Chelsea took on London city rivals Tottenham Hotspur as they searched for their first win in the month of February. Pressure is piling on Graham Potter and he needs to turn the results in his favour as CFC still remains far from a top four place.
Potter needed his troops to wake up from their slumber as owner Todd Boehly was in attendance hoping for CFC to click under Potter. Goalscoring has been a major issue for the Blues and statistics prove that. Chelsea had just scored six goals since November 6th and despite all the attacking reinforcements, the Blues look toothless up top.
Potter rang a few changes as Reece James, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Raheem Sterling, Hakim Ziyech, Kai Havertz and Thiago Silva returned to the lineup whereas Cesar Azpilicueta, Mateo Kovacic, Mason Mount, Benoit Badiashile, Noni Madueke and David Datro Fofana missed out.
Chelsea player ratings vs Tottenham Hotspur
After a 0-0 action filled first half, it was Tottenham who took the lead 19 seconds into the second half as Oliver Skipp’s rocket effort from outside of the box ended up in the back of the net. Spurs looked full of intent after taking the lead whereas Chelsea looked rattled.
Chelsea once again struggled to get goals as there was no sizeable threat up top. Once the Blues went behind, CFC failed to turn the tide around as the lack of goals deserted the Chelsea team. The hosts looked in better control after taking the lead as Chelsea looked bland. To further rub salt in the Chelsea wounds, Harry Kane doubled the lead as it looked like a ‘Mission Impossible’ for the Blues to come back in the tie.
This was Chelsea’s and Potter’s seventh loss in the last 13 Premier League games as pressure continue to mounts on Potter. In fact, his job could now hang by a thread as CFC’s top four dream now starts to look a distant dream.
Kepa Arrizabalaga – 5
Kepa had little to do in the first half as a lot of play carried on in the Spurs’ half and Tottenham largely relied on counter attacks but as the game progressed, the hosts grew in the game. Kepa got finger tips on Oliver Skipp’s belter but the power was far too much for the Spaniard who couldn’t tip the shot over the bar as Spurs took the lead. The Spaniard watched the ball go past the goalline as Kane scored the second goal.
Reece James – 6
Harry Kane got the better of Reece James as Spurs broke on the counter in the first half but James came back well. James did well to prevent Richarlison from striking a header as both players clashed heads and were down momentarily.
Kalidou Koulibaly – 6
Kalidou Koulibaly kept his place in the starting lineup but his partnership with Thiago Silva didn’t last long as the 38 year old was forced off because of an injury. Koulibaly had the daunting task of negating Kane’s presence but he coped well. The Senegalese was dominant aerially, winning headers and containing the loose balls as the Tottenham side pushed forward in the second half.
Thiago Silva – 6
Thiago Silva made an important block as his countryman, Richarlison, looked to be clear on goal in the first half. The Brazilian stopped an Eric Dier run, using his superior acumen. Silva needed some medical attention as he felt a twist on his knee. He tried to continue but couldn’t and asked for a substitution.
Ben Chilwell – 5
In the first half, Ben Chilwell had some synergy with Raheem Sterling on the left side, combining well when going forward. The Englishman had a decent game as he had something to offer when he got forward but CFC in general toothless in the final third. Chilwell could be blamed for leaving Kane unmarked and the English striker took full advantage and netted the second goal of the afternoon.
Enzo Fernandez – 6
In the first half, Enzo Fernandez spotted a brilliant run from Felix, threading a beautiful ball for the Portuguese who couldn’t find the finishing touch. In a Chelsea side that has lacked cohesion, Fernandez and Felix seem to have hit the right strings, matching each other’s frequency.
Fernandez and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg had an exciting battle throughout the game. The Argentine could be partly at fault as his scruffy clearance found Skipp who blasted the ball into the Chelsea net. Fernandez’s impact also waned off a bit in the second half as Tottenham grew in the game and looked in the driver’s seat.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek – 5
Ruben Loftus-Cheek returned to the Chelsea lineup after the West Ham United game, partnering Fernandez in the midfield pivot. Loftus-Cheek looked anonymous in the game, doing the required job but not producing the desired impact. He was taken off for Zakaria in the 60th minute.
Joao Felix – 6
Joao Felix started behind Havertz and roamed freely in the opening stages of the game as he saw plenty of the ball. A chance fell early on for Felix as he made a smart run which was spotted by Fernandez, who supplied an accurate long ball but Felix couldn’t find the finishing touch.
The 23 year old launched another stinging shot but it went straight to the hands of Fraser Foster. Felix looked lively in the opening minutes but has impact waned off after Spurs took the lead. The Portuguese switched to the left as Mount came on for Ziyech.
Hakim Ziyech – 5
Hakim Ziyech started in place of Noni Madueke as the Moroccan looked comfortable on the right flank. Ziyech struggled to produce anything in attack as he looked sluggish on the right. To make his and Chelsea’s afternoon worse, Ziyech was first shown a red card for a tussle with Emerson, only to be overruled after VAR intervention by Stuart Atwell. The 29 year old was taken off for Mason Mount in the second half.
Raheem Sterling – 6.5
Raheem Sterling started on the left and tumbled in the penalty box early on in the game as shouts for penalty were dismissed. Sterling took on the battle to Emerson Royal, changing his pace and direction to run inside the box but the Brazilian did well to contain Sterling. The Englishman looked electric as he had one shot saved by Foster towards the end of the first half.
Mount coming on for Ziyech meant that Sterling switched to the right flank for the final 30 minutes. The former Manchester City man was taken off as he seemed to have run out of gas and Potter looked for fresher legs.
Kai Havertz – 4.5
Kai Havertz replaced Datro Fofana in the lineup. Havertz’s involvement was minimal as he failed to offer any goalscoring threat. The German had a chance in the second half as Mount fed the ball to Havertz but he couldn’t reach the ball before Foster collected it.
Substitutes:
Wesley Fofana – 6.5
Wesley Fofana had to come on for Silva as the Brazilian came off because of an injury. Fofana settled well but stretched his hamstring in trying to make a clearance but carried on. The Frenchman looked solid, making blocks and intercepting balls from Tottenham. The former Leicester City man made important clearances as Spurs pushed ahead.
Denis Zakaria – 5
Denis Zakaria was added to the tram to add dynamism to the midfield that was lacking in Loftus-Cheek.
Mason Mount – 5.5
Mount came on for the final half hour and took his place behind the striker as Felix shifted to the left wing. Mount was involved since coming on and laid a beautiful ball to Havertz who couldn’t get a shot away.
Mykhaylo Mudryk – N/A
Mudryk came on for Felix in the final few minutes after Spurs doubled the lead.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – N/A
In what came as a rare appearance, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang came on for Sterling.
Graham Potter rating – 3
Chelsea looked clueless when pushing forward and so did Potter. He could have brought on Aubameyang and Mudryk early on in the game as Felix and Sterling started to look a bit rusty and tired. Delaying the substitutions did not help as Spurs had already taken a 2-0 lead and it was a little too much to do for the incoming attackers.
Potter’s constant chopping and changing of the lineup has not allowed the team to find any rhythm as he has not yet settled on a fixed or favoured lineup.