Five things to look for as Chelsea square off with Tottenham at Wembley
By Ellis Lasher
Chelsea and Tottenham square off in the first Premier League fixture at Wembley. Here are five things to look for as the Blues look to bounce back.
Zero points from one game and fans are growing restless by the minute. Chelsea haven’t signed enough players and the rumors of discontent among senior management are piling up on the many media interfaces.
Still, in the case of Antonio Conte and his men, most of the work is done on the training pitch. The Italian will have surely put his players through the gauntlet.
Away. Spurs. Most key players are out injured or suspended. The media are screaming for Conte’s head. This has a rout, a trashing, a demolition, a humiliation painted all over it. Should we go on? In fact, yes, but in the opposite direction. This is football and not something that’s already settled. Here are five things to look for.
1. Spurs transfer activity
Let’s start on a positive note. Spurs haven’t made a single purchase in the transfer window. They need new players to compete, everyone in the club has admitted it. Instead, they have become weaker with Kyle Walker leaving to join Manchester City. Players are growing restless about this and it could be beneficial for Chelsea.
The Danny Rose situation is just a microcosm of the players’ mentalities. Fun fact for you Danny, outside of England, people have to Google your name to find out who you are. So yes, you are one of them too! Spurs players have been so close to getting their hands on silverware in recent times, but many players are starting to think that their fortunes lie somewhere else.
While the Blues have done little over the summer, Spurs have done even less. That indicates they will set-up much like they did last season. Conte and his players should study the tape and devise a gameplan to take apart what could well be a stale Spurs team.