Chelsea: Following every touch in Petr Cech’s goalkeeping return
2. First half
Chelsea’s began this London Derby in a 4-2-3-1 formation. It’s fantastic to see Cech between the posts again, sporting this season’s green goalkeeper kit.
1′: The Chelsea legend gets his first touch on the ball in his return, receiving it after it is passed back from a Blues free kick just outside their box. He proceeds to pass the ball out wide to the right. Roughly 30 seconds later, Cech mishits the ball and a failed attempt to play the ball out from the back goes out for a Tottenham corner.
2′: CHELSEA 0-1 TOTTENHAM. Poor start as Cech is beaten with Spurs’ first shot on goal. After the ball comes back into the box—after initially being cleared from a corner—Tottenham captain Jubrill Okadina calmly puts the ball away between Cech’s legs. The 38-year-old quickly gets back on his feet with an expression of frustration.
11′: With the initial goal kick being called back by the referee, Cech retakes by passing the ball out to the left back. The Blues are quickly pressed by Spurs and they get the ball back in the box. Cech starts to get his positioning right, but the incoming shot is stopped by a challenge from Danny Drinkwater.
12′: The ball is passed back, allowing Cech to get some touches with both feet before moving the ball on to the left back. It’s nice to see him look comfortable controlling the ball with his feet, considering that—for a sizable part of his career—this was a skill goalkeepers were not encouraged to work on.
16′: CHELSEA 0-2 TOTTENHAM. A second for Spurs. A strong header from Dane Scarlett, after an excellent whipped ball into the box from a central area, sees the visitors double their advantage. Cech is helpless as he does not fully commit to claiming the ball. Chelsea has been very disappointing, struggling to get any rhythm and not pressing Tottenham in either half of the pitch.
20′: Cech finally gets another touch with his hands as he claims the ball with ease.
22′: Giving the call to his defenders to leave a loose ball, he comes out of his box to hit it first time, sending it up field into the Tottenham half.
23′: Again, confusion as Cech doesn’t commit to claiming a ball that comes into the box. With Chelsea centreback Levi Colewood unsure, the ball nearly reaches a Spurs player. Luckily, it ends up going out for a goal kick.
24′: Cech plays the goal kick short to a blue shirt in the box. From there, Chelsea tries to work the ball down the left-hand side, but Spurs have been pressing well in this game. The ball gets played back to Cech, who then lays off it in order to get something going on down the right side instead. Tottenham is still pressing well and it regains possession around 20 yards out. Eventually, Spurs try to work a cross in, but it is intercepted by Drinkwater.
27′: Cech’s short kick is easily cut out, nearly leading to a chance for Tottenham.
31′: A strong punch from the Chelsea legend in the six-yard box as he clears a corner from the left. Cech’s most confident touch yet.
35′: The ball is sent through the middle by Spurs and is run onto by a white shirt. However, the subsequent save is an easy one as the ball is shot straight at Cech. He rolls the ball out down the middle as Chelsea quickly moves into the opposition half.
43′: Spurs have been consistent with their pressing of the Chelsea back four, meaning the ball once again gets played back to the former Czech captain. He hoofs the ball up field with a big swing of his left leg. This sequence is then repeated about 25 seconds later. The visitors from north London have definitely had more energy in the first half.