yet again.
It’s strange seeing the happy clappies after Spurs latest capitulation debacle, claim that no blame can be attributed to Ange whatsoever as he impassively watched the Chelsea manager coach his side from being 2-0 down to winning 4-3.
You can say that yes the players cost Spurs with two goals especially, the penalties, but then you can say one player cost Chelsea two goals. But the one coach stood there and did nothing, while the other changed things up and his team won.
Ange’s coaching started with a bang. As the starting XI showed a couple of surprises. Romero and van de Ven in the centre of defence. Back from injury, it looked at the time like a disaster waiting to happen as a desperate man does desperate things to cling onto his job. He’s made other changes from the side that lost to Bournemouth, again Maddison was out, but then the Chelsea manager made seven changes from his previous game.
The game started with a great chance for Spurs but Kulusevski dithered and killed it, then with Spurs pressing Chelsea back Cucurella then decides to slip over and Johnson is in on him. Racing through he puts in the perfect cross and for once Solanke has got in front of his defender and isn’t hiding behind him. One stuck out leg and it’s one nil – and the happy clappies are acting like Solanke is the greatest striker they’ve ever seen. Five minutes later and the Spaniard was at it again. Johnson on him and a couple of passes and Kulusevski looks to be on another dithering dribble across the box, before he cuts back a shot inside the near post, taking the keeper totally by surprise.
Cucurella changed his boots, though it wasn’t anything to do with his studs that last one, as there are no studs on the side of his boots.
It had the looks of the City game. Very much so with Chelsea pretty much having the ball from then on. It came as no surprise when they got one back. It came as no surprise that the Spurs players just let Sancho have a shot and get one back. It was a surprise a little earlier when Chelsea had a good chance from a corner but didn’t score. Ange still not bothering with coaching any of that set piece stuff.
By now of course one of the centre backs had departed. I was surprised it was Romero, figured Mickey’s hamstring would ping first. Apparently it’s a different injury for the Argentinian than the one that kept him out for the last few games.
The half ended with Chelsea on top, with two thirds of the ball and more shots, though shots on target were level. It should have also seen the visitors going in at the break down to 10 men. For some unknown reason Caicedo didn’t even get a yellow for his studs into Sarr’s shin challenge, well after the ball had gone. So of course VAR weren’t going to embarrass their man by saying “You know that challenge you didn’t deem worthy of a yellow? Well it’s a red actually”. But then Kulusevski later took out a Chelsea player with an oddly placed elbow. Why is it up there?
The Chelsea manager saw his team on top and made a change at the break, changed a player and tweaked their formation. Ange saw it not working and sent out the same side to do the same thing. And again after his half-time talk Spurs played even worse. It’s very Southgatesque.
The first 15 minutes of the second half saw the visitors with 80% of the ball and four shots to none. It ended with a stupid sliding challenge by Bissouma on Caicedo. Of course it was him, rolling about like he was shot, in agony until he jumped up to celebrate. Not saying it wasn’t a pen, it was so damn obvious nobody bothered complaining.
Forster committed himself before Palmer got close to kicking the ball.
Not long after and no one was committing to stopping Palmer dance his way through the Spurs’ box, before his cross deflected into the path of Fernandez whose pile driver gave Forster no chance.
Spurs of course could have been ahead before that. A ball over the top and Udogie is offside, the flag goes up but the Italian doesn’t play the ball while Son runs onto it, he wasn’t offside. Chelsea stop and Son is through on goal but his attempt misses the target. Would have been interesting to see if they would have given it. As said Udogie was offside, he might not have played the ball but he made to go for it before backing off. I bet they wouldn’t have let it stand.
If Spurs had coughed up those two early goals through player error, what chance they would then be ahead 73 minutes in? Ange looked on impassively. His second change had come a little earlier and like the first was forced on him, with Johnson going off due to illness. Ange decided his ideal replacement was Werner. Yes, the Werner that stinks out every game. Repeatedly putting Werner on is a sacking offence right there. Maddison sat on the bench.
Part of his next changes was enforced as well. No surprise Mickey van de Ven going down holding his hamstring. Ange later tried to downplay it and claim he was only going to get so many minutes, well, you were beyond that Ange.
Not long after and it was four for Chelsea. Again another stupid penalty that no one complained about. Palmer heading away from goal and Sarr needlessly goes through his back. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. People saying Ange can’t do anything about that. Well, yes he can coach the stupid out of ’em. People saying the players would get Pep or Fergie the sack. No. They’d coached ’em. Again Forster committed himself before Palmer Panenka’d the spot kick.
Shortly after going two goals clear Chelsea replaced Neto and there’s a thing. He was barely mentioned throughout the game. They’re 4-2 up and a player like him has barely featured.
Barely featured. Maddison had barely featured when he received the ball back from his corner, beating his man he made for the byline, running along it in the box before seeing Son open for the cutback, from which the captain scored. A little earlier Son had a chance but was fouled in the box, he was too honest and stayed on his feet, when he legitimately could have gone down. Now doubt not to get the pen.
But those officiating decisions shouldn’t mask the fact that yet again Ange was out coached during a game. Once again a proactive coach made decisions that brought victory while Ange stood there doing nothing.
One team looked coached. One team looked they’re told to just run about a bit and get into their half, except you Mickey, you cover our half until your hammy pops. Romero says he loves Ange and is taking about leaving if Ange goes. Well, it’s looked like he’s wanted off to Madrid for most of the season. If he loves Ange that much you’d think he would have helped his manager out and turned up for quite a few goals he’s been at fault for this season.
The happy clappies are talking about the first 10 games of last season while spurs are currently in the bottom half of the table. People acting like it’s one game when it’s been the whole of 2024. More losses than wins this season. For 2024 it’s level 14 wins and 14 defeats, with five draws. It’s mid table mediocrity form.
But he won trophies in Scotchland. Well he’s back there on Thursday. If he beats Rangers then it’ll show how worthless Scotch trophies are if he loses then there’s no way back surely… the happy clappies can clap about their “project”.
Because instead of what he did as the manager of a big fish in small pond it would have been better to look at his European record. In the main parts, ie not qualifiers, of the three European competitions his record is.. played 14… won 3… drawn 2… lost 9.