London Derby: Can Spurs Overcome Wembley Hoodoo against Chelsea?
Tottenham take on Chelsea at Wembley Stadium on Sunday in what will be the first ever Premier League match played at England's national stadium. Spurs are playing their home games at the famous 'Home of Football' for the duration of the 2017-18 season as they wait for a new stadium to be built and they fittingly kick things off against London rivals Chelsea - a team they have frequently butted heads with in recent years.
Mauricio Pochettinho's men finished runners-up to the Blues last season as Conte's side swept to glory, but the two teams have begun the new campaign with contrasting fortunes. While the reigning champions began their title defence with a defeat away to Burnley, Tottenham made light work of Newcastle at St James' Park.
Given its timing, the game at Wembley represents an excellent opportunity for both teams to land an early blow in the battle for the league.
With injuries and suspensions to the dismissed Gary Cahill and Cesc Fabregas, a visit to old foes Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday is the sort of demanding follow-up Conte might have hoped to have been spared so early in the campaign.
Yet could Spurs' brave new world at Wembley Stadium, as they wait for their new White Hart Lane home to be finished, prove an Achilles heel? If their wretched Champions League experiences there last season are anything to go by, it could be.
Eric Dier says playing at Wembley will have no impact on Tottenham against Chelsea, but Pochettino's players struggled to replicate their stellar White Hart Lane form at their temporary home.
The north Londoners won just one of four European fixtures at Wembley, leading to accusations that Spurs suffered from a stadium hoodoo.
However, Dier is convinced the location of their upcoming clash against Conte's side will count for little.
“I just think, as a team, we didn’t perform well enough in the Champions League this season,” he told the FA's official website.
“It could have been at White Hart Lane, it could have been at Wembley or it could have been on a park, but we didn’t perform well enough as a team.
“I don’t think anyone will ever say that Wembley was the reason and I don’t think anyone should.
"Football is on a piece of grass and we just didn’t perform well enough in it.
“Chelsea are a very experienced team and I’m sure they’ve all played at Wembley many times before too.
“I don’t think that’s going to have any impact on it or make any difference to the game," Dier added.
However, the mood at Chelsea is very different from when the teams met at the venue in April in the FA Cup semi-final. Then, Chelsea were closing in on the title with Spurs in splendid but ultimately fruitless pursuit. Conte prevailed because his squad had more depth than Mauricio Pochettino’s team.
The Italian was able to summon Diego Costa and Eden Hazard from the bench at a crucial point in the match and Chelsea powered on to a 4-2 victory and a place in the final.
Four months ago, the possibilities seemed endless for Conte. With a little judicious work in the transfer window, it seemed Chelsea could plug the gaps that their manager had disguised with his tactical acumen. It was possible to imagine another golden age was starting at the Bridge.
The close season has been profoundly disappointing for Conte. Chelsea’s activity in the transfer market has been bewildering. There have been more departures than arrivals. Alvaro Morata, Antonio Rudiger and Tiemoue Bakayoko are useful additions but the 48-year-old needs at least three more players who could slot into the first team. It does not take much for Chelsea to be down to the bare bones and this was illustrated by the 3-2 defeat by Burnley on Saturday.
Five of the 18-man matchday squad had between them just two Premier League appearances to their name. Conte cannot afford his front-line players to pick up suspensions. Gary Cahill and Cesc Fabregas’s red cards mean they will be missing at Wembley. When the team’s lengthy injury list is taken into account, it’s clear Conte will be short handed.
The madness of Chelsea’s summer was not highlighted by events at the Bridge, though, but at four other Premier League grounds. Five players on loan from the club started for five of their top-flight rivals. Two of those loans, at least, look misguided. Kurt Zouma might have helped solve the problems created by Cahill’s absence but the defender is playing for Stoke. Ruben Loftus-Cheek could be useful as midfield cover for Fabregas but the 21-year-old is battling away for Crystal Palace.
To make things worse, the game-changers are missing. Costa is in disgrace and will not play for the club again and Hazard is still a long way from recovering from his ankle injury.
The players who are left are beginning to wonder why their squad is so meagre in comparison to the depth of their rivals. The last thing Conte needs is creeping doubt among his available personnel. Defeat by Tottenham would reinforce the growing concerns.
Where does it leave the Italian? He is a far more combustible character than he showed in his first season in England. His irritation with the board — and the Stamford Bridge philosophy of downgrading the manager’s influence in areas like recruitment — is growing.
Chelsea’s two previous title-winning managers were sacked in the season after their victorious campaigns — Carlo Ancelotti in 2011 and Jose Mourinho two years ago.
If Conte erupts, it could be counterproductive and lead to an ignominious hat-trick. There is only ever one winner in Stamford Bridge’s boardroom face-offs and it is never the manager.
Things could not be set up more perfectly for Pochettino. Spurs need a flying start at ‘home’. They won only once in five appearances there last season and a poor performance would throw up more suggestions that they are suffering a Wembley hoodoo. Like Chelsea, Tottenham have had an underwhelming summer in the transfer market. They need to strengthen but Pochettino has a significant advantage over Conte.
The Argentine’s first XI is settled and strong and his game-turners look to be at their dominant best. Dele Alli and Harry Kane were in excellent shape in the 2-0 win over Newcastle.
Pochettino is very keen to bring in players but the 45-year-old’s worries are nowhere near as bad as those affecting his Chelsea counterpart.
It’s fitting that Tottenham’s residency at Wembley should start with such an important game. The result could well determine the course of the season for both teams.
Meanwhile, the victories by Manchester's clubs on the opening weekend suggested they could be the teams to chase this term. The rivals are book-ending week two, with United at Swansea City in today's lunchtime game and City testing Everton's new big-spending resolve on Monday. That should provide an even better feel for their credentials.
Jose Mourinho's United put four past West Ham United and Romelu Lukaku quickly demonstrated his intent to be crowned the league's top scorer, after just missing out last year, with an accomplished double.
Just as impressive was the performance of Pep Guardiola's City, who broke down the newcomers Brighton & Hove Albion with the pairing of Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus promising much.
Still having to prove they have enough goals in them after the departure of Lukaku, manager Ronald Koeman declared on Wednesday that the Icelander is the man to "bring productivity" to the Toffees after Lukaku's departure. 04/01/17 26/11/16 02/05/16 29/11/15 01/01/15 03/12/14 08/03/14 28/09/13 08/05/13 20/10/12 24/03/12
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