Spurs and Blues draw Blanks
Written By: Robert Halter
Tottenham Hotspur remained unbeaten in twelve Premier League fixtures while Chelsea had already been beaten seven times during their opening twelve matches ahead of the clash between Spurs and the Blues at White Hart Lane in a mid day kick off, end of November. Chelsea goalkeeper, Asmir Begovic was left worse for wear, as he was clattered into by the Lilywhites, Harry Kane, who was the poacher in the box, as he latched onto a low cross by Danny Rose, in the third minute. On sixteen minutes, a snap shot by Kane from the edge of the box was spilled by Begovic, before the Blues shot stopper made amends for his error, after Kane had tried a long distance shot after receiving a pass from Christian Eriksen. But within two minutes, a back pedalling Toby Alderweireld, had to hook the ball over, after Pedro was through on goal, after Eden Hazard and Willian exchanged passes as the Blues pressed forward for the first time in the match. Chelsea threatened again on nineteen minutes, when Oscar’s ball to the far post, was headed wide of the target by Hazard from close range. Midway through the first half, Hazard spread the ball out to Pedro, whose soaring effort sailed over the crossbar, as the ball took a slight deflection off Eric Dier, to avert the danger. Although on twenty six minutes, a cross from the right by Kane found an unmarked Heung-Min Son but with just Begovic to beat, Son headed the ball directly at the Pensioners keeper. In the next two minutes, Begovic protected his near post, as Kane was unable to convert a low right wing cross by Kyle Walker. On the half hour mark, as Eriksen put the ball through to Mousa Dembele, a low first time shot was parried behind by Begovic, who dived at full stretch to his left. In the forty first minute after Oscar collected a pass from Cesc Fabregas, the Brazilian shrugged off a challenge from Ryan Mason, but was unable to find the right angle of the target, as his effort crashed into the outside netting by the near post. Before half time, a clattering challenge by Walker on Cesar Azpilicueta, resulted in Willian’s free kick being headed wide by Branislav Ivanovic. On fifty four minutes, after Mason fell uncomfortably as first Kurt Zouma and then Nemanja Matic won the ball in the area, the incident left Mason having to be replaced by Erik Lamela. In the sixty third minute, Lamela combined with Son, and from a ball over the top, Lamela attempted to lob Begovic, but to no avail. However on sixty seven minutes, Hugo Lloris was at full stretch as the Lilywhites captain and keeper scooped away a low left footed volley by Hazard, who connected to a floating cross to the left side of the area, from the Blues captain, Branislav Ivanovic. Spurs later made another change as Clinton Njie replaced Son. Near the end the Blues took off Willian for Kenedy, before Pedro was replaced with Ruben Loftus-Cheek, but the deadlock could not be broken which left Chelsea ten points behind Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League table.