Tottenham and Chelsea finished the match 1-1 at White heart lane in a match that was so intense and controversial between the London rivals. It was the first meeting between Jose Mourinho and Andre Villas-boas which ended in a stalemate draw. Mourinho pointed out the Referee Mike Dean’s mistake in the sending off of Fernando Torres and blamed Vertonghen’s acting for the dramatic change of the match. Here is what Jose had to say…
“It was a situation where the player wasn’t helping the referee. He’s a fantastic player but he’s a special guy because three days ago he left the player naked against Aston Villa. It wasn’t a penalty or a red card and he shouldn’t have played today, he should have been suspended from a red card against Villa. Today he changed the game, I’m not happy.”
Now, let’s take a look at the top 5 things we learned from this much that never disappointed for the neutral fan but, left a bitter taste on lots of Chelsea fans on so many occasions.
1. Mourinho paid the price in the 1st half for poor starting line-up..
Jose Mourinho gambled in an important game yet again while knowing playing Ramires in the right wing won’t work in any ways. We have Schurrle, Mata, Willian and De Bruyne to start in the right wing instead of Ramires and the Brazilian should have played in the pivot with Frank Lampard as that combination has done good fortunes this season like in games vs Bayern in the super cup. If Andre Schurrle had started in the right wing, Tottenham would have been put in much trouble as his pace and stamina would have allowed us to create more goal scoring chances through crosses. We must hope Jose figures out the best, untouchable starting line-up for his side that starts all top, important games like the one we played against Spurs.
2. Juan Mata has fully earned the respect of Mourinho through performance..
The Spaniard who is a two time player of the year at Stamford Bridge in the 2 seasons before Jose arrived, has fully earned the Portuguese’s praises after this game. Mourinho praised the performances and adaptations he had made in the Swindon win in the midweek and also against Spurs after coming on in the 2nd half. The Spaniard assisted John Terry’s header from a free-kick and he remained a danger for the opposition for much of the 2nd half until Chelsea were reduced to 10 men. Here’s Jose’s comment after the game on Juan Mata…
“I think this is the way players have to say I want to play, blah blah blah is not good, conversations with the press aren’t good, what’s good is the effort he made against Swindon, it’s the way he changed the team in the second half and because of that I’m very happy and I can say with 72 hours in advance, he plays in Steaua Bucharest, he earned that himself.”
3. Title race looking good for Chelsea following the 2 Manchester clubs’ loss..
We are at this point 3rd in the Barclays premier league table and Spurs have dropped down to 2nd following their North London neighbors’ win over Swansea City. In a news that came as a shock, Manchester united were beaten 2-1 at Old Trafford by West Brom which sums up the worst start in the premier league for the reds since 24 years a ago. It comes as a sweat news following the stupid claims this week that Jose cried in betrayal after Sir Alex chose David Moyes as his successor. Manchester City are showing last year’s inconsistency that cost them the title as they lost 3-2 away at Aston Villa. The title challenge is seemingly looking very good for us and the two other teams from London.
4. A horrible refereeing coming to hunt us yet again?
Referee Mike Dean showed a 2nd yellow to Fernando Torres after a 50-50 challenge against Spurs’ diving cunt Jan Vertonghen. The Belgian defender was blamed by Jose Mourinho for acting in the manner he did after Torres’ challenge against him. The player himself should have been given a red in midweek against Aston Villa when he left a player naked by pulling on to his shorts. A stupid decision by the FA yet again and Chelsea paid the price for it unfortunately. When will FA’s stupidity in appointing referees such as this in our games come to an end.
5. The title race is stronger than it’s ever been this season…
The most important and worrying thought we learned after this match and from the Premier League season so far is that the title race is as strong as it’s ever been in history with the 3 London clubs battling against the 2 Manchester sides will be intense right to the end. Tottenham have built a squad capable of challenging for title even though they need a cutting edge quality to win big games in Europe. Arsenal have a squad of players that know and trust each other since they have been together for most of the time and the addition of Mesut Ozil will only make them a genuine title contenders this season. Chelsea are boosted by the returning Jose Mourinho and have added to last season’s inconsistent and short in-depth squad with quality additions in experience (Schwarzer and Eto’o) and in young blood (Schurrle, Willian and Van Ginkel). Manchester City despite losing some matches away this season have built as incredible squad under Manuel Pellegrini while their neighbors Man Utd are struggling under ‘the chosen one’ (to destroy united from inside lol) David Moyes. But, there can be no denying their quality and their experience that they will be challenging with points come around April and the end of the season.
Few more things we learned:
1. Our defense is incredible compared to last season and that’s a great sign for the future.
2. Squad depth is as strong as it’s been for more than 2 seasons at Chelsea now under Jose Mourinho.
3. Competition for places will only help challenge the players to stay at top of their games to start every game.
Here are the top 5 things we came to learn from the draw between the Portuguese managers in the first meeting between a student and a teacher. Let’s here from you if you have more suggestions as to what we learned. Thanks for reading and follow me on twitter (@FahmiCFC). KTBFFH!!!
I think the media is making way too much out of former BFFs. Besides, who needs AVB when you have Steve Clarke.
1) Agree.
2) Happy to see Mata is becoming an even better player with Mou’s guidance
3) This is big. Man Utd is now a team in decline. And declining fast. The upcoming Shakhtar game will be their litmus test. If they make it out alive the knockout stages, they’ll be out next.
4) Horrible refereeing is a curse.
5) Agree. And Arsenal, Man City and Liverpool – way too dependent on one-player. Once January comes and the injuries start piling up it’ll affect their standings.
Once we bring a world-class striker in January things will be moving faster.
It’s time to stop making these. Horrendous talking points.
I don’t see any Horrendous talking points
Mourinho and his experinment with players aint leading us anywhere..he had better do something or we’re doomed
secondly, he should keep his ego aside and start playing mata, he should also do away with negative tactics and be attacking minded. Playing rambo in the wings against spurs is quite a negative tactics.
It is a good thing that Mou has realised that Mata does not belong to the bench. MAZACAR is indomitable. Next on line is Luiz; he will soon move to the midfield where he is better off than being on the bench. He can form a better partnership with Ramirez than any other player. At the heart of the defense Terry and Cahill will do as the untouchables takes shape.
We need goals our defense has improved!
I don’t know Mourinho started Ramires on the flanks but i still think Mourinho has not figured out his strongest eleven for us. Anyways i believe sooner than later he will come to terms with his strongest eleven. A point was not bad for us but a win would have been more delicious if we had played 11 against 11 in ninety minutes. Mata is just too good to sit on the bench, Mr. Mourinho. I like this guy the little magician.
Yeah…Jose likes gambling all the time and its not helping us. We could have defeated Manchester United,but Jose gambled it. The same thing against Everton,knowing fully well that Eto’s time has gone. Introducing Eto’o will only cause us harm.
Lastly,Jose is yet to understand our players and how to use them…which is extremely BAD for a coach like him. Its as if he don’t have any intention of scoring goals or winning against Spurs…cos his sellection is nothing to write home about. How can Jose used Ramires at the wings? While we have world-class wingers.
If I myself should have this Chelsea squad as there coach,honestly I will win everything in England and Europe.
But am glad that Jose now believe in Mata,Torres. Also,knowing that Eto’o is a bad buy.
Tooting your own trumpet a bit there
Yes I dont think Mikel was a bad choice,my point is Ramires is not a box to box No.6 and he cannot pass d ball well. As 4 Lampard I dont he is good enough 4 that position now age is not on his side. This team need a world class No.8 and we can build from that. I can tell u uptil now Mourinho have not decided his starting line-up yet,we need to give him some time.
I was impress by our performance in the second half but Shurrle needs to be scoring goals now….I dont know y he fails to score that day.
Now the players like mata and torres have started to work hard, it will benefit Chelsea. Mou, mikel and lampard doesn’t work. it is your final warning!
We want to see De Brune play.