arrows from the RCB and RCM to Aurier and a reasonably-sized arrow from Aurier to Lucas, and literally nothing else. Instead what we have is...well, this, where Rodon and Sissoko hardly pass to Aurier, while Son sends more passes back to Aurier than Aurier sends forward to him Instead, it's Sissoko who is the Bermuda Triangle as the ball goes in and is never seen again, which certainly explains not only how we never got out of second gear in midfield (and Ndombele is the sole reason we got out of first, TBH) but what really stands out is how Lo Celso played for 25 minutes but was more effective moving the ball forward than anyone who played for longer, and the less said about Lucas being on the pitch getting the most xG Chain the better (mainly because I have no idea what the **** xG Chain is...) The obvious bright spot is the two triangles between Hojbjerg and the back line, as the Dier/Hojbjerg/Reguilon triangle is becoming a regular sight on these so it shows that Hojbjerg is dropping back to receive the ball from the defenders and they've been working on their combinations, and that neither Kane nor Son are pinpricks up front who only see the ball at kickoff On the other hand, if you look at Chelsea's, you see a hell of a lot of slugs between their defenders and midfielders but nothing between their front three, with Abraham having to drop deep to receive the ball while Werner was also having to drop deep in spite his regular service from Chilwell as Mount simply wasn't finding him please log in to view this image
Happy birthday again mate x taken from the Athletic: If there is a team that should be ruing a lack of adventure during Sunday’s 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge, it is not Tottenham. As the away side against a big rival, and with the untested Joe Rodon making his full debut in the heart of their defence, this was a valuable point for Spurs…. And a fourth clean sheet in five Premier League matches should not be scoffed at …. when the side in third is scared to attack you at home for fear of reprisal at the other end, you must be doing something right… Put simply, Chelsea were afraid of the threat of the likes of Son Heung-min and Harry Kane on the counter…..Most importantly, it’s now four points from the City and Chelsea games, and the first part of a daunting run of games has been safely navigated. Another battle has been won.
The thing is that Chelsea weren't afraid to attack, it's that Abraham wasn't getting anything so he was dropping deep to look for the ball, meaning that all we had to do was keep Ziyech and Werner quiet as they don't have any midfielders who break from deep like Lampard used to The main benefit, though, was that Hojbjerg being in midfield meant that if they were going to take potshots from distance they wouldn't be in good positions, as that was something that often hurt us in the past most obviously the period where Robbo seemed to be getting beat by worldies every four or five games due to players being able to get into good positions to let one off, for example the time Gallas tonked one in from 25 yards
Somewhat unfair to Chelsky. The fear was sufficient for them not to go "kitchen sink" in attack. Correspondingly as the game went on the poor Spurs passing game from defence / thru CM enabled them to camp in / recycle in the Spurs half.
