Tottenham 3-4 Chelsea: Blues Positives and Negatives
By Vishnu Raj
Chelsea secured their fourth consecutive win with a dramatic 4-3 victory over Tottenham Hotspur in North London on Sunday. The hosts struck twice in the opening 11 minutes through Dominic Solanke and Dejan Kulusevski. Chelsea responded with Jadon Sancho’s goal before halftime, making it 2-1. In the second half, the Blues took control, with two Cole Palmer penalties sandwiching an Enzo Fernández goal. Heung-min Son pulled one back in injury time, but it was only a consolation. Here are the positives and negatives from the match.
Positives
1. Resilience After Going 2-0 Down Early
It's never easy to recover after conceding two early goals from mistakes, especially in a high-pressure away game against a rival. Chelsea's young squad displayed immense character, sticking to manager Enzo Maresca’s game plan. Despite the early setbacks, they remained composed, confident, and adaptive to tactical adjustments in the second half.
Sancho started the comeback with a well-taken goal, marking consecutive Premier League games with goals for the first time. His involvement continued as his pass set up Moisés Caicedo's run into the box, leading to a penalty converted by Cole Palmer. Later, Palmer’s brilliant footwork created a deflected shot, which Fernández converted first-time to give Chelsea the lead. Palmer sealed the victory with a cheeky Panenka penalty, calmly converting after being fouled inside the box by Pape Sarr, igniting celebrations among Chelsea fans.
2. Maresca’s Tactical Changes
Tottenham’s high press exposed spaces in midfield, which led to dangerous moments, particularly through the wings. Moisés Caicedo’s inverted positioning often left Benoît Badiashile isolated against Heung-min Son. Maresca made a bold halftime adjustment, substituting standout performer Romeo Lavia for Malo Gusto.
The tactical switch nullified Tottenham’s wing attacks as Gusto solidified the right flank, allowing Caicedo to operate centrally with Fernández dropping deeper to cover gaps. This shift not only stabilized Chelsea’s defense but maintained their attacking overloads through Marc Cucurella’s advanced role on the left.