Who needs Diego Costa?
Tottenham 1 Chelsea 2
ONE THING is for certain. When it is Chelsea’s turn to make Wembley their temporary home, the national stadium will hold no demons.
This was their ninth win here in 11 visits, an incredible victory against the odds, forged by a starting XI with only two recognised attacking players: the magnificent Willian and Alvaro Morata.
What a triumph it was for the organisational skills of Antonio Conte, too. After last week’s home defeat by Burnley, there were fears this could be a day of reckoning for the champions.
Instead, it was a win that demonstrates just what strength they possess. Players who gave their all, a manager who never stopped demanding, cajoling, arranging, scheming.
Nobody would say it was a wholly deserved three points, given Tottenham’s dominance for long periods, but it was damned impressive nonetheless. Chelsea led despite a lengthy onslaught by Tottenham, looked to have surrendered two points to a Michy Batshuayi own goal — and then, with two minutes remaining, won it again. That man Marcos Alonso once more. What an under-rated talent he is.
For Tottenham, this was more drama than crisis, but the speed with which many here headed towards the exits after the second went in suggested trauma.
Yes, they were unlucky — but how many times was that said as they crashed out of the Champions League in the group stage last season, with Wembley as home? They cannot continue dominating teams here, and losing. In the circumstances, then, this was more than just a win for Chelsea. They inflicted psychological trauma on a title rival, too.
That said, no stadium ever lost a football match. In the end, Spurs conceded two goals because Dele Alli rashly fouled David Luiz in a dangerous area, and then Victor Wanyama was caught in possession by the same man for the second. That isn’t down to Wembley. That’s on Alli and Wanyama. Just as it was on Batshuayi that Tottenham equalised with eight minutes remaining.
THERE
looked to be only one winner when that goal went in; but it wasn’t the team who eventually won. That’s not Wembley’s fault, either. So credit to Conte who, at the end of what has been a difficult week, showed why he deserves to be nurtured rather than further alienated by his employers.
This was a fine win for oldfashioned coaching. For setting out a team in adversity and emerging victorious. Chelsea lost the corner count 14-3, goal attempts 18-10, possession 68-32 per cent and passes made 591-282. Yet they were never behind, always in the game, still dangerous on the counter-attack and had two other chances as good as anything Tottenham created.
Willian — arguably the man of the match for his insatiable work-rate, despite Alonso’s heroics — hit a post after 73 minutes, while Morata missed an absolute sitter of a header after five. Although Tottenham were on top, it would be wrong to say Chelsea offered nothing.
And what of Alonso? One of the biggest mysteries of the summer transfer window — and there have been a few — is the persistent rumour that Chelsea are looking for a stellar left wing-back, to relegate him to a supporting role. Danny Rose, of Tottenham, has been mentioned.
Why? Alonso is as good, if not better. He has been a vital performer for Chelsea since arriving less than a year ago. He defends very well, gets forward impressively, has excellent stamina and, best of all, he scores important goals. Here, he silenced a home crowd of more than 70,000, twice.
Missing key forward players, Chelsea were always going to see their chances limited. So when Alli fouled Luiz outside the penalty area it represented a rare opportunity for an under-strength side to make an impact. Alonso took it, and magnificently.
Most would have expected Luiz to deliver the kick, but it was Alonso, coming in almost square from the right to strike the ball with his left foot, up and over the Tottenham wall, curling out of the reach of Hugo Lloris.
Short term, the result was to jolt Tottenham into a response and for the next hour they placed
Chelsea under immense pressure. Harry Kane hit a post and Alli, Christian Eriksen, Mousa Dembele and Eric Dier all came close.
Yet Spurs couldn’t break through and, ultimately, only a Chelsea mistake got them back in the game. Conte was attempting to shore up three unlikely points when he introduced Batshuayi for the tiring Morata. His first touch kicked the ball out for a throw-in. His second headed it past Thibaut Courtois from an Eriksen freekick. At that point, the momentum was with Tottenham. They now had eight minutes, plus injury time, to finish the job.
Instead, Lloris threw the ball out in the hope of starting a quick counter-attack and Wanyama lost it to Luiz. He fed Pedro, who passed to Alonso. Lloris should have captured his low, straight shot but instead it squirmed under his body.
The Chelsea of old, some will say, although in this case ‘old’ means last May. That’s how quickly things can change around Stamford Bridge. This was the Tottenham of old at Wembley, too. Although that, sadly, will be no comfort at all.