London neighbours set to battle!
The 2nd Capital affair is all set to take place on Saturday, when for the first time, Andre Villas-Boas leads his Tottenham side against a club he managed until barely 7 months ago this year, Chelsea!
This fixture has been billed as a grudge match. It kicks off at lunchtime (12:45 British time = 17:10 IST). While most of the lunchtime kick-offs are dull and lack in atmosphere and intensity, this definitely won’t be the case at the White ‘HOT’ Lane for obvious reasons.
AVB’s reign at Chelsea as manager was a very short one. He wasn’t allowed to stay as manager even for a full season. Chelsea fans still feel that the 9 months he got was too much to prove his tactical and man-management skills, which unfortunately he could not. Definitely, he is fortunate to get a second bite at the EPL managerial cherry.
But things have changed since he left his woes behind at Chelsea. So far, so good. He has guided Tottenham to the 5th position in the Barclays Premier League after 7 games, and they remain only 5 points behind the current leaders and their opponents for this week, Chelsea. They have performed well as a unit, playing a pleasing, attractive and fast-paced attacking brand of football en route. Contrary to his habits at Chelsea, he has improved the defence of his team by doing the needful, which has seen them concede less goals compared to the number of goals his Chelsea side conceded in the corresponding span of time. This has been a major factor in their fortunes and consistent results. They have been unbeaten in their last 4 Premier League games. The fact that he patrolled the sidelines during Tottenham’s first win at Old Trafford in 23 years, has given him a temporary legendary status at the club. So, he has reasons to feel that he was badly treated at Chelsea, and the fact that he was the Chelsea manager as recently as March this year, creates a friction that can only serve to intensify the drama of the seemingly innumerable sub-plots. With all this, there will definitely be this ‘revenge’ thing going on somewhere in his mind, but he denies the fact!
“I take it as another match”, he said.
Unfortunately for AVB, his former assistant and successor Roberto Di Matteo subsequently led Chelsea to FA Cup and Champions League triumphs, with the former including a 5-1 hammering of Tottenham in the semifinals at Wembley. AVB can anyway claim credit for having laid the groundwork. So, clearly, AVB does have plenty to prove, and there is nothing he would like better than to put one over his former employers. Thus, a win at White Hart Lane tomorrow would be sweet, as well as a healthy measure of revenge!
However, another man eyeing a revenge of his own is definitely Fernando Torres. The striker recently came out full of praises for current manager Roberto Di Matteo, who Torres said has ‘brought him back’. He also revealed that he ‘did not care’ if the team won or lost during AVB’s time; such was the atmosphere at the club, with many senior players falling out with the then manager as well.
But things have changed for this man as well. With Didier Drogba gone, he’s now the main man in attack. He has already scored 7 goals this season, compared to the 9 he managed last season! 4 goals out of the 7 have been scored in the Premier League, and the striker has admitted that he’s finally enjoying. He’s looking more and more dangerous.
Not only Torres, the full Chelsea outfit should feel proud and happy for the start they’ve made to the season, which includes a dominant 2-1 victory over arch-rivals and neighbours Arsenal at The Emirates.
The injection of fresh blood in the form of the talented Belgian Eden Hazard, Brazilian wonderkid Oscar and the ‘German Messi’ Marko Marin, combined with another highly influential playmaker and Chelsea player of the year Juan Mata, along with the careful integration of these talents, has certainly made The Blues a lot better outfit. It has made the team, on most occasions, a joy to watch, something we probably wouldn’t have said about Jose Mourinho’s Premier League winning sides of 2004-05 and 2005-06. But, RDM has maintained that we are yet to see the best of Chelsea!
Chelsea have only dropped 2 points out of a possible 21 from 7 games, scoring 15 and conceding only 4 in the process. Furthermore, The Blues are the only team yet to concede in the 2nd half!
But however good form you’re in, White Hart Lane is always a tough visit. Tougher for Chelsea tomorrow considering the rich vein of form Tottenham are currently in. Focus will be the key for both teams.
Tottenham’s main threat is definitely from the wings, which boasts the likes of pacey wingers Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon; not to count out the equally substantial threat from the middle through Moussa Dembele, Jermain Defoe, Clint Dempsey and Gylfi Sigurdsson.
Should Tottenham go for attack, one cannot rule out Chelsea finding spaces and gaps in the Tottenham defence with relative ease. With full-backs Branislav Ivanovic and Ashley Cole often offering support to the attack and considering the fact that the former already has 3 goals this season through open play, the Blues could pose threats of any kind and from any part of the field!
Now for some stats
Chelsea have not won at White Hart Lane since 2005, when former Blue and current Fulham talisman Damien Duff scored one of the goals in a 2-0 victory!
Tottenham head into the match with an unbeaten streak of 4 games, which Chelsea are still unbeaten.
Team News:
Tottenham- Scott Parker, Assou-Ekotto and Younous Kaboul remain sidelined but youngsters Jake Livermore and Kyle Naughton are available. Villas-Boas is expected to recall Brad Friedel back to the lineup, after ending his run of 310 consecutive Premier League games, by giving the nod to Hugo Lloris in their last game against Aston Villa.
Chelsea – In a major setback, the Blues will be without their captain and leader John Terry, who yesterday decided against appealing the FA verdict. This means Gary Cahill should come in to partner David Luiz in the center of defense. Frank Lampard remains a doubt, and it will be interesting to see whether he will be passed fit for the game, seeing his tumultuous relationship with AVB. Nothing has been said about Daniel Sturridge’s fitness yet, and time will tell his fitness and mindset.
To conclude it all, … sorry, not all but for the pre-match build-up, tomorrow’s match sees an in-form Tottenham taking on an unbeaten Chelsea in a cracking London Derby at the White HOT Lane, with some tantalising sub-plots in the background!