Tactically dominant, Tottenham committed three horrendous errors as our FA Cup Semi-Final finished Chelsea 4-2 Spurs at Wembley Stadium.
Spurs were in the ascendancy throughout, dominating large parts of this FA Cup Semi-Final by breaking Chelsea’s defensive lines. However, Antonio Conte’s team preyed on defensive lapses and ruthlessly converted them. The game finished a rather lop-sided Chelsea 4-2 Spurs, as the team that played in moments beat one that was trying to orchestrate the match.
Press vs press
The match opened with a frantic first twenty minutes. Both teams were trying to press to stop each other playing out and dictating the tempo.
Chelsea had their front three of Pedro, Michy Batshuayi and Willian squeeze up man-to-man on Eric Dier, Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen. N’Golo Kante and Nemanja Matic would move in-behind to try and stop the ball going through Mousa Dembele and Victor Wanyama in midfield.
Chelsea’s early pressing in the match created problems. The ball often needed to go long from Toby Alderweireld to beat it.
On the other side of the ball, Spurs were equally aggressive. Closing down from the front, Harry Kane and Dele Alli were busy trying to restrict time and space on the ball. The man in the middle of their back three, David Luiz, also had to ping passes over distance to escape the rapidly closing net.
Each team trying to squeeze the life out of the other created early chances and the first goal.
Chelsea counter attacks
Chelsea had already broken out on a counter attack through Willian that had caused panic before they took the lead. With just three minutes on the clock, Spurs tried to press, but got caught by a long ball out and neat flick around the corner.
Marcos Alonso had the ball at the back and Spurs committed three errors in a row.
Firstly, Kieran Trippier went to close down Alonso and then stopped in no man’s land. As a result, Alonso had time and space to send the ball forward, clearing the gaggle of Spurs players closing in.
As the ball went forward, Eric Dier committed the second error by letting Pedro get goal side. Michy Batshuayi’s inventive flick then sent the Spaniard on his way.
Toby Alderweireld is the most reliable and calm defender on a football field. His reluctance to hit the panic button has seen him rob and deny many of a goal scoring opportunity. Whether it was too early in the match and the nerves hadn’t settled or something else, Alderweireld inexplicably went to ground. Eric Dier and Jan Vertonghen were both covering to make sure Pedro was running down a blind alley away from goal.
Alderweireld’s unnecessary lunge gave Pedro the opportunity to go to ground and win a free kick in a highly dangerous area.
If only to compound the errors in the build-up, there were more in the taking of the free kick. Goalkeeper Hugo Lloris took an ill-fated step behind his wall and couldn’t get back. Adding more misery was the ball flicking off the arm of Nemanja Matic, as Chelsea overloaded the end of our wall.
Chelsea had prospered from their first big moment in the match, capitalising on a Tottenham mistake.
Spurs set piece special
Pressing Chelsea got us in to trouble to put us behind. However, the tables were turned fifteen minutes later. Spurs had already won two corners when number three turned out to be the charm.
Trying to press and hem Chelsea in saw us win the ball back in midfield. A foul on Harry Kane won a free kick and then a corner in quick succession.
After leading the Premier League in set piece goals last season, we’ve struggled this term. However, in recent matches, we’ve seen a resurgence, which must be linked to more work on the training ground.
Nathan Ake cleared Christian Eriksen’s ball in, but good recycling play from Son Heung-Min and Kieran Trippier worked it back out to the Dane. Eriksen’s next ball was pinpoint; Kane’s flicked-on header, inspired. Stooping low to the floor, Kane’s ability to nod the ball with an upward brush of his head was quite outstanding, 1-1.
Spurs force Chelsea back
Each team had punched and counter-punched in the first twenty minutes, but then Spurs started to wear Chelsea down and force them back.
Three consistent patterns were beginning to happen. Firstly, Spurs were able to break the Chelsea press with regularity. Jan Vertonghen, Eric Dier and Toby Alderweireld were able to maintain and play the ball around the Chelsea pressers. Once in space, the back three could move the ball up to Mousa Dembele and Victor Wanyama. It may not seem like much, but it stretched and started to wear Chelsea’s front the three down.
Secondly, Victor Wanyama and Mousa Dembele were getting more on the ball, which gave N’Golo Kante and Nemanja Matic a problem. The Chelsea defensive midfield duo was now getting caught between going to close them down and shielding their back three. Caught often in no man’s land, space was being created both in front of them and behind.
Thirdly, as a result of this action, pockets were being created for Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen to move in to. We looked at the space Chelsea were giving up behind their defensive midfield and how it let opponents directly attack their slow centre backs in the Spurs vs Chelsea match preview. This space was beginning to be created again and Eriksen began to orchestrate attacks.
Spurs started to dominate the half, but again fell foul to another error and punishing sucker punch.
Wingback Son Heung-Min
Eyebrows were raised when the team sheets were handed in. Antonio Conte leaving Eden Hazard and Diego Costa on the bench was one shock. The other surprise centred on Son Heung-Min and his inclusion as a wingback.
During Chelsea 2-1 Spurs at Stamford Bridge, Mauricio Pochettino had been tactically cute. Our manager used Son to stay high and try to cheat in the space that Victor Moses often leaves behind him. Moses defensive deficiencies are a Chelsea weak spot and Pochettino wanted to expose it.
With Ben Davies reportedly carrying a knock so that he was only fit enough for the bench, I can only imagine that was Pochettino’s thinking here. The manager had other options, but was steadfast on taking the game to Chelsea and using Son as an attacking force. The South Korean has been in red-hot form recently and this was a way of including him in the team.
As can often be the case, Son is a peripheral figure in the big matches. He was here, operating often in the Chelsea half until called upon to do some rare defensive work.
Son wasn’t helped to be fair. Our defence was caught extremely flat and narrow. He started off too tight to his centre back and then finished with an ill-advised lunge.
Victor Moses has a history of flopping. Swansea fans will all to remember his heinous dive to win a penalty when he was at Stoke City on loan. Blackburn Rovers supporters will recall a similar incident during his time playing for Wigan Athletic.
Whether Moses dived, flopped or was just plain smart, Son needlessly gave him the opportunity to manufacture the situation.
Chelsea converted the penalty to punish a second error, capitalising on another moment of madness.
Eriksen between the lines
Spurs had got through some exceptional work to force Chelsea back and create a problem for N’Golo Kante and Nemanja Matic. The pair was being pulled all over the place, creating holes for Christian Eriksen.
The Dane had positioned himself in the inside right channel to pull away from Kante and Matic and give Nathan Ake a conundrum of whether to get drawn out or not.
Eriksen’s astute positioning returned the game to parity once again. As the ball moved wide to Kieran Trippier, the Dane was lurking in this pocket of space beyond Matic and Kante.
A neat pass by Trippier found him. Whilst this was going on, Dele Alli was also running through the space created between the lines to attack the back three. As we looked at in the Spurs vs Chelsea match preview, the Blues back line is vulnerable when exposed to pace.
Dele Alli’s out-to-in runs have been a feature under Mauricio Pochettino. As Dele pointed where he wanted the ball, Christian Eriksen put it on a sixpence. A more brilliant assist and finish you will not see.
Compounding errors
Twice coming from behind to make up for needless errors, Spurs were now fully in control of the match. Antonio Conte was rattled and knew he had to make changes. On came the big guns. Eden Hazard and Diego Costa were first in to the fray. Cesc Fabregas soon followed as Conte sought to regain some kind of control in midfield.
Spurs continued to pound away. Dembele and Wanyama constantly regaining and recycling play for Eriksen to probe a retreating defence. Howevre, in going for the knockout punch, another combination of errors compounded to give Chelsea the lead once more.
Spurs were committing to attack, but a Chelsea break and counter saw Dele Alli needlessly trip Victor Moses to stop it. Dele again had cover and there was no reason to halt Chelsea’s break at that point.
Conceding a free kick on halfway didn’t seem like much. However, it allowed Chelsea to move up the field. The Blues had been hemmed in and were struggling to get out of their half of the pitch. This was an easy way out.
From the restart, Chelsea went and won a corner, their first of the match. More unnecessary pressure had been invited.
Regular readers will know my bugbears of the Spurs three man zonal system at corners. The scheme has got us in to issues before and it did once more here with another error being committed.
A huge pack of players surrounded the penalty spot, creating confusion with the mix of man and zonal marking. Eden Hazard was allowed to drift off the back, unmarked.
Chelsea’s most dangerous player had time to collect the loose ball and return it with interest. Eric Dier was too afraid of deflecting it in to his net and could only watch as it raced in to the corner.
For a third time Spurs had made unnecessary errors, both in the build up to and defending of the corner.
Matic ends it
Spurs had tried to dominate the match; Chelsea wanted to command the big moments.
Three goals had arrived from ruthlessly taking advantage of Tottenham errors that had presented golden chances. A fourth was added to put the game out of reach with a pearling strike from an unexpected scorer. Nemanja Matic picked out the top corner after excellent passing from Fabregas and Hazard.
Antonio Conte had introduced the pair for their passing and control of the ball. He sought to regain some influence on the match, as his team could not maintain possession in the face of Tottenham’s closing down.
The duo combined to work the ball neatly out of the corner to the waiting Matic to hammer his shot goal wards. Hugo Lloris had no chance and at Chelsea 4-2 Spurs the game was up.
After waiting for and dominating the big moments, Chelsea had finally manufactured a goal that didn’t rely on a Tottenham error.
Chelsea 4-2 Spurs overall
Tottenham bossed much of the match through establishing and breaking the Chelsea lines.
N’Golo Kante and Nemanja Matic were given problems by Mousa Dembele and Victor Wanyama. The Chelsea pair was drawn up and it created space behind for Christian Eriksen to work in.
Eriksen had two assists on two beautifully crafted goals. However, great play is not enough when it is undone by unnecessary errors. Chelsea took advantage of these moments to continually go ahead in the match. Constantly fighting back from a goal behind, we couldn’t continue to draw level and eventually it became too much.
For once, Wembley wasn’t the problem. Spurs were their own worst enemy here. The team has made great strides in the last three seasons and will continue to do so. This was another learning experience that will serve us better down the line. It will sting, but the team will emerge stronger.
Final score: Chelsea 4-2 Spurs.
MOTM: Mousa Dembele.
Excellent if depressing analysis.
And yes let’s find the positive, onward and ever upward!!
One comment not made by you though is that our squad has not yet got the depth or quality of the Chelsea squad,
Compare the three who Chelsea were able to bring on to our options!
We need more depth and talent, so let’s hope we can buy or bring on more quality in the summer.
Yes, we do need more depth and that has to be at the top of the list for this summer. We do have a great core though and that is the first step. Having Champions League again next season, as well as the new stadium and currently having world class training facilities, are all great draws to potential recruits.
That’ll hurt for a while… especially considered we played so well. Also all their goals seemed to come against the run of play. Still proud of the performance though. just pick ourselves up and look to win the next game.
I was really worried about the lineup when I saw it, Son at left wingback made me abit uncomfortable as much as he tried to pin moses back, moving Trips to the left didn’t seem to help too, seemed to drift out and less impact on the game..
If you need the definition of a telepathic goal, that Kane header is it right there, Dele took his really well, on the run.. neat finish.
If you need the definition of a professional foul handling by a keeper, that Lloris moment was it, just smile at it.
Just trying to be positive… The most important thing is that we don’t let this loss kill the momentum that we have in the league, at least make them feel uncomfortable till the very end, or even maybe nick it…
COYS
The Son experiment didn’t really work out. If he hadn’t given the penalty away, you could say it didn’t do anything for us, but it did unbalance the team. Davies must’ve not been in a good way to try it though, as it seemed a bit desperate. I wouldn’t totally knock the idea. Dier had some awful games at the start of his chance in defensive midfield, but it’s not the time nor place in the season to be experimenting so wildly.
The Palace game on Wednesday is huge. We can’t afford to drop points or our season could be de-railed like last year. I’m hoping their victory over Liverpool, which almost guarantees them safety, will cause them to take their eye off the ball as Palace are in amazing form right now.
I think there are times when all clubs have to learn that it isn’t necessary to have the greatest possession, the game is actually about scoring goals ONLY. One team has to score more than the other, and whilst as a Spurs supporter of about 65 years I love to see the skill and artistry they this team provide, there is a limit. As you say, the goals against were largely of Spurs making, a fact most unusual this season as the defence has been so good. We have to learn from what has happened, the biggest thing is the quality of the squad, and we need greater depth, so that there is a ‘second wind’ and by having other options it will create the results we all want, not this year, but certainly next season. Spurs are my one and only team, BUT lessons have to be learnt.
Big match experience is what a lot of our players lack, but Champions League and games like this will certainly speed up their learning curve. If you look at the experience Chelsea has in their squad against ours then they are further along that road. Squad depth is needed and experiences like this will make our team stronger.
Let’s hope so, Mark, on what doesn’t kill you and also emerging stronger. But…A win and getting to final to win again would’ve added so much lustre to Poch’s project — naming rights, other sponsor deals, cachet for club — and this loss may slow progress, and I hate to say it, but I wonder if any players might jump ship. We have to win something next year or that will happen…so close yet so far! Damn!
I can’t see too many, if any, jumping ship this summer. I think we are quite an exciting place to be right now, but in say 2 or 3 years time then that could be the case if we are stuck in a cycle of being continual runners up or just missing out on trophies. Of course, if Poch goes, then that could start an exodus as playing for him in this system is the most appealing part of our club for any player.
Yes, a given, Mark, Ericksen’s assists were briliant. But why can’t he deliver corners?
Spurs need to find someone who can be a potent corner-taker like De Bruyne, for instance.
(Example only, not expoecting us to buy him!)
We have the tall men, Toby, Eric, Harry, Dele… yet the ball so often hits the first defender.
And how right Terry Steedman is with his comment on possession.
Crystal Palace beat Liverpool this morning with just 28%!
Eriksen’s delivery from set pieces and corners continues to be poor. I think that is why Lamela, who was actually decent at them, got his fair share when he was fit. From watching them, Eriksen appears to be asked to drive hard balls in that are aimed at specific points, such as the near post, which is why he often hits the first man. When it comes off of course, then we get a very good chance of scoring for Alderweireld, Dier or Vertonghen. These harder driven balls are more difficult to be accurate with, but I think this is why we’ve also seen a rise in the number of short corners recently. These keep the defence honest, but also shift them around before a harder driven cross comes in.
Possession is all dependent on how your team is set up. If you want to play without the ball, such as Palace or Leicester, then you need speed in abundance and players that can run rapidly with and without the ball. Palace have that in Zaha, Townsend and Benteke. We are set up in that we need to control the ball, but also zones on the pitch ie central midfield. We can play a counter attacking game – Poch did so at the Emirates the other season – but I don’t think its in his DNA to do so. He backs his players to overpower and overwhelm the opposition. We did do that against Chelsea, and except for some uncharacteristic errors, could’ve comfortably won this game.
This morning??? I’m in Australia!
We finally got something out of a horror weekend with Dele deservedly retaining his PFA award and Liverpool getting turned over by Palace. Hopefully that will take a lot out of Palace for Thursday – they are flying.
That means we now only need 7 points from 18 to qualify for CL – 11 from 18 to be guaranteed second – and 18 from 18 to potentially nick it.
Great review of the semi Mark.
Despite my belief that our squad is getting better – Chelsea were able to bring on super players as subs to turn the game. This was nothing short of an audacious piece of work by Conte and you have to take your hat off to him.
It was a serious gamble – but it paid off early and late in the game – and he looks like a genius now. It also shows that he sees us as a real threat for the title by wanting to keep Hazard and Costa fresh for their quick back up date with Southampton.
As a couple of posters have opined – building an even higher quality squad is going to be our next box to tick. Having encouragingly shored up most of our long-term first team contracts (come on, Toby), lets hope our Chairman gets behind the Gaffer with some serious cash in the next window.
Cant believe I typed that!
The next six days will show us whether our players really have learnt from last year.
A Manchester draw will be useful later in the week, but first of all…
Come on you Saints!
COYS!!!!!
Much of the media labeled Conte as a genius, but I think he got quite lucky in this game. I actually saw a distraught man on the sidelines who at times was hanging on. Sure his courageousness to go with Hazard and Costa was a gamble that paid off, but had we not shot ourselves in the foot then he would’ve had a lot of questions to answer.
Yes we’ll all be cheering on Southampton. A Chelsea win really puts the pressure on as its the first time in a while that they’ve played before us. Hopefully Palace have taken their foot off the gas as now they are pretty much assured of safety.
Tragic result. But oh yes, I remember what being a Spurs fan is like. My friends’ little boy just recently became a Spurs fanatic, and I advised him not to get used to 4-0 every week.
But re. the final, it’s obvious but we have to remember the difference in funds available. We might have an incredible team ethic but so do they, and they also have Hazard and Costa.
Injuries were also a key factor. Davies with a knock, and Son as left wingback must have unsettled the defence. Who knows where we’d be if D. Rose had been around in the last six months.
Thankfully we’re not playing Chelsea again this season!
The ups and downs of following this team is what makes Spurs so incredibly Spurs.
The Son at left wing back move has been pondered by many on forums, facebook and Twitter. Preseason friendlies or League Cup sure, but I was surprised that Pochettino would try it in a game of this magnitude. I do wonder what affect it will have on Son having conceded the penalty?
Danny Rose would’ve made an amazing difference in this game and I think getting an understudy like Ryan Sessegnon or Ben Chilwell is one of the most important moves we make this summer.
I actually thought that putting son as wing-back was a great move, I worry that Davies would have been reluctant to push forward and therefore playing straight into Moses’s hands (hindsight’s a wonderful thing) of course Rose would have been better. Since you last spoke of Sessegnon I’ve watched a Fulham match and have to admit he looks like an awesome prospect – given that 5 of the last 6 PFA young players have been from spurs, I hope it contributes to bringing him in.
With that loss I am worried we have rocked our momentum even though I felt the loss was a little unlucky/we had a defensive off day/I’m biased on each of the goals:
1) Toby rarely ever dives in and I can’t remember the last time Lloris got beat from a freekick or made that type of error.
2) We rarely ever give away pen’s!
3) I could not believe Hazard was free and no one blocked/deflected the ball in that crowd.
4) Matic will never score a goal like that again.
I thought beating Chelsea would have caused them major issues, firstly extending their poor run and secondly I imagine Hazard and Costa would have been P’d off. Now I must say I think that beating us could help them push for the title.
Midweek prediction: CHESOU: Costa sent off before a Gabbiadini brace 0:2
CRYTOT: Kane + Alli Brace – Alli to nutmeg Townsend before he scores a consolation screamer 1:3
Yes, as said to Daudi and Erik Zen above, playing Son at wingback has been something that has been talked about on here as well as other forums. I still would maybe try this again, but in a lower key match. The Dier experiment at CDM was pretty awful the first few games and look what happened there… Its not a solution once Rose is back though and if Davies wasn’t fully fit for the match, it seems like it was a move out of necessity.
I agree with you on their four goals. It was like a freak storm where everything compunded to make it difficult for ourselves. We had to score two excellently crafted goals and we didn’t force them to do the same.
I hope your midweek predictions are right!
Agree Mark that Conte got very lucky. But he was able to put a player of Will(i)an’s class on to start, with the luxury of being able to bring on one of the worlds best players off the bench. He had plenty of juice in his dice, but he still had to roll them.
On the other hand, Poch gambled with a dodgy option out of desperation, because he had no more cards in his pack – and Son, as you predicted, just didn’t deliver like Will(i)an did.
That comes back to squad depth and quality.
Unfortunately Wanyama looked to my eye to have a very ordinary game as well, with Dembele doing a power of work in midfield to cover for him. He was superb.
He went flat out for 94 minutes, which is either a great sign that his fitness is more robust than we thought – or it may have an immediate term affect on his performance. He left everything out there on the Wembley turf.
I’ve just watched the replay again – and the first three Chelsea goals were straight out of a Buster Keaton movie, with Toby, son and Dele giving away stupid free hits.
But there was plenty to like.
Dele’s goal was exquisite of course – and we did boss the game for extended periods.
Which is the most important take away.
COYS!!!!!
Squad depth and quality is something we need to address, but it won’t be easy. Poch likes to get in young players and mould them. So, I do wonder if this will continue to be the recruitemnt policy or if we will go for established talent? However, established talent doesn’t always work out. Levy appears to have been bitten by the Bale money being squandered and now we have another expensive flop in Sissoko and potentially Janssen on our books, which may cause him to shy away from going large again.
Whereas Chelsea could use Willian and Batshuayi, we have been gambling on the likes of Sissoko and Janssen to do the business. They haven’t and our squad has been thinner as a result.
Dembele has surprised me. He was always taken off around 70 minutes to give Winks some time. It was always rumoured that his hip was acting up and he couldn’t do the full 90 minutes, let alone several games a week. Since Winks has been out, Dembele has gone the full 90 most games, so maybe he is fitter than first thought?
So True. We were undone by our own mistakes and credit should also go to Chelsea’s ability to make the most of their chances. They proved that they had the big match temperament that is essential to become great. It was a wonderful game anyway. Both our goals were really good and I only hope that this defeat will help us to become better in the future.
Spot on. We had to score two great goals of excellent quality to unlock their defence. We didn’t make them do the same and that is a big reason why we lost.
Says it all Mark.
COYS!!!!!