When you’re a man of few words like Reece James, you waste no time in getting the point in your answers.
So while Chelsea’s performance against Spurs in yesterday’s 0-0 draw can be creditable if we squint just right — and we don’t even have to squint too much, in fairness — the primary objective of the game went unfulfilled. We did not win the game.
“The aim is is to win the game. And if you can’t win the game, then aim is to not concede and draw the game.”
Fortunately, the secondary objective was achieved, with neither side conceding a goal even amid lapses of concentration at either end leading to presentable chances in added-on time.
“We both had opportunities to finish the game off but I think both [teams] were a bit too tired; we lost concentration. But it was a good team performance all-round and we have to keep working and go again.”
“We’ve come a long way since last season, and obviously a draw is a good point against one of the the better in form teams this season. So we need to take it and keep on working, get back to the training ground and keep pushing on.”
Chelsea did control proceedings at the Bridge and negated most of Spurs’ quite potent counter-attacking threat at the same time, but we couldn’t find that one moment of quality or magic that would’ve broken the deadlock. It wasn’t for a lack of trying, especially in the latter stages of the first-half and the opening stages of the second. Alas...
“Coming into the game we knew it was going to be a tough game and we knew it was going to be hard to break them down. They made it hard for us today, but I still think we had a couple chances where we could’ve nicked it.
“There were several plans [of attack]. One of them was to try and get the get the ball in the box with quality [from out wide] and of course that provides chances for the strikers, but unfortunately we couldn’t get a goal today.”
-Reece James; source: Chelsea TV
Issues of fatigue and concentration will be unavoidable and will have to be dealt with as we head into the busy winter schedule, if we are to fulfill any ambitions. Chelsea remain in great position in the league and the Champions League as well; just need to keep growing and finding those telling moments of quality and determination.