We Ain't Got No History - Matchday 29: Chelsea vs TottenhamChampions of Europe!https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52884/21_SBN_002_We_Aint_Got_No_History_Favicon_32x32..png2014-03-10T02:26:44+00:00http://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/rss/stream/52453432014-03-10T02:26:44+00:002014-03-10T02:26:44+00:00Chelsea vs. Spurs: Player Ratings, Three Stars
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<figcaption>Mike Hewitt</figcaption>
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<p>Amongst our weaponry are such diverse elements as...</p> <p>
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<b>1. DEMBA BA</b> - FC</td>
<td style="width: 50px; height: 50px; vertical-align: middle; font-size: 30px; text-align: center; color: white; background-color: black;"><i>8.5</i></td>
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<span class="statwords">Minutes played</span><span><b>14</b></span>
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<span class="statwords">Touches</span><span><b>13</b></span>
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<span class="statwords">Shots</span><span><b>2**/2</b></span>
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<span class="statwords">Passes</span><span><b>3/7</b></span>
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<span class="statwords">Interceptions</span><span><b>1</b></span>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">After such a promising start to his <a href="https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Chelsea</a> career, <span>Demba Ba's</span> faded to barely third choice. And when you think about it, being the third choice striker at Chelsea is a rather impressive achievement, though not in a good sense by any stretch of the imagination.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">Still, lesser professionals may have kicked up a fuss - especially once half-mooted moves to <a href="https://theshortfuse.sbnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Arsenal</a> or elsewhere fell through in the summer and winter transfer windows - but Demba has just gone about his business while displaying public affection for many of his teammates including <span>Eden Hazard</span> and <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110144/samuel-eto-o" class="sbn-auto-link">Samuel Eto'o</a>. So in light of that, I do not begrudge him this Man of the Match award in the least bit.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">By grabbing the two goals (however fortunate) that turned this tie from a good win to an absolute laugher and caused Spurs manager Tim Sherwood to completely lose the plot on national TV, Ba rejoins the ranks of the Chelsea striking trio who have definitely upped their scoring game since the turn of the year. With the usual caveat of lies, damned lies, and statistics in mind, the Senegalese now has five goals in a little over 500 total minutes for the Blues this season, the best per-minute ratio of any player in the squad.</div>
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<b>2. SAMUEL ETO'O </b>- FC</td>
<td style="width: 50px; height: 50px; vertical-align: middle; font-size: 30px; text-align: center; color: white; background-color: black;"><i>8.3</i></td>
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<span class="statwords">Minutes played</span><span><b>76</b></span>
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<span class="statwords">Touches</span><span><b>26</b></span>
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<span class="statwords">Shots</span><span><b>1*/2</b></span>
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<span class="statwords">Passes</span><span><b>7/10</b></span>
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<span class="statwords">Take-ons</span><span><b>2/4</b></span>
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<span class="statwords">Fouls suffered</span><span><b>3</b></span>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">So I'm watching the reboot of <i>COSMOS</i> and Neil deGrasse Tyson (think Bryan Cox, but way more bad-ass) just reminded us all that the universe (<i>our</i> universe) is quite old. Not nearly as old as Old Man Eto'o, but pretty old.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">Seriosly though, that <a href="https://vine.co/v/Mq5KYlmF0ju">celebration</a> was legendary, alone worth the 8.3 rating. Being in the right spot at the right time with the right movement to take advantage of Jan Vertonghen's perfect low cross was just the cake onto which he got to pour the celebration icing. It was his first goal in almost two months, though the drought didn't feel nearly that long.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">Though the goal was very well taken, the rest of Eto'o's performance was a bit of an uneven mess. Good movement, poor decisions, too much dribbling, not enough linking (though that may have been a tactical hangover from the team having been set up to use Torres), and then that bit of exaggeration to win the penalty kick.</div>
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<b>3. EDEN HAZARD </b>- AML, AMR</td>
<td style="width: 50px; height: 50px; vertical-align: middle; font-size: 30px; text-align: center; color: white; background-color: black;"><i>8.0</i></td>
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<span class="statwords">Minutes played</span><span><b>90</b></span>
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<span class="statwords">Touches</span><span><b>64</b></span>
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<span class="statwords">Shots</span><span><b>1*/3</b></span>
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<span class="statwords">Passes</span><span><b>35/41</b></span>
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<span class="statwords">Take-ons</span><span><b>1/2</b></span>
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<span class="statwords">Fouls suffered</span><span><b>4</b></span>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">As long as he keeps scoring them, those no-look penalties will not cease to amaze me. How can you hit the ball right where you want to without looking at it, you magical man from Belgium?!</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">Maybe you should also try that technique the next time you find yourself facing an empty net, <i>ifyouknowwhatimean</i>... I do wonder how much his ankle knock affected him, especially when it came to taking on his man directly.</div>
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<p><i>OTHERS:</i><br>Cech (<b>7.6</b>), Azpilicueta (<b>7.8</b>), Terry (<b>7.7</b>), Cahill (<b>7.5</b>), Ivanovic (<b>7.4</b>), Matic (<b>8.0</b>), Lampard (<b>6.3</b>), Ramires (<b>7.0</b>), Schürrle (<b>6.5</b>)</p>
<p><i>SUBS:</i><br>Oscar (<b>7.2</b>), Willian (<b>7.1</b>), Ba (<b>8.5</b>)</p>
<p><i>OVERALL:</i><br><a href="http://cdn3.sbnation.com/assets/4114951/201314-03-09_-_ratings.png" target="_blank"><img alt="201314-03-09_-_ratings_medium" class="photo" src="http://cdn3.sbnation.com/assets/4114951/201314-03-09_-_ratings_medium.png"></a> <br id="1394419366629"></p>
https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2014/3/10/5489130/nobody-including-kyle-walker-expects-man-of-the-match-demba-baDavid Pasztor2014-03-09T12:53:52+00:002014-03-09T12:53:52+00:00Four minutes, four chances
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<figcaption>Clive Rose</figcaption>
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<p>After <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/">Chelsea's</a> 4-0 win against <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://cartilagefreecaptain.sbnation.com/">Tottenham Hotspur</a> on Saturday, the story was mostly about how a 56th minute error from <span>Jan Vertonghen</span> immediately followed up by an error from referee Michael Oliver ensured that the Blues grabbed all three points. Before then, Spurs were in the game, in control of possession, and the outcome of the match was very much in question.</p>
<p>It's tempting, then, to say that the visitors were set up well and played well. Unfortunately, that's only true if you ignore four catastrophic errors in the first four minutes of play which could -- and perhaps should -- have ended Tottenham's day before they begin.</p>
<h4>0:09</h4>
<p><img src="http://cdn2.sbnation.com/assets/4111421/spurs1.png"></p>
<p>Tottenham kick off and cycle possession back to <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/111410/michael-dawson">Michael Dawson</a>, their right centre back. He immediately looks to hit <span>Kyle Walker</span> on the right wing, trying a long, low pass that ends up hitting <span>Andre Schurrle</span> in the midriff. At this point, the Spurs centre backs are split (although they immediately start closing), <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110144/samuel-eto-o">Samuel Eto'o</a> is in acres of space down the middle, and as long as the German gets control of the ball it's a clear-cut chance.</p>
<p>Fortunately for Tottenham, Schurrle could not, and right back <span>Kyle Naughton</span> was able to charge him down and clear the ball.</p>
<h4>0:19</h4>
<p><img src="http://cdn3.sbnation.com/assets/4111433/spurs2.png"></p>
<p>Following the clearance from 0:09, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110210/john-terry">John Terry</a> heads back into midfield. The ball misses Ramires, but Nabil Bentaleb tries to make an interception and completely misses as well, leaving <span>Eden Hazard</span> in possession and wide open. For reasons defying comprehension, Michael Dawson runs across the pitch to try to charge him down, leaving a passing lane to Eto'o open.</p>
<p>Eto'o would then be incorrectly flagged for offside, saving Lloris from a red card after he clipped the striker's ankle with his hands after being rounded.</p>
<h4>2:36</h4>
<p><img src="http://cdn2.sbnation.com/assets/4111423/spurs3.png"></p>
<p>Spurs push both fullbacks and both central midfielders high up the pitch, but Sandro loses possession in trying a simple pass to Naughton. A hooked ball to Ramires catches Bentaleb napping on the wrong side, and suddenly Chelsea are behind eight(!) Tottenham players while barely out of their own final third, leaving Hazard, Ramires and Eto'o three-on-two with Tottenham's centre backs.</p>
<p>Ramires' second touch is too heavy, and Eto'o can't quite connect with <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110218/frank-lampard">Frank Lampard</a> on a return pass thanks to heavy pressure by Dawson, who made a challenge on the halfway line. Has Eto'o's back pass to Lampard been better positioned, a simple ball over the top puts Ramires clean through on goal.</p>
<h4>3:50</h4>
<p><img src="http://cdn0.sbnation.com/assets/4111425/spurs4.png"></p>
<p>A total mess from Spurs. Cesar Azpilicueta takes a throw-in, Schurrle challenges Naughton on the Chelsea left, and although the fullback clears, he does so under so much pressure that he can't control where the ball ends up. Lampard gets his head to it, weighting a perfect pass for Schurrle, who draws out Dawson before flicking round the corner for Eto'o. It is now Eto'o and Hazard against <span>Younes Kaboul</span>, and the chance eventually ends with the Belgian rounding Lloris before hitting narrowly wide.</p>
<p align="center">* * *</p>
<p>There's a common theme at play here: aggression. Having deep-lying players play risky passes (0:09, 2:36) and having defenders jump into tackles they can't win (0:19, 3:50) is a mark of a team that's being almost suicidally aggressive, and the amount of space they afforded Chelsea in those opening minutes demonstrates that Tim Sherwood was looking to push the Blues back into their own half and keep them there. That's a strategy that no other team that's come to Stamford Bridge has tried so far this year, and for good reason -- we're happy to absorb pressure from sides that can't hurt us and then hit them on the break.</p>
<p>On a normal day, one of those four chances results in a goal and we'd be discussing Tottenham's typical defensive/tactical naivete rather than the slew of individual errors that cost them the game in the second half.</p>
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https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2014/3/9/5487230/four-minutes-four-chances-a-look-at-the-bizarre-opening-to-chelsea-vsGraham MacAree2014-03-09T04:58:29+00:002014-03-09T04:58:29+00:00Objective #1 now 'is in our pocket'
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<figcaption>Clive Rose</figcaption>
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<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/epl/teams/jose-mourinho">Jose Mourinho</a> has been working hard all season to play down our hopes and dreams. From unhatched eggs and little horses to inexperience and a lack of consistent winning, killer mentality, he's tried very hard to keep expectations in check.</p>
<p>But after Saturday's win, not even he can deny that the season's primary objective has basically been achieved. While there are still nine matches left (and up to twelve left for others), something immensely tragic would have to happen for <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/">Chelsea</a> to not finish in the top four. With a thirteen-point lead on Spurs in fifth and at least a fifteen-point lead on <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://thebusbybabe.sbnation.com/">Manchester United</a> in sixth, it's a safe bet to start etching our name on the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://theshortfuse.sbnation.com/">Arsenal</a> Trophy.</p>
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<p>"The top four is ours to lose, now we are 13 points from Tottenham and 18 from Man United and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/">Everton</a>. Objective number one, the top four, is in our pocket, now let's go for objective two, which is the top three and automatic qualification for the Champions League."</p>
<p style="text-align: right;"><i>-Jose Mourinho; source: <a href="http://www.chelseafc.com/news-article/article/3703908/title/final-whistle-verdict-complete-control">Chelsea FC</a></i></p>
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<p>Assuming maximum points for all the games-in-hand that our three rivals have, the top four are separated by just four points. That's a race that might just go down to the wire.</p>
<p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://bitterandblue.sbnation.com/">Manchester City's</a> goal differential advantage may be unassailable, but our clubhouse lead* should give us extra confidence going into every match, while keeping the pressure firmly planted on City, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/">Liverpool</a> and Arsenal. It's unlikely that Chelsea or any of the other guys win out, but we are in the enviable position of having the psychological advantage. And sometimes, as <a href="http://cartilagefreecaptain.sbnation.com/2014/3/8/5485444/tim-sherwood-loses-it-on-sky-sports">Tim Sherwood lamented post-match</a>, it's the psychological aspect that's the most important part of the game.</p>
<p><i><b>*</b> it's spreading, even Arlo White used it on the NBC broadcast!</i></p>
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https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2014/3/9/5486728/chelsea-top-four-finishDavid Pasztor2014-03-08T20:32:05+00:002014-03-08T20:32:05+00:00Spurs hammer Spurs at Stamford Bridge
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<figcaption>I wonder how many hits I'd get if I searched 'dejected Spurs players' in my photo database... | Mike Hewitt</figcaption>
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<p>If football teams were Winnie the Pooh characters, it's difficult to imagine <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://cartilagefreecaptain.sbnation.com/">Tottenham Hotspur</a> being anyone other than Eeyore. Spurs fans -- the old, proper Spurs fans -- understand their lot in life and that lot is grey, bleak and generally embarrassing. They might sometimes be entertaining, they might sometimes (briefly) raise expectations, they might sometimes be in possession of <span>Luka Modric</span>, but they are always, always, Spurs. And they know it.</p>
<p>I think the funniest part of the match today was that there was room to point to a major injustice in influencing the course of the match. Michael Oliver's decision to award a dubious penalty in <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/">Chelsea's</a> favour at 1-0 -- then dismiss <span>Younes Kaboul</span> for the challenge on top of that -- was, admittedly, both a strange call and decisive. But although Tottenham can cling to that moment as a sign that they were monstrously unlucky, in truth they deserved to get tonked, perhaps worse than the final 4-0 scoreline.</p>
<p>With Fernando Torres injured in warmups, it took just twenty seconds for his replacement, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110144/samuel-eto-o">Samuel Eto'o</a>, to make a mark on the game. Picking up a perfect pass from <span>Eden Hazard</span>, the Cameroon international escaped the Tottenham back line before rounding -- and getting taken down by -- Spurs keeper Hugo Lloris. It was a clear straight red if not for the fact that the linesman had already flagged Eto'o for offside, a call as accurate as Oscar's recent shooting.</p>
<p>Having been saved a sending off by an officiating error, Lloris then escaped an early dismissal thanks to the good graces of Eden Hazard. After being released by Eto'o after good work from <span>Andre Schurrle</span> resulted in a turnover high up the pitch, Hazard rode a challenge from Lloris that he had every right to go down under and then, off balance, slashed a shot into the side netting.</p>
<p>All of five minutes had gone by at this point, and Chelsea could easily have been 2-0 up and Spurs down a man. We looked set for a deeply amusing rout -- the visitors looked suicidally adventurous and it seemed, briefly, that we could have picked them off at will. But as the first half progressed, Tim Sherwood's side started to properly assert themselves, controlling possession in the centre of the pitch and actually offering the occasional scoring threat.</p>
<p><span>Petr Cech</span> had to be alert to keep out a fizzing volley from Sandro, but he would have been powerless to stop Nabil Bentaleb's effort on a break had the Algerian international got his shot on target. Fortunately, it fizzed well wide. Worryingly, Chelsea's counterattacking threat simply was not materialising, the passing in the final third just not good enough to seriously threaten Spurs' goal.</p>
<p>And so we reached halftime at 0-0, a scoreline made all the more annoying by the fact that Spurs should have been down to ten men after the first minute. Chelsea hadn't threatened, but neither had Tottenham, really -- but as the home side, generating momentum was our responsibility.</p>
<p>Mourinho's response was to pull off <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110218/frank-lampard">Frank Lampard</a> in favour of Oscar and switch the 4-3-3 to a 4-2-3-1. It's difficult to know just how much an impact that switch had, since Spurs went all Spurs ten minutes after the break, but it's clear that the intent was to run through the centre, and once both Bentaleb and Sandro were booked it was almost impossible for the duo to stop Ramires and <span>Nemanja Matic</span> rampaging through the middle.</p>
<p>But, like I said: Spurs are Spurs and will never not be Spurs.</p>
<p>The opening goal was scored because a centre back was doing his shoelaces and the other a) fell down and b) played a pass <i>while seated</i> straight to Samuel Eto'o. It was a calamitous set of errors, and Eto'o made the most of it by sliding a neat finish between Lloris' legs to give Chelsea a 1-0 lead. It was our first shot on target, and it came from a <span>Jan Vertonghen</span>* throughball.</p>
<p><i>*Welcome to the ranks of Belgian Chelsea heroes, Jan!</i></p>
<p>And the visitors hadn't recovered from their blunder by the time Oliver decided to make up for his crew's first-minute error and show Tottenham a random red card. Hazard did well down the left and sent in a cross for Eto'o, who went to ground under not-that-much-all-told contact from Kaboul. Most would have been expecting the referee to wave it off; instead he pointed to the spot. And then he reached for his back pocket.</p>
<p>With Hazard taking the penalty, the second goal was a foregone conclusion, and with Spurs facing a two-goal deficit and down to 10 men, the match was a foregone conclusion. Tottenham stopped playing, and an unfortunate injury to <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/111410/michael-dawson">Michael Dawson</a> screwed them up even further, eventually resulting in <span>Kyle Walker</span> playing in central midfield and Sandro (who should have been shown a second booking for pulling back Oscar) at centre back.</p>
<p>With the game in hand, Chelsea dropped down a gear, but they still amused themselves in testing their visitor's makeshift backline -- and by introducing Willian for Schurrle in the 66th minute. The definitely-not-signing-for-Tottenham-hahahahahaha Brazilian worked hard to make them regret their failure to secure his signature over the summer, but despite his industry the next two goals came as a result of... well, stop me if you've heard this before: Spurs being Spurs.</p>
<p>It's difficult to figure out what Sandro was trying to do when he got himself in the way of Oscar's 88th-minute cross, but I'm going to assume it wasn't 'fall on his face and give the ball to <span>Demba Ba</span>' was not actually the desired outcome. Nevertheless, it's what happened, giving the substitute striker the chance to poke home from close range, and then two minutes later a ludicrous header from Walker handed Ba another goal -- he stole in ahead of Lloris, seized possession and then slotted in from the edge of the box to complete the scoring.</p>
<p>After the match, Sherwood was virtually in tears, slamming his team for being... them? I'm not sure I really get it, but any time you get to envision the opposition manager crying is a pretty good day. The best part? That's not even the best troll-job we've done to Tottenham in the past two years. Allow me to present the best day ever:</p>
<p><iframe src="//www.youtube.com/embed/K9N2jXHKqxk" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560"></iframe></p>
<p>Ha. Ha ha. Hahahahahahahahahahaha.</p>
<p><b>PS:</b> 66 points is seven more than anyone else has, games in hand or no.</p>
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https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2014/3/8/5485320/tottenham-vs-chelsea-final-score-match-report-lol-lol-lolGraham MacAree2014-03-08T19:21:44+00:002014-03-08T19:21:44+00:00Chelsea 4 - Tottenham 0: Initial Reaction
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<figcaption>Clive Rose</figcaption>
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<p>It feels good to have a Champions League place all but secured with two months left in the season, doesn't it?</p> <p>Chelsea now hold a commanding position atop the Premier League table, after defeating <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://cartilagefreecaptain.sbnation.com/">Tottenham Hotspur</a> at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. It was a performance typical of what we've seen from the Blues of late, very solid defensively while doing enough in attack to assure they got the best possible outcome. Chelsea now sit seven points clear at the top of the table, though both <a href="https://theshortfuse.sbnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link" style="background-color: #ffffff;">Arsenal</a> and <a href="https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link" style="background-color: #ffffff;">Liverpool</a> have a game in hand, while <a href="https://bitterandblue.sbnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link" style="background-color: #ffffff;">Manchester City</a> now have three.</p>
<p>It only took 20 seconds or so for the first truly awful call of the game. <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110144/samuel-eto-o" class="sbn-auto-link">Samuel Eto'o</a> was set free on goal and brought down by <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110228/hugo-lloris" class="sbn-auto-link">Hugo Lloris</a>, but Spurs were saved an early red card by a blown offside call. <span>Eden Hazard</span> then missed a glorious opportunity to dump the ball into a wide open net, letting Tottenham off the hook for long enough that they could establish a foothold in the contest.</p>
<p>The rest of the half played out without a goal, though both clubs managed to create a few half chances. <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/epl/teams/jose-mourinho" class="sbn-auto-link">Jose Mourinho</a> was clearly not content with the way things were going though, and he brought Oscar on for <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110218/frank-lampard" class="sbn-auto-link">Frank Lampard</a> at the start of the second half.</p>
<p>The second half started out in wide open fashion, with both creating good opportunities within the first five minutes. That suited Chelsea just fine, as when <span>Jan Vertonghen</span> weighted a perfect pass to Samuel Eto'o, the Cameroonian slotted the ball into the back of the net and then had one of the more epic goal celebrations in recent memory.</p>
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<p><span>Younes Kaboul</span> then fouled Eto'o in the box, getting himself sent off before Hazard buried the penalty to make it 2-0. The game was effectively over at that point, with both sides seeming content to simply play out the final 30 minutes. <span>Demba Ba</span> put the icing on the cake with a pair of late goals, and things are sunny in West London.</p>
<p>Thoughts:</p>
<ul>
<li><span>Mindgames Mourniho was at it again today, getting Tottenham fans' hopes up by putting <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110873/fernando-torres" class="sbn-auto-link">Fernando Torres</a> in the announced starting eleven before crushing their hopes by replacing him before kickoff. Injury? Please. </span></li>
<li><span>Hugo Lloris must have wanted the day off or something, because he looked like he was doing everything possible to get himself sent off.</span></li>
<li><span><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/111410/michael-dawson" class="sbn-auto-link">Michael Dawson</a> is awful in any situation which requires him to be more than ten yards from either goal. Chelsea could have taken advantage of his lack of mobility quite a few times with some better passing.</span></li>
<li><span><a href="https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Chelsea's</a> other attacking options need to start creating (and finishing) some opportunities with regularity, because teams seem to be counting on being able to leave gaps all over the pitch in order to mark Eden Hazard out of the game.</span></li>
<li><span>Kyle Walker is a better player when he's not saddled with the defensive responsibilities of a fullback. He did a nice job of helping to close down Eden Hazard today, and couldn't leave Michael Dawson woefully exposed.</span></li>
<li><span>I really don't know if the penalty should have been awarded when Samuel Eto'o went down in the box, but after Spurs wrongly escaped having their keeper sent off so early, it's not something the North London club can really feel hard done by.</span></li>
</ul>
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https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2014/3/8/5484816/chelsea-tottenham-final-score-initial-reaction-community-rating-formStephen Schmidt2014-03-08T18:18:02+00:002014-03-08T18:18:02+00:00Chelsea vs. Spurs: Second Half Thread
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<figcaption>Mike Hewitt</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Football is the worst.</p>
<p>Within the first five minutes, <a href="https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Chelsea</a> really should've been up 2-0. <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110144/samuel-eto-o" class="sbn-auto-link">Samuel Eto'o</a>, within the opening seconds was clean through on goal, skipped around Lloris and got promptly taken out by the goalkeeper. Red card, Spurs down to 10, right? Wrong. Eto'o was called offside. Wrongly, I might add. Quite wrongly.</p>
<p>Football is the worst.</p>
<p>Just a few minutes later, it was <span>Eden Hazard</span> who was clean through. He skipped around Lloris, and as the empty net awaited, wrapped his right foot around the ball. Goal all day, every day, right? Wrong. Torres'd. Mourinho disbelieving on the sidelines, along with everybody else.</p>
<p>Should've, should've, should've. Football is the worst.</p>
<p>The rest of the half has been a chippy, kicky affair, neither team doing all that great with possession. Surprisingly only two players have been yellow carded so far. Chelsea are still looking for that quick counter that got us those opening two opportunities, but they haven't come off quite as well since.</p>
<p>Still, 0-0 is not the end of the world. Time to step it up in the second half.</p>
https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2014/3/8/5485080/chelsea-vs-tottenham-hotspur-second-half-threadDavid Pasztor2014-03-08T16:44:14+00:002014-03-08T16:44:14+00:00Chelsea vs. Spurs: Lineups & Game Thread
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<figcaption>Clive Rose</figcaption>
</figure>
<blockquote>
<p>"When you go from one game to another, and more importantly when you're winning, you just bounce on to the next one and keep going. That rhythm is important. We're a big side and we're used to that at <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/">Chelsea</a> with the Champions League, normally we're still in the FA Cup as well, so we're regularly playing two games a week and I think that's when we're at our best."</p>
<p style="text-align: right;"><i>-<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110210/john-terry">John Terry</a>; source: <a href="http://www.chelseafc.com/chelsea-article/article/3702527">Chelsea FC</a></i></p>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p>Join us at Stamford Bridge. It's a beautiful day for some Barclays Premier League football. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23CFCvTHFC&src=hash">#CFCvTHFC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23BPLonNBC&src=hash">#BPLonNBC</a> <a href="http://t.co/UzeGzYITqP">pic.twitter.com/UzeGzYITqP</a></p>
— Arlo White (@arlowhite) <a href="https://twitter.com/arlowhite/statuses/442333829815369729">March 8, 2014</a>
</blockquote>
<p>
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<p>---</p>
<p><i><b>Chelsea starting lineup (4-3-3):</b></i><br><span>Petr Cech</span> | <span>Cesar Azpilicueta</span>, John Terry, <span>Gary Cahill</span>, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110687/branislav-ivanovic">Branislav Ivanovic</a> | <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110218/frank-lampard">Frank Lampard</a>, <span>Nemanja Matic</span>, Ramires | <span>Eden Hazard</span>, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110873/fernando-torres"><strike>Fernando Torres</strike></a> Samuel Eto'o, André Schürrle</p>
<p><i>Substitutes from: </i> <span>Mark Schwarzer</span>, <span>Tomas Kalas</span>, Mikel, Oscar, Willian, <span>Demba Ba</span>, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110144/samuel-eto-o"><strike>Samuel Eto'o</strike></a>, <span>Mohamed Salah</span></p>
<p><i><b><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://cartilagefreecaptain.sbnation.com/">Tottenham Hotspur</a> starting lineup (4-2-3-1):</b></i><br><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/110228/hugo-lloris">Hugo Lloris</a> | <span>Jan Vertonghen</span>, <span>Younes Kaboul</span>, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/111410/michael-dawson">Michael Dawson</a>, <span>Kyle Naughton</span> | Sandro, Nabil Bentaleb | <span>Gylfi Sigurdsson</span>, <span>Aaron Lennon</span>, <span>Kyle Walker</span> | <span>Emmanuel Adebayor</span></p>
<p><i>Substitutes from: </i><span>Brad Friedel</span>, <span>Zeki Fryers</span>, <span>Nacer Chadli</span>, Paulinho, <span>Andros Townsend</span>, <span>Harry Kane</span>, <span>Roberto Soldado</span></p>
<p>---</p>
<p>Thanks to Ramires' versatility, this could end up a 4-2-3-1 from us, though I hope it truly does turn out to be a 4-3-3. Schürrle retains his starting spot, while Torres is perhaps a bit of a surprise over Eto'o though Fernando was not involved in any midweek action.</p>
<p>And then Torres gets injured in the warm-ups, so in comes Eto'o with Mohamed Salah promoted to the bench.</p>
<p>This is Frank Lampard's 400th Premier League start for Chelsea and his 573rd appearance overall, which moves him into sole second on the all the Premier League list.</p>
<p>UP THE BLUES!</p>
https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2014/3/8/5484722/chelsea-vs-tottenham-hotspur-lineups-game-threadDavid Pasztor2014-03-07T17:57:27+00:002014-03-07T17:57:27+00:00Chelsea vs. Tottenham: Preview, squad news, etc.
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<figcaption>Clive Rose</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Chelsea welcome a Tottenham side who are yet to win at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League. </p> <p>Chelsea hosting <a href="https://cartilagefreecaptain.sbnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Tottenham Hotspur</a>. Statistically the rarest away win in the Premier League, in as much as it's never happened. <a href="https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Chelsea's</a> record at home to their biggest rivals is Played: 21, Won: 13, Drawn: 8. It's of vital importance for both sides to get a win in this fixture. Spurs are currently six points adrift of <a href="https://theshortfuse.sbnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Arsenal</a> and <a href="https://liverpooloffside.sbnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Liverpool</a> for a Champions League place, if you exclude <a href="https://bitterandblue.sbnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Manchester City</a>, who are just four points ahead, but with two games in hand. A twenty-second failure to win at the Bridge would see them lose further ground to those leaders with just nine matches to come.</p>
<p>For Chelsea, every point between now and May is massive, but three points here would reduce the Top Four magic number to 16 points, as Tottenham's maximum potential total would slip to 80 points, behind <a href="https://royalbluemersey.sbnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Everton's</a> 81. Of course, the title is the main focus this year, not the Top Four, but a win over Spurs would virtually seal it, if it isn't already. Beyond the implications for the title, of course, is the fact that beating a rival is simply always fun.</p>
<p>That said, the fact that they are rivals throws the form book out the window a bit, but not completely. Spurs have had an up-and-down season by any measure. Their pseudo-renaissance under Tim Sherwood has had them looking better than under the obviously-cursed <span>Andre Villas-Boas</span>, but they've still managed to make a slip up a not-uncommon occasion. Given the relative quality and form of the two sides, tomorrow should see a 22nd-consecutive failure to win for Spurs, but it should also be a tight match.</p>
<p>Through their inanity, the recent mid-week International fixtures could also play a vital role in the outcome tomorrow. Having players strewn across the world just days before and after Premier League matches isn't really the best situation, but, if there's a silver lining for Chelsea, it's that Spurs are a side full of internationals as well. Were I to hazard a guess, I'd say this isn't going to be one for the neutral. Two clubs suffering from post-international break hangovers, and derby nerves is a recipe for a dull start and possibly a dull match.</p>
<p>Either way, Chelsea-Spurs!</p>
<p id="paragraph5" class="pgh-paragraph"><b>Opponent:</b> Tottenham Hotspur, currently 5th with 53 points from 28 matches</p>
<p id="paragraph6" class="pgh-paragraph"><b>Date/Time:</b> Saturday, March 8, 2014, at 17:30 GMT (12:30 p.m. EST, 9:30 a.m. PST, 23:00 IST)</p>
<p id="paragraph7" class="pgh-paragraph"><b>Venue: </b>Stamford Bridge, London, England</p>
<p id="paragraph8" class="pgh-paragraph"><b>View from the enemy:</b> <a href="http://cartilagefreecaptain.sbnation.com/" target="_blank">Cartilage Free Captain</a></p>
<p id="paragraph9" class="pgh-paragraph"><a href="http://www.weather.com/weather/tomorrow/London+UKXX0085:1:UK" target="_blank">Weather:</a> Sunshine along with some cloudy intervals, warm temperatures.</p>
<p id="paragraph10" class="pgh-paragraph"><b>Chelsea squad news:</b> Marco van Ginkel is out, as usual, and joined by <span>Ashley Cole</span>, who was injured in training. <span>David Luiz</span> is also an injury doubt after his mid-week match with Brazil. Eden Hazard is fit.</p>
<p id="paragraph11" class="pgh-paragraph"><b><span class="sbn-auto-link">Tottenham</span> squad news:</b> <span>Christian Eriksen</span>, <span>Younes Kaboul</span>, and <span>Kyle Walker</span> are all of varying degrees of doubt, while <span>Danny Rose</span>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/fifa/players/143177/erik-lamela" class="sbn-auto-link">Erik Lamela</a>, <span>Vlad Chiriches</span>, and <span>Etienne Capoue</span> are all definite misses. <span>Gylfi Sigurdsson</span> is set to feature after a spell out through injury.</p>
<p id="paragraph12" class="pgh-paragraph"><b>Television and streaming:</b> Sky Sports 1 (UK), NBCSN, NBC Sports Live Extra, and mun2 (US), Chelsea TV (Audio only for subscribers), Star Sports 4, Star Sports HD 2 (India), <a href="http://www.livesoccertv.com/match/821755/chelsea-vs-tottenham-hotspur/" target="_blank">This link</a> (everywhere else)</p>
https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2014/3/7/5481592/chelsea-vs-tottenham-preview-squad-news-television-streaming-weatherKevin Kostka