The Sunday Times

Luka Modric gives Hiddink first Chelsea defeat

Tottenham 1 Chelsea 0: Chelsea fail to capitalise on Man Utd defeat as
they slump to a Luka Modric winner at Tottenham

Nick Townsend at White Hart Lane

IN RECENT days Chelsea have reminded you of the rogue truck driver in
Steven Spielberg’s film Duel. They have promised a relentless pursuit,
driving their quarry to distraction and constant glances in his
wing-mirror. That image stayed in the mind yesterday as events across
London at Craven Cottage filtered through. Yet despite the rare act of
neighbourliness from Fulham, who subjected Manchester United to a
second consecutive league defeat, Chelsea failed to capitalise. And
like the denouement of the movie, you suspect that the Blues’ title
aspirations crashed and burnt here.

In theory, Chelsea are still battling on three fronts for trophies.
But interim manager Guus Hiddink, who had overseen a 100% league
record since arriving at Stamford Bridge, knew in his heart that this
was an opportunity spurned. As he conceded, before departing to
Amsterdam to visit his sick father, followed by the journey to Russia
to oversee the national team’s World Cup qualification programme: “If
Manchester United are losing, those are the moments when you have to
strike, and we didn’t do that. That’s why we said beforehand that the
pressure was not just on Manchester United. It was on us as well.”

The portents had not been auspicious for Tottenham. Not with one
league victory over their London rivals in 37 attempts. Worse, Spurs
manager Harry Redknapp had not enjoyed a victory over Chelsea since
his West Ham team beat them a decade ago.

How he will have enjoyed this, although at the final whistle a
remarkably composed Redknapp’s only show of emotion was a high-five
with Luka Modric, the diminutive Croatian who was accorded a standing
ovation when he was substituted late on after a performance of vision
and industry. “He really is an amazing footballer,” said Redknapp.
“And he’s not a lightweight. Physically, he’s not afraid to mix it
with the big boys.”

This run of only one defeat in 16 at home under Redknapp means Spurs
are aiming for Europe — seventh place should be sufficient — rather
than preparing for the Championship. Not that relegation was ever
likely, given their plethora of talent.

Things are looking up for Spurs, who announced record profits of
£39.8m for the last six months of 2008, though that was not so much
financial prudence; more a consequence of the £50m-plus sale of
Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane. Keane has returned from Liverpool
to a team no longer encumbered by relegation fears, and they took the
game to Chelsea.

Early on, it was Michael Essien, determined to make up for lost time,
who caught the eye. The Ghanaian has been instrumental in Chelsea
recently producing the style of football for which their owner has
yearned.

His captain, John Terry, has described Essien as “part-man,
part-machine” in recognition of the way he had launched himself body
and soul into his previous three league games after a cruciate
ligament injury. Not just a powerhouse in himself, but a catalyst, in
the manner he has released the potential in others, such as Michael
Ballack.

Inevitably, it was Essien who produced the first threat to the home
goal, with a fierce drive. Juliano Belletti, who did not have the best
of halves, following in, caught Tottenham goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes.
Thereafter, however, it was Spurs, the beneficiaries of Modric’s
driving presence, who seized the initiative.

Jermaine Jenas’s mighty drive flew just over the angle, and Petr Cech
had to stand firm to repel Keane’s volley after Alex allowed a long
clearance to bounce through to the Irishman. Keane again tested Cech
after Vedran Corluka had thrust into the Chelsea heart and switched
the ball to him. Then Keane broke, but despite support, made the save
easy for Cech. At the other end, Nicolas Anelka brought Gomes into
action, but otherwise Chelsea’s attack looked impotent.

The visitors’ indifferent first half was exemplified by the lack of
presence of Didier Drogba, who had got little return from his
confrontation with Jonathan Woodgate and Ledley King. The Ivorian had
to be helped off just before the interval after a collision with King.
The manner in which he staggered off, you feared for his health. But
he duly returned after the break. After four minutes of the second
period, the striker was angrily demanding more from his teammates
after Chelsea had fallen behind.

The goal was fashioned by Aaron Lennon, who has signed a new five-year
deal with Tottenham. Although his final ball is sometimes found
wanting, this time his low cross dissected two defenders, allowing
Modric to steal in and opt for accuracy rather than power to beat
Cech. The Croatian failed to connect cleanly with another chance that
would have settled matters. And in the final 20 minutes Chelsea were
fuelled by hope as Spurs retreated.

Drogba brought a fine save from Gomes, who also denied Ricardo
Quaresma. One powerful downward header from Terry was brilliantly
turned away. Then, from a Frank Lampard corner, an Alex header bounced
up and struck the bar.

Chelsea “will fight to the bitter end”, Hiddink had promised in the
week. He knows that if his men continue to succumb so readily, there
can be only one conclusion.

Star man: Luca Modric (Tottenham)

Yellow cards: Tottenham: Palacios, Modric Chelsea: Belletti, Ballack

Referee: M Dean

Attendance:36,034

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR: Gomes 7, Corluka 6, Woodgate 7, King 7,
Assou-Ekotto 6, Lennon 7 (Zokora 90min), Jenas 6, Palacios 6, Modric 8
(O’Hara 86min), Bent 5, Keane 6

CHELSEA: Cech 6, Bosingwa 6, Alex 6, Terry 7, A Cole 6, Essien 7
(Malouda 75min), Ballack 5, Lampard 6, Belletti 5 (Quaresma 60 min,
5), Drogba 6, Anelka 5



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Telegraph:


Defeat costs Chelsea title chances at Tottenham Hotspur
It was set up beautifully for them, to coin one of Guus Hiddink’s
favourite words.

By Trevor Haylett at White Hart Lane

With Manchester United’s capitulaton there was the opportunity to
reduce the gap at the top of the Premier League to a single point but
in a manner that had the home faithful crowing all the way down
Tottenham High Road, Chelsea also met defeat and that could prove
crucial in the final reckoning.

It was Chelsea’s first reverse in eight games under their Dutch
interim manager and they could have no complaints. Tottenham harried
them from the first whistle, created the better goalscoring
opportunities and after Luka Modric shot them ahead at the start of
the second half they proved they had the resilience to shut out the
threat from Drogba & Co.

Chelsea were ragged late on, Frank Lampard over-hitting a free-kick
into the stands while Ricardo Quaresma did the same with a crossing
opportunity. Nevertheless it took a tremendous save from Heurelho
Gomes to deny John Terry and then fortune favoured the hosts in added
time as Alex’s header came back off the bar for the goalkeeper to flap
away.

Hiddink is too experienced a manager to know though that Chelsea
deserved nothing more. “With Manchester United losing these are the
moments that you have to strike and we couldn’t do it,” he said. “It
was a missed opportunity but we said before that there’s not only
pressure on United but on those chasing them as well.”

A 30-minute delay following a security scare put both sets of
supporters in good voice at the start and Spurs responded to the
urgings of their followers by hounding their opponents. Darren Bent
and Jermaine Jenas were particularly aggressive in the early stages
and denied Chelsea the foothold they wanted.

A couple of tricky runs from Aaron Lennon kept the expectancy levels
high but it was Chelsea who threatened first when Gomes needed two
attempts to grasp Michael Essien’s low effort.

Spurs responded with a Jenas drive that only narrowly cleared the
angle of bar and upright. A Robbie Keane volley after Alex had
misjudged the bounce of the ball brought Petr Cech into action and he
remained the busier of the two goalkeepers as Keane and Modric
continued to probe away with intelligence.

Didier Drogba took a whack to the head from Ledley King as they
challenged for a high ball and, left groggy, chose to make an early
exit for the dressing-room near the end of the first half.

He was there at the restart but it was to witness his side falling
behind. Chelsea will look back at two contributory factors to the
goal. A moment’s complacency by Michael Ballack meant they didn’t
clear their lines cleanly and then they switched off to allow two
Spurs players to ghost into space on the edge of the area as Lennon
cut the ball back.

Either Keane or Luka Modric could have taken advantage and for a
moment it looked as if they were going to get in each other’s way.
Keane backed off, leaving the Croatian to sweep home his second league
goal of the campaign.

“It was sloppy defending,” said Hiddink, “and we had told them to get
through the first 10 minutes of the second half and then we could take
control. Sometimes with gifted players they look to make the perfect
pass but they just have to clear it. When you’re in the kitchen and
it’s steaming you have to extinguish the fire.”

An identical move might have brought a second but this time Modric
shot into the ground. At the other end Spurs needed Gomes to be fully
alert when Drogba tried to blast one in at the near post. His reflexes
were never better demonstrated that when he kept out Terry as all
Chelsea’s late endeavours came to nought, pushing Spurs up into the
top half of the table.

“It was well deserved over the 90 minutes,” said Harry Redknapp. “The
only time they got at us was in the last 15 minutes when they started
launching it.”



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Mail:


Tottenham 1 Chelsea 0: Guus Hiddink knows the score but can't close the gap

By IAN RIDLEY

The strains of Glory, Glory Tottenham Hotspur broke out as the final
whistle sounded at White Hart Lane, but down in the King's Road last
night the old Ian Dury classic What a Waste might have been more
appropriate.
With kick-off delayed for 30 minutes by a security scare outside the
ground, Chelsea began the game knowing that Manchester United were
losing at Fulham, a defeat confirmed midway through the second half
here. The carrot could hardly have been bigger.

Instead, there is merely stick for a lame and limp Chelsea who blew
their big opportunity.

Only belatedly did they stir themselves, with Spurs goalkeeper
Heurelho Gomes proving himself a hero as the home side clung on to the
outstanding Luka Modric's goal from early in the second half.
Chelsea remain four points behind United when the gap could have been
just one. 'If it is steamy in the kitchen, you have got to put out the
fire,' lamented the Chelsea manager Guus Hiddink.

'We talked at half-time about them coming at us in the first 10
minutes and after that we could control the game. But it was sloppy
defence to let them score their goal. Then the team woke up.'
But the wake-up call was from a recurring bad dream. It was this very
week last year when they were held 4-4 by Spurs, after being 3-1 up,
and their title challenge began its list towards the rocks.

Their stumble this time around was all the more baffling, given their
dominance over their north London rivals. They went into the game
having lost only once against them in 17 Premier League seasons. In
addition, they had won all four league games since Hiddink replaced
Luiz Felipe Scolari.
Chelsea met Spurs, though, at a bad time, with Harry Redknapp's
managerial manoeuvres now beginning to pay off. They have lost only
once at home in 17 games under him, and have taken 14 points from
their last six unbeaten games.
'Well-deserved,' was his verdict. 'They only got at us in the last 15
minutes when they started launching it. We are playing as good as
anybody in the country. We worked them hard and everybody stuck to
their job.'
The UEFA Cup - the Europa League next season - could even be a target.
'You've got to fancy it,' said Redknapp. 'We've got to start looking
upwards now.'
Chelsea have not beaten a London club in the league this season and it
was easy to see why in the first half.

They were slow to start and although Michael Essien, whose return has
galvanised Chelsea, got in a low shot that Gomes saved well, it took
almost another half hour for the Tottenham goalkeeper to be troubled
again, saving from Nicolas Anelka.
In between, a bubbly Tottenham created the better openings, with
Robbie Keane looking especially bouncy.

After Jermaine Jenas had sent a fierce shot just over the angle of
Petr Cech's post and crossbar, Keane forced a good save from the
goalkeeper with a powerful drive. The Irish striker should have done
better, though, when set up by Vedran Corluka for a shot from the edge
of penalty area but hit it at Cech.
Surely Hiddink would instil more urgency into his side for the second
half? Instead, it was Tottenham who showed greater eagerness and
claimed the lead. Aaron Lennon teased Ashley Cole out on the right
before sending in a low cross, which was met sweetly by Modric,
sweeping the ball in from 12 yards past an uncharacteristically
languid Cech.
'Modric is a special footballer,' said Redknapp. 'And he's definitely
not a lightweight. He's much stronger than that.'

Chelsea did improve with the arrival of Ricardo Quaresma. First he
supplied Frank Lampard for a header that Corluka blocked then, after
Drogba had seen a shot saved by Gomes, the Portuguese curled in
another that the goalkeeper clutched. The Brazilian did even better
with a late save from John Terry's pointblank header.
'I brought him from Brazil to PSV Eindhoven,' said Hiddink of Gomes.
'It was the same there. In the first weeks he had a difficult time but
I know that he is a great athlete and will save Tottenham points.'
Now Chelsea can only hope that theirs was an aberration, while
Manchester United's almost unheard of consecutive defeats constitute a
proper blip.

TOTTENHAM (4-4-2): Gomes; Corluka, Woodgate, King, Assou-Ekotto;
Lennon (Zokora 90min), Palacios, Jenas, Modric (O'Hara 87); Bent,
Keane.
Subs (not used): Cudicini, Bentley, Huddlestone, Pavlyuchenko, Dawson.
Booked: Palacios, Modric.

CHELSEA (4-4-2): Cech; Bosingwa, Alex, Terry, A Cole; Belletti
(Quaresma 61), Essien (Malouda 76), Lampard, Ballack; Drogba, Anelka.
Subs (not used): Hilario, Ivanovic, Di Santo, Kalou, Mancienne.
Booked: Belletti, Ballack.



------------------------------------------------------------------------


Independent:


Modric halts Hiddink's run as Chelsea fail to narrow gap

Tottenham Hotspur 1 Chelsea 0

By Jason Burt at White Hart Lane

As Guus Hiddink boarded his plane back to Amsterdam last night for the
international break that then takes him on to Russia, he will have
reflected on this, the one that got away and with it, perhaps, the
slim hopes of the Premier League title also. Sloppy, wasteful and, for
the first time under him, an intimation from the Chelsea manager,
interim or permanent, that "gifted players" at his disposal had
perhaps believed the hype a bit too much. Again. They let him, and
Chelsea, down.

"It was a huge opportunity missed, knowing that United were 2-0 down,"
Hiddink said, containing his rage. Just. "By the time the team had
woken up they were down." But that opportunity to close the gap at the
top to a single point was tossed away, and the Dutchman's eighth game
in charge ended with a first defeat. "These are the moments to
strike," Hiddink added.

Because of a delayed start – a suspect vehicle meant the match kicked
off at 3.30pm – Chelsea knew what had happened at Craven Cottage. It
made it all the more annoying for Hiddink, whose ire must have been
directed at lacklustre displays by Michael Ballack and Nicolas Anelka
in particular. Still, Spurs were indebted to two outstanding saves
late on from Heurelho Gomes – palming away John Terry's point-blank
header from a free-kick and tipping another header, this time from
Alex, on to the crossbar in injury time. Not that Spurs, bold and
positive, didn't deserve their victory, courtesy of a fine strike from
the impressive Luka Modric even if, for his intelligence, his calm in
the eye of a raging storm of a London derby, Robbie Keane was the
stand-out presence.

Spurs are resurgent under Harry Redknapp, who boldly claimed that his
team were playing as well as any in the League and that all fear of
relegation was now banished. Instead it is onwards and upwards and a
tilt at grabbing that seventh spot, and Europa League football next
season.

Qualifying for next year's World Cup is, for the next 10 days at
least, Hiddink's primary concern after he visits his sick, elderly
father today before flying to Moscow for two games – Russia at home to
Azerbaijan and away to Liechtenstein. It may be somewhat different to
the white heat and fury of this encounter.

How Chelsea missed Ricardo Carvalho. A swollen ankle ruled out the
defender and soon Spurs were stretching their opponents, with Jermaine
Jenas's drive narrowly clearing the bar and, twice, Keane being
presented with opportunities, forcing a parry from Petr Cech with a
half-volley after Alex's error, and then wasting an opportunity with a
side-footed shot, held by the goalkeeper, following a barrelling run
by Vedran Corluka.

From Chelsea, there was no threat. And then they fell behind. Ballack
was to blame, firstly by surrendering possession and then by failing
to track Modric. Ballack's loose clearance eventually led to Jonathan
Woodgate heading the ball out to Aaron Lennon, watched by England's
manager, Fabio Capello. He ran at Ashley Cole. For once Lennon's
delivery was clever and precise as he pulled his cross back for Modric
to shoot low and powerfully and beyond Cech for only his fourth goal
of a burgeoning season.

Hiddink talked of Chelsea's failure "in the kitchen" to put out Spurs'
fire and Modric, in almost a carbon copy of the goal, threatened to
add a second when Keane's superb cross-field pass instigated another
attack.

Chelsea had to respond. On came Ricardo Quaresma, for the defensive
Juliano Belletti, and they poured forward. Ledley King brilliantly
blocked Anelka, Gomes parried Drogba's low shot and then the Brazilian
made his two outstanding saves to preserve an outstanding victory.

Attendance: 36,034

Referee: Mike Dean

Man of the match: Keane

Match rating: 7/10



---------------------------------------------------------------------------



Observer


Chelsea left reeling as Modric spikes their challenge

Tottenham Hotspur 1 Modric 50
Chelsea 0

Duncan Castles at White Hart Lane


Well might Harry Redknapp have smiled as the whistle ended this
compelling derby. Rare are the days when Tottenham do serious damage
to fellow Londoners. Precious was the pleasure of inflicting the first
setback upon a storied foreign coach's entry into the English game.

Guus Hiddink had been making a habit out of the sturdy single-goal
victory as Chelsea manager, gradually ratcheting up the pressure on
Manchester United at the summit of the Premier League. A run of six
domestic victories ended at White Hart Lane as the Dutchman fell to a
1-0 defeat – his frustration increased by the knowledge of United's
aberration at Fulham a few miles south-west.

"We missed a huge opportunity," ­Hiddink said. "These are the days in
such a tough league when you have to be right at the key moments. If
Man United is losing those are the moments to strike, but we didn't do
it."

For Spurs it was an afternoon of reassurance as they near the end of
an oft-fretful season. Relegation now avoided in all but the
arithmetic, their fans will use ­performances such as this as fuel for
dreams of what might be next term – imagining the scorer Luka Modric
and the creator Aaron Lennon undoing more than just Chelsea. "Well
deserved," argued Redknapp with justification. "I think that's 18
points from nine games. The way we're playing I think we are as good
as anybody in the country at the moment. We've just got to keep that
going."

Criticised both inside and outside the club for deciding to scrap
Tottenham's Uefa Cup campaign, Redknapp's reward has been a
one-game-a-week schedule and a consistent line-up. Fielding Ledley
King at centre-back every match has been an obvious advantage; using
the same midfield four has brought a creative understanding. With
three trophies to play for and a fragile squad to handle, Hiddink has
shuffled both personnel and formation. Here, Alex covered for Ricardo
Carvalho's newly strained ankle, while Juliano Belletti replaced Deco
on the right of a midfield unusually anchored by Michael Ballack.

Kick-off delayed half an hour as police removed a suspect van from
outside the South Stand, Chelsea began scrappily, misplacing passes as
the home side rushed bodies behind the ball in their own half and
pressed lustily in the other. If Michael Essien pulled an early save
from Heurelho Gomes, Belletti caused more pain by ­falling on his
compatriot's head.

Hiddink redirected Nicolas Anelka to the left wing as he tried to take
a grip on possession, but it was Tottenham coming closer to goal.
Jermaine Jenas curled a shot just over; a long ball put Robbie Keane
in for a spectacular volley, spectacularly saved by Petr Cech. Corners
were a threat and the captain strained Cech again after Vedran Corluka
sprinted away from two markers to manufacture another opening.

Chelsea were struggling, their only other first-half chance coming
when Didier Drogba optimistically attempted a tight-angled volley that
flew across the area for Anelka to shoot on target. The Ivorian was
forced to take his half-time break early, unintentionally clattered by
King as they contested a high ball.

Drogba returned after the interval, but so did Chelsea's troubles.
Applying the game sense Redknapp has been teaching him, Lennon shifted
Ashley Cole left and right, then clipped a pass low and square into
the area. Devoid of a marker, Modric swivelled directly into a shot
that angled wide enough of Cech to find the net.

Soon the pair almost repeated the dose, Lennon crossing and Modric
shooting higher as Cech scrambled away. ­Hiddink added a genuine
winger in Ricardo Quaresma, but his team's chances came from distance
and Gomes's hesitation on a cross. When Florent Malouda joined him and
Chelsea went to 4-2-4, John Terry had a close-range header gloriously
saved by Gomes. From the subsequent corner Lennon demonstrated there
is still some polishing to be done as he broke away and chose the sky
over three team-mates.

As Chelsea pushed even their centre-backs up, Tottenham grew
agonisingly looser. King saved them from Anelka with a lunging block,
Alex headed on to the underside of the bar, and Ballack's shot in the
dying seconds was cleared from the line. It was a defeat, said
Hiddink, that came from "sloppy defending" and a poor start to both
halves. Only because Chelsea lost was he even speaking to the media,
having a flight to catch to Amsterdam to visit his ill father: "There
are more important things in life."




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NOTW:


TOTTENHAM 1, CHELSEA 0

Capital punishment for Hiddink

From ROB SHEPHERD at White Hart Lane, 21/03/2009

GUUS HIDDINK offered a dose of double Dutch after Chelsea failed to
re-assert themselves as credible title challengers.

“When you are in the kitchen and it’s steaming, you have to learn to
extinguish the fire,” Hiddink reflected enigmatically following Luka
Modric’s winner for Tottenham.

But Hiddink’s underlying message was crystal clear. Chelsea blew a
massive chance on a day when Manchester United invited them back into
the title race.

“That was a huge opportunity missed,” he agreed.

“We knew that Manchester United were losing and this was a chance for
us to make ground — and when the right opportunity comes along you
have to take the key moments and turn them to your advantage.

“But we didn’t do that and it’s not just about us not making ground up
on United but also letting Liverpool in. This was a moment to strike
and we didn’t do that.”

Quite what the fire was referring to was not quite so obvious.

And Hiddink was in too much of a hurry to elaborate as he rushed off
to catch a flight to see his ill father in Amsterdam before joining up
with Russia.

It could have been the opportunity presented by United’s failure at
Fulham, or when Tottenham stepped up a gear just after the break.

More particularly, though, it seemed a reference to the failure of
Michael Ballack to use his experience in the 50th minute and quell a
Tottenham attack which eventually led to Modric’s goal.

After the first wave was broken up, Ballack had the chance to clear
but mis-hit the ball. Jonathan Woodgate nodded out wide to Aaron
Lennon, who teased Ashley Cole before pulling back a precise cross
into the path of Modric. The Croatian midfielder then slotted an
emphatic shot from the edge of the box beyond Petr Cech.

It was only Modric’s second league goal since his £15million summer
move from Dinamo Zagreb. But it was just what his outstanding display
deserved.

Clearly, Hiddink felt the strike could have been prevented as he
complained: “We were very sloppy on their goal. Big internationals
with lots of caps should know you can’t always look for the perfect
pass.”

One suspects Ballack suffered a rather more graphic rollicking than
that and the rest of the team a plain rebuke about this opportunity
missed.

Yet with the very last kick, Ballack was desperately unlucky not to
have redeemed himself when his snap-shot from the edge of the box was
chested off the line by Benoit Assou- Ekotto.

Indeed, in the last phase of the game, Chelsea went close to an
equaliser on three occasions. Spurs keeper Heurelho Gomes, no longer a
clown-like figure, pulled off a stunning reaction save at the foot of
his post to keep out a John Terry header in the 79th minute.

Then in stoppage time, after an Alex header had bounced up from the
turf and hit the bar, the Brazilian keeper displayed great reflexes to
claw the ball away. Moments before, Ledley King made a mighty block to
prevent Nicolas Anelka slotting home.

For all the spirit Chelsea displayed in the closing stages, Spurs
manager Harry Redknapp was right in his assertion that his side
deserved it. They never let Chelsea settle into a rhythm and displayed
far more attacking invention.

Spurs are surely now safe, being closer to a Europa Cup spot than the
Plimsoll line. That is great credit to how Redknapp has turned the
club’s fortunes around since inheriting a dispirited squad from Juande
Ramos in October when they were bottom with two points from eight
games.

“We have to make certain we are safe, but the time now is to start
looking upwards,” said Redknapp.

“We can’t think of ourselves as safe quite yet but we’re playing as
well as anybody in the country at the moment.”

Given the way things have suddenly altered at the top, Chelsea will
not throw in the towel. But one suspects, just like last season, they
will reflected they lost the league at White Hart Lane.

It was precisely this time last year when Chelsea started to allow
their title challenge to slip when they surrendered a 3-1 lead,
eventually being held to a 4-4 draw.

So even the 30-minute delay to kick-off after a stranded vehicle near
the ground caused a security alert did not take any sting out of the
start.

It was fast and furious from the off but that was more down to Spurs
than Chelsea. Redknapp’s side showed the greater tempo and urgency
with Robbie Keane leading the way.

Offered the freedom of expression denied to him in that short stint at
Liverpool, Keane was a constant menace, dropping into the hole to
create openings and keep Ballack occupied in the holding role.

He was also a goal threat, forcing Cech into a fine save in the 17th
minute from a well-hit volley then making the Chelsea keeper react
sharply with another effort from the edge of the area.

The Blues struggled to create any sort of threat before the break as
they lacked attacking width. With Anelka playing to the left of Didier
Drogba rather than wide on the left and Cole pegged back by Lennon,
the visitors could not make inroads down that side.

The same applied to the right where Juliano Belletti was out of his
depth as a winger. Even when Chelsea got the ball forward, Woodgate
and King were in command until that late bombardment.

In contrast, Tottenham were full of menace — especially Modric who is
revelling in a role which allows him to roam around the front line
from the left. Eventually the adrenalin rush of a new manager had to
run out.

Incredibly, this defeat means the Blues have yet to win a London derby
this season. That is what you call capital punishment — and it would
seem this defeat has killed off Chelsea’s title hopes.