London. Drama, drama, drama.
The event at Stamford Bridge becomes a complex plot between two explosive characters.
Understandably, Thomas Tuchel is angry – in the end Antonio Conte still feels like a winner.
It was impossible to expect anything but complete chaos at the final signal.
Thomas Tuchel and Antonio Conte flew out of the technical fields as boxers with something to finish.
Throughout the match at Stamford Bridge, the touchline was boiling. Two very nice trainers, one with a shorter torso than the other.
Before the meeting at Stamford Bridge, there was talk of a possible change of power in the capital. The theory was based mainly on the summer window indicating from the outside that Spurs are building something really impressive. But how weak have Chelsea really been since last season?
Not as much as some think, it will end. On the other hand, Conte is the same bully who has always been and did not hesitate for a second to celebrate a draw in the face of the opponent’s coach.
If Tuchel had enjoyed then as Conte and on the bench at Spurs feasted with pure joy towards top scorer Reece James 2-1? Yes, of course.
If the German ran forward and fired a few well-chosen words as Chelsea dropped the win a minute before the end? common sense.
The teammates sharing the red card with each other was not a surprising end. The fact that Mateo Kovacic in civilian clothes has become Tuchel’s closest supporter, cannot be called high odds either.
New acquisitions that make a difference
One of the reasons for the collapse of the title hunt for the Tuchel gang earlier Premier LeagueEdition was the absence of injured fullbacks Ben Chilwell and Reese James. The fact that Romelu Lukaku who signed Prestige did not feel at home in London did not help. In addition, the sanctions imposed by the government were disruptive enough that a contract extension was not at all on the table for center back Antonio Rudiger.
Now Lukaku is back in Italy, Rüdiger in Madrid and Ben Chilwell are desperately trying to find shape. But what does he do when Raheem Sterling from Manchester, Kalidou Koulibaly from Naples and Mark Cucurella arrive just a short drive from Brighton.
The latter, Cucurella, was not cheap (about 700 million SEK) but a very smart and helpful footballer. Tuchel’s flirtatious flirtation likely distributed the Spaniard the most applause during the first half. Right winger Kai Havertz, on the other hand, received a fitting bet in Germany early in the game after slowing down the match.
Rudiger left a moody mark on Chelsea last season, but Koulibaly is a giant in his own right. Sure, the 31-year-old was pressured by, say, Dejan Kulusevski initially, but he has expertly resolved situations. He joins the powerful veteran duo of Koulibaly and the slightly more intelligent Thiago Silva James at right-back.
controversial settlement
Spurs’ early attack quickly faded away. The host team held possession of the ball and refused to let it pass (68 percent of total possession in the first 45) and once this happened, the Royal Blues quickly reclaimed the second balls.
The 1-0 goal was the collaboration between two new acquisitions. Kokurila’s corner kick veered toward the far side of the penalty area as Koulibaly was left completely unmarked while Heung Min Son hesitated over who would be watching. The central defender did what Tuchel likes – he acted clearly – and cut the ball so that the vibrations spread in the stands. The kind of finishing touch a Rüdiger can get when the occasion arises.
Tottenham’s equalizer in the 68th minute preceded a break in the attacking half for Chelsea, where Havertz was supposed to get a free kick. Referee Anthony Taylor did not go off, the match turned and Pierre-Emile Hojberg finished off a shot that aimed through Coulibaly behind goalkeeper Edward Mendy. Newcomer Richarlison, who replaced Ryan Sessegnon, was in an offside position but was not considered involved.
Tuchel can’t be happy to judge
Tuchel was crazy, and Conte was in ecstasy. Then Coulibaly decided to put Kolossevsky in his place. The center back is hardly unfamiliar with the Swede since their time both in Serie A. Now he climbed onto the young player’s back and won the duel, after which Cucurella received the ball and directed it towards the dashing Reese James.
It seems that bringing in Cesar Azpilicueta and putting James on the field decides the match. Instead, a final corner kick from Ivan Perisic found its way into Harry Kane’s forehead and the score was 2-2 a fact.
Of course there was controversy here as well. In the corner shortly before, Christian Romero was seen pulling Cucurella’s thick hair into the penalty area. So far, Judge Taylor has incredibly looked the other way, eventually splitting the score.
Thomas Tuchel couldn’t help but grab Conte’s hand with an angry iron fist. The German player cannot be satisfied with the referee’s effort or marking the goal 2-2. The Italian has every aspect of the game to complain about – but Tottenham leave West London with a heavy point.
