A pulsating encounter between Chelsea and Tottenham at Stamford Bridge will likely be remembered for a late Spurs equaliser and a bust-up between the managers.

What could be rapidly forgotten is the character of the sport itself. Chelsea had been the higher aspect for many of it, with Thomas Tuchel getting the higher of Antonio Conte within the tactical battle — twice.

The important thing to the primary half was the state of affairs in midfield, the place Mason Mount dropped in to seek out freedom between the traces, overloading Tottenham three-against-two within the centre.

Maybe we should always have seen this coming. A typical theme from Conte’s time at Tottenham is how aggressively the central midfield duo pushes up when the opposition have the ball — most notably away at Manchester Metropolis final season — whereas Tuchel recurrently “staggers” his midfield to make them tough to press, as they seem like one thing between a 3-4-Three and a 3-5-2.

And that’s what occurred — Conte used his traditional 3-4-3, and Tottenham performed as if Chelsea had been additionally utilizing a 3-4-3. So Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg pushed up onto Jorginho whereas Rodrigo Bentancur focused on N’Golo Kante. Thus far, so good.

Spurs’ situation, although, was Mount — who performed as a No eight relatively than in a entrance three, and was always free to obtain ahead passes. Spurs solely had two midfielders, so who would shut him down? On this event, it was the right-sided centre-back, Cristian Romero.

However a centre-back can’t play in midfield completely, and it was exceptional to see how a lot area Mount was afforded. A few minutes later, he’s in 20 yards of area in the midst of the pitch.

Right here’s the same instance…

…and right here’s the identical factor once more, calling for a cross from the precise.

Chelsea generally struggled to modify the ball to him laterally however the area he had made vertical passes very simple. Right here, Kalidou Koulibaly has the straightforward process of poking the ball by way of the traces into him — be aware Emerson Royal throwing his arms out, asking who is meant to be closing down Mount.

Right here’s the same state of affairs — be aware Hojbjerg gesturing in the direction of the unmarked Mount…

However Mount remained Romero’s accountability. And, in equity, there aren’t many Premier League centre-backs so completely satisfied to storm out of defence and shut down excessive up the pitch.

Right here, from one other Koulibaly ahead cross, Romero expenses in on Mount, and although he manages to dispossess him, he overruns the ball himself and Chelsea regain possession…

…which exhibits the hazard of Romero being bypassed. Raheem Sterling drifts out to the area behind him, and Chelsea can break into area. Ruben Loftus-Cheek’s cross, nevertheless, is performed just a little behind his Chelsea team-mate.

And this was the frequent theme of Chelsea’s first-half show. Tactically, they had been wonderful. Technically, they had been disappointing, with their passing stopping them from breaking at velocity.

Right here’s one other instance. It’s the identical factor once more — Mount in area between the traces, and Koulibaly in a position to thread a easy ball to toes.

However Koulibaly’s cross right here is poor. He might have slid it gently into the hole between the 2 Tottenham gamers, permitting Mount to obtain the ball on the flip and ease into assault in a central place. As an alternative, Koulibaly fires the ball into Mount, and it bounces up on him…

… and as Mount receives the ball, you realise how efficient a greater cross may need been — Mount would have been operating in the direction of purpose, with Romero pinned by Sterling. The defender would have been pressured to make a fast resolution, with Mount to confront but in addition Sterling, once more, set to use the area behind him.

Mount, in the meantime, is just too cautious on this state of affairs, bringing the ball in the direction of the left to work an overload, relatively than searching for to trigger Romero issues.

The ultimate important incident of the primary half got here when Mount obtained the ball in a central place and Eric Dier — in the midst of Spurs’ again three — pushes up the pitch to shut him down.

Mount performs the ball previous him…

… and as Chelsea assault down the precise, and Dier sprints again into his defensive place, Mount once more finds himself with large freedom on the sting of the field. Once more, this ball doesn’t come his means.

At half-time, Chelsea had been 1-Zero up because of Koulibaly’s gorgeous volley from a nook. However Spurs rallied halfway by way of the second half — Conte’s change to 4-2-Four following the introduction of Richarlison offered extra attacking menace and finally introduced the equaliser, by way of Hojbjerg.

That formation change prompted a distinct kind of tactical battle — and Tuchel absolutely received the higher of this one, too.

Now Spurs had been taking part in a again 4, Chelsea might now look to use them within the traditional method — use their wing-backs to offer overloads on the skin. And that’s seemingly why Tuchel determined to make a barely complicated change: bringing on Cesar Azpilicueta for Jorginho. This meant Loftus-Cheek moved from wing-back to central midfield whereas Reece James moved ahead from right-sided centre-back to proper wing-back.

And, all of a sudden, James was the important thing participant. Loftus-Cheek had carried the ball effectively out broad, however James gives way more composure and technical high quality.

Right here, he storms down the skin to create an excellent likelihood for Kai Havertz who volleys broad from point-blank vary…

Two minutes later, he fired dwelling what appeared to be the winner. That is the traditional purpose you see when wing-backs are taking part in up towards a again 4, and the kind of purpose Chelsea used to attain recurrently below Conte.

Chelsea progressively work the ball throughout the pitch till Spurs successfully run out of defenders, leaving James free on the far publish to blast dwelling…

Conte ended up reverting to 3-4-3, maybe afraid Chelsea would trigger extra issues down the flanks within the closing phases. That helped to carry again the tide, and finally, a spell of Spurs strain resulted in Harry Kane getting his head to a nook. James, the hero 15 minutes beforehand, was the Chelsea participant who unwittingly helped the ball into his personal web.

Afterwards, each managers had been quizzed about their full-time argument relatively than their tactical strategy, however Tuchel appeared a lot the happier with how the sport panned out — and understandably so. Chelsea dominated because of Tuchel’s tactical selections.

Chelsea’s drawback, although, was changing their first-half superiority into possibilities and targets from open play. And subsequently this recreation was considerably typical of Chelsea below Tuchel — his form works completely, however his attackers aren’t performing to the extent required if Chelsea are to problem for the title.