hero-image

Tottenham 3-1 Chelsea: 5 Talking Points

Tottenham leapfrogged their London rivals Chelsea into third after a comfortable 3-1 wingue
Tottenham leapfrogged their London rivals Chelsea into third after a comfortable 3-1
wingue

Tottenham ended Chelsea's unbeaten Premier League start with a commanding 3-1 victory at Wembley on Saturday evening. Goals from Dele Alli, Harry Kane and Son Heung-Min sealed all three points for Spurs, who could have easily won the game after a first-half blitz. 

Olivier Giroud pulled one back late on with a well-timed header from close-range, after Cesar Azpilicueta's pinpoint cross was steered goalwards by the French substitute - on to replace a rather ineffective Álvaro Morata. 

Kane and Son in particular both squandered promising opportunities, but Mauricio Pochettino will nonetheless have been happy with his side's display with a crunch Champions League group stage clash against Inter to come in midweek. 

With that in mind, here's a look at five talking points from Tottenham's action-packed victory here: 


#5 Big game Hazard left frustrated

Hazard battling with Tottenham midfielder Eric Dier for possession during a frustrating evening at Wembley
Hazard battling with Tottenham midfielder Eric Dier for possession during a frustrating evening at Wembley

Eden Hazard had started the new campaign in fantastic form, scoring seven goals and creating three more in the Blues' first league matches. 

Since then though, his form has taken a gradual dip - which is to be expected - but their reliance on the Belgian's efforts in the final third has become increasingly evident.

He's now only been directly involved in one goal since their 3-0 win over Southampton in early October, which isn't good enough for a player of his quality. Particularly during big matches like these, where individual brilliance can often settle games within an instant. 

Although he was one of the hosts' best performers on a forgettable evening here, he still failed to display his full attacking potential and quickly cut a frustrated figure. Spurs capitalised as Chelsea started slowly across the pitch and their quick-fire double visibly stunned Maurizio Sarri's men.

Hazard's two key passes, three completed dribbles and overall threat down the left-hand side were posing a threat that Tottenham had to be weary of - though they dealt with him better than expected. He was fouled twice and dispossessed on SIX occasions, a game-high.

You may also like