Why Chelsea vs Tottenham is an even bigger match now

Once again Chelsea have a great contemporary platform to work from. That sentiment certainly applies to the short-term: three points in the bank from a maiden 2022/23 Premier League adventure to Merseyside, where Everton were held at bay. Along with more top quality signings expected to complete Thomas Tuchel’s starting lineup. In the more long-term future, much funding is promised for further depth to the roster when needed; investment to the ground and surroundings is another element to maintain and propel the structure of the West Londoners. All in all, there is a lot for Blues supporters to be optimistic about – well, pretty much everything.

A winner like Tuchel and a devoted, successful front man such as Todd Boehly are not going to allow the outfit drift – at all. If anything, CFC will strengthen overall going forward, if the trustworthy pair have any sway on proceedings. Manchester City and Liverpool are being targeted at the top of the table in a concerted effort to continue attaining silverware. Chels’ Captain Cesar Azpilicueta summed it up when he said “It’s very important that we keep the ambition high and keep winning trophies – and we have showed that with our transfers and the new players coming in.”

Why Chelsea vs Tottenham Hotspur is even more significant nowadays as a vital foundation for mindset and a true statement of intent

Transitional periods naturally create openings for change, like the developments we witness following fresh CFC ownership. Occasionally the outcome from alterations is positive for team and fans, but on other occasions there is obviously a negative result in general standards on and off the pitch. Tottenham’s trip to Stamford Bridge on Saturday shall be a keen measure of the rivals’ current capacity, with both very finely balanced at present.

I predict the Blues to finish third and Spurs fourth again this term; CFC often place higher. Yet because they are more similarly skilled presently, August 13 feels crucial as a tangible statement of intent. Battles at the Bridge might perhaps be additionally impassioned from the weekend onwards.

But don’t worry, this is not an effusive tribute to Spurs or Antonio Conte, exactly. The point is understanding a threat, respecting it, and consequently using its weaknesses to triumph. Securing fourth place convincingly at the end of the 2021/22 campaign wasn’t just a feather in the Italian’s cap – it enabled them to welcome extra stars of great calibre. Not to mention enabling the North London side to keep their best: Harry Kane, Son Heung-min, etcetera. Admiration clearly exists in the opposing camp, too, with Conte proclaiming “Chelsea are one of the best teams in England and Europe”.

Meetings between the Blues and the Lilywhites have always been of significance: two iconic and very large English clubs, London rivals and two sides which are constant staples of the EPL elite. A six-strong collective – of which Leicester City disrupted, and Newcastle United will join at some stage -who have bolstered individually with the usual eye-catching offseason additions. Meaning increased top four competition as an immeasurably important Champions League route.

If you don’t believe my Spurs claims, and I have desperately upset you with my assessment, just check the German maestro’s thoughts on the matter for yourself via the above tweet. Right on cue, after this piece was devised earlier in the morning, the former Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain boss made a very similar point to the one at the heart of this article. Tuchel says there is no difference in quality on the pitch with regard to the two teams.

If you want the all-time Premier League statistics for clashes between the two clubs, then here they are: 60 meetings, comprised of a whopping 33 victories for Chelsea, 20 draws and a rather insignificant seven wins for Spurs. I do not envision Conte’s men to begin drastically reducing that disparity – though they will now be a vastly improved and increasingly focused group.