tottenham 4-2

Independent:

Villas-Boas hails ‘amazing’ Chelsea
Tottenham 2 Chelsea 4

Steve Tongue

Juan Mata scored twice in two minutes to crush Andre Villas-Boas' hopes of exacting revenge on his former employers Chelsea at White Hart Lane.

It will soon become time to ask who can stop Chelsea. If it is to be Manchester United, then next Sunday at Stamford Bridge is when Sir Alex Ferguson’s team have to prove it. The talk has been that the European champions had not met any serious opposition, yet raiding parties to north London have now returned with a full complement of points from Arsenal and Tottenham.
Both have been open games, in the manner apparently demanded by Chelsea’s owner, and could therefore have finished differently, but the outcome has been just each time. All credit to Tottenham yesterday, nevertheless, for playing their part in one of the games of the season, above all in their dramatic – and frankly unexpected – revival at the start of the second half, turning a 1-0 deficit into a lead.
For a while the force was with them, until the admirable Juan Mata scored twice in three minutes; a fourth goal on the break, which the Spaniard set up for Daniel Sturridge, always looked possible.
Overall, as both managers agreed, quality told and the fact that Tottenham were missing the injured Mousa Dembélé and also Gareth Bale, who withdrew shortly before kick-off to be with his pregnant girlfriend, proved a predictable handicap. Sandro and Tom Huddlestone looking pale in comparison.
Jermain Defoe was better, much better, in an enthralling duel with his England team-mate Gary Cahill, who was a worthy stand-in for John Terry. As the shield in front of the back-four, John Obi Mikel has in the past been what used to be called the “boo-boy” but nobody was booing yesterday. Ashley Cole had an excellent first half, then found Aaron Lennon a handful at times; it was the winger’s direct running that brought Spurs back into the game towards the end of the first half after Cahill had volleyed Chelsea in front.
“We showed great strength of character to come back in the second half,” Andre Villas-Boas said. At 2-1 the Tottenham manager, wanted to “calm things down” but the White Hart Lane crowd have never appreciated a softly-softly approach and they were impatient whenever the build-up was slower. Whatever regrets Villas-Boas may have had about his time at Chelsea and not being allowed to finish what he had started, he was generous in his praise for the attacking midfield trio that his successor Roberto Di Matteo has been allowed to assemble, calling them “amazing” and admitting of the team as a whole, “they’re on top of their game”.
They were early on here, sharper and more threatening from the start and taking the lead in the 17th minute. Eden Hazard’s corner from the left was headed up in the air by the home captain and former Chelsea stalwart William Gallas, dropping nicely for Cahill to hit a screaming volley that took an insignificant deflection off Steven Caulker on its way into the roof of the net.
 Mata ought to have brought about a more secure half-time lead, shooting wildly over the bar after Brad Friedel parried his initial effort. In between times, however, Spurs had their moments, not least because some of Petr Cech’s handling was less reliable than usual.
 The worm’s-eye view from the press-box at pitch level made the football look frenetic, but could not obscure the quality which together with the excitement made this such an enjoyable occasion.
It was already a good game before the burst of four goals in 22 minutes as the second half opened took it to another level.
 Chelsea’s fans, outnumbered 10 to one, had been the noisier until the stadium came alive as the away team’s defence dozed in a manner that must have infuriated Terry.  Huddlestone, making his one significant contribution, swung a free-kick beyond the far post that an unmarked Jan Vertonghen deftly hooked square for Gallas, equally unattended, to nod in, via his hand.
Cech had to make a smart save from Vertonghen and only eight minutes after the equaliser, Lennon’s low cross – or mishit shot? – was swung in by Defoe for the 200th goal of his career and one of the most typical. Just as unpredictably Chelsea regained the initiative, suddenly looking irresistible again as they pushed forward.
Mike Dean turned down penalty appeals from Cole and Fernando Torres, neither of whom would agree with the neutral view that he had a fine game. It did not matter. In the 65th minute another unconvincing headed clearance at a corner by Gallas landed at the feet of Mata, who drove the ball low past Friedel and after three frantic minutes in which Defoe at one end and then Torres were denied, Mata began and finished a lovely move by sweeping in Hazard’s perfect pass.
If Mata had completed his hat-trick later by lifting the ball over Friedel, it would have been overly harsh on both Spurs and their goalkeeper, who had not been at fault for any of the goals but may now find himself left out for Hugo Lloris. He was left utterly exposed for the final goal, inevitably made by Mata, who robbed Kyle Walker by the touchline and rolled a cross for the substitute Sturridge to tap in.
It was Chelsea’s first success since 2005 on a ground where they once seemed invincible and it sent a powerful message, even if their manager wishes to obscure the true significance for now. “There are 30 games still to play,” he said. “I think you have to wait until the Christmas period.”

Tottenham (4-2-3-1): Friedel; Walker, Gallas, Caulker, Vertonghen; Huddlestone (Livermore, 67), Sandro; Lennon, Sigurdsson, Dempsey (Adebayor, 74); Defoe.
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Cech; Ivanovic, Cahill, Luiz, Cole; Ramires, Lampard; Mata, Oscar (Sturridge, 83), Hazard (Lampard, 90); Torres

Referee: Mike Dean
Man of the match: Mata (Chelsea)
Match rating: 9/10


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Observer:

Chelsea's Juan Mata stars in topsy-turvy win at Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur 2 Chelsea 4

Daniel Taylor at White Hart Lane

André Villas-Boas can testify firsthand now about the improvement in this Chelsea team since he was ushered from the club. There is a steel about Roberto Di Matteo's side that was not always evident during his predecessor's reign and it meant an ordeal for the well-dressed man shaking his head and rubbing his hands through his hair in the home dugout. "André, André, what's the score?" the Chelsea fans sang, and the man in question looked at his shoes and pretended not to hear.
His team had led 2-1 but there was only a 10-minute spell at the start of the second half when Tottenham Hotspur could be said to be the better team, scoring twice and threatening to condemn the Premier League leaders to their first defeat of a season.
That apart, Chelsea played with confidence and the kind of durability that should serve them well in the title race. Juan Mata was prominently involved, scoring the two goals that turned a 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead, then setting up the substitute Daniel Sturridge to complete the comeback in stoppage time.
In defence, it is unlikely they would have been so vulnerable had John Terry not been starting his four-match ban. Yet their elusive, nimble attacking players provided a formidable test for Tottenham that, for the most part, the home team found beyond them. "Creativity and individual brilliance," Villas-Boas said of his former team. "Oscar, Mata, Eden Hazard … brilliant." Mata was one of the players he had brought to Stamford Bridge. As Di Matteo said: "I've thanked him for that."

The away side had been so comfortable after taking the lead through Gary Cahill's 18th-minute volley it was a jolt, to say the least, when William Gallas's glancing header two minutes after the break, possibly helped by his fingertips, was quickly followed by Jermain Defoe pouncing on Aaron Lennon's misdirected shot to score the 200th goal of his career.
At that point Tottenham, unbeaten in a London derby at home since 2007, might have dared imagine a sixth successive win, but they would have been kidding themselves to think they deserved the lead. Chelsea never panicked or started to feel sorry for themselves. Instead they just set about re-establishing their superiority, producing some thrilling football in the process and taking advantage of the fact that their opponents were missing some of their more accomplished players.
Villas-Boas could certainly cite mitigating circumstances given that Mousa Dembélé, so impressive since arriving from Fulham, had joined Scott Parker on the injury list. Perhaps that would not mattered so much but for Gareth Bale having to speed away from White Hart Lane before kick-off because his partner had gone into labour. Deprived of Dembélé and Bale, it was not altogether surprising the home side came up so short at times.
The second comeback of the match began in the 66th minute, Mata firing in a low, left-foot drive after Gallas's poor clearance from Oscar's cross. The Spaniard's second came three minutes later, turning Eden Hazard's pass beyond Brad Friedel at the end of a slick exchange that epitomised the difference between the two sides. By the time Mata dispossessed Kyle Walker and slipped in Sturridge to ensure a miserable day for Friedel on his return to the team, the visiting team might easily have lost count of the number of chances they had accumulated.

The only downside from a Chelsea perspective was the carelessness at the start of the second half. The defending was particularly generous as Jan Vertonghen hooked Tom Huddlestone's free-kick across the six-yard box for Gallas to score. Villas-Boas could also reflect on several presentable opportunities to salvage something when the game was 3-2. For the most part, however, Cahill demonstrated why the absence of Terry need not be too significant.
Gallas, in stark contrast, had a difficult afternoon, at fault to varying degrees for the first three Chelsea goals. Villas-Boas tried to protect his player – "I don't agree," he said. "I wouldn't blame anyone individually" – but there were some straightforward errors. The Frenchman has been a great defender but in the worst moments here he looked like a champion boxer after one fight too many. Cahill's goal was another reminder of his uncommon ability to strike the ball on the volley – Di Matteo talked about the central defender routinely joining the club's front players in extra shooting practice – but it originated from Gallas's weak header out from Hazard's corner. Gallas had to wave an apologetic hand after Mata's first effort and, together with Walker, did not react quickly enough during the build-up to the third Chelsea goal. As for the fourth, Walker will wince when he sees the replays of how he lost the ball to Mata on the touchline. Mata squared and Sturridge tapped into an exposed net.

It had been a stodgy Tottenham performance. Huddlestone's passing has regressed badly and his partnership with Sandro lacked mobility, inferior by some distance to Chelsea's two holding midfielders, Ramires and Mikel John Obi. Perhaps more worryingly for Villas-Boas, Clint Dempsey and Gylfi Sigurdsson are taking their time adapting. Early days, but Chelsea look like title contenders, just as Villas-Boas had planned but with a different manager in place.


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Telegraph:

Tottenham Hotspur 2 Chelsea
Jason Burt, White Hart Lane

So much talk had been of the individual in the run-up to this encounter – that individual being Tottenham’s head coach Andre Villas-Boas – that it was probably appropriate that there was another sole factor that proved decisive: individual brilliance.
There were also individual failings, and another former Chelsea employee, William Gallas, will want to quickly forget his contribution. He may have scored his first goal in Spurs colours but the central defender – and captain – was at fault numerous times.
There was another individual mistake at the end, with Kyle Walker woefully surrendering possession allowing Chelsea to score a fourth goal but by then, as Villas-Boas said, the game was up.
“We lost the opportunity to bring them down,” Villas-Boas admitted. His analysis centred on that mercurial triumvirate of Juan Mata, Oscar and Eden Hazard playing behind a lone striker, in this instance Fernando Torres.
“Amazing,” was Villas-Boas’s verdict and Mata, who scored two and should have claimed a hat-trick, was especially deserving of praise, with Gary Cahill – another of Chelsea’s goalscorers – hailing the Spaniard as a “magician”.
He certainly bewitched Gallas and Co in what was a mesmerising encounter.
The hosts were hampered by losing Moussa Dembélé to a late hip injury and the absence of Gareth Bale to attend the birth of his child. Without their two most decisive and dynamic players, Spurs’ task grew all the greater.
Jermain Defoe and Aaron Lennon picked up the baton and the way in which the hosts flew out of the blocks in the second-half, turning a deficit into an advantage, was gripping. But this Chelsea side are developing into something special, with Villas-Boas suggesting their early form is similar to that shown by Manchester City last season.
There will be encouragement for Chelsea’s rivals in their continuing vulnerability. They were without John Terry, who was serving the first match of his four-game ban for racially abusing Anton Ferdinand, and his galvanising qualities were missed.
Ashley Cole, who has had his own troubles, was superb at times as Chelsea claimed a victory that showed that they are real title contenders. This was their first win at White Hart Lane since 2005 and brought to an end Spurs’ record of not having been defeated in 20 London derbies.
All of that will hurt Villas-Boas, but he was scrupulous in not making it personal. Spurs have their own goals this season, he said, and if losing this match yet reaching those targets is what he achieves, then he will be satisfied.
His successor at Stamford Bridge, Roberto Di Matteo, talked of Chelsea passing a “big test of character” after another difficult week, although he added: “This [the Terry racism saga] has been going on for a long time and we have managed to get the players to focus. They were not distracted.”
They certainly were not. When the ball is played up to Mata, Oscar and Hazard, all hell can break loose. Such is their trickery, fluidity, comfort in possession and sharpness of thought, that Chelsea will always have an opportunity to damage their opponents. Torres played well too, but it’s undeniable that with a more lethal striker, this Chelsea forward line would be pretty much unstoppable.
Unstoppable is the only way to describe Cahill’s goal. Gallas erred – weakly heading a corner back across the box and the ball plopped down to Cahill, who struck the sweetest and fiercest of volleys past unsighted goalkeeper Brad Friedel.
Gradually Spurs eked out chances, with Petr Cech spilling a Defoe drive and Gylfi Sigurdsson screwing a shot wide on the turn. Mata should have added a second though when his first-time effort was saved by Friedel only for him to sky the follow-up.
Villas-Boas clearly had words at half-time, and his side were transformed. First Jan Vertonghen retrieved a free-kick and Gallas – who had earlier scuffed a volley when unmarked on goal – turned it over the line. Then Lennon ran at the defence, his mis-hit shot fell to Defoe who fired the ball home.
But as Villas-Boas implored his players to calm things down, Chelsea stepped on the gas. After Gallas was fortunate not to concede a penalty, the defender half-cleared a cross straight to Mata, who shot into the corner of the goal. There was then a wonderful, incisive pass from Hazard to pick out Mata’s run – which was unchecked – and he steered the ball around Friedel for a sixth goal in five games.
Spurs attempted to come back and a low shot from Walker, from fully 35 yards, was just about turned around the post by Cech. In injury-time, substitute Daniel Sturridge ended any doubt as he tapped in from Mata’s low cross after Walker made the final individual mistake.
A sad post-script to the match was that Walker felt forced to delete his Twitter account last night because of abuse from disgruntled supporters reacting to his indifferent form this season
Walker tweeted: “If I said what I thought to these people I would get done. Humans make mistakes.”


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Mail:

Tottenham 2 Chelsea 4: Pain for AVB as Mata the magician puts Spurs under his spell

By Rob Draper
 
As Andre Villas-Boas surveyed the scene, the thought must have occurred to him that the scenario was near-perfect: a slickly-entertaining Chelsea team was playing high tempo, yet intricate, football and winning a thrilling game without Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard or John Terry.
In other words, precisely the mission Roman Abramovich had charged him with a little over a year ago.

The only downside, of course, is that Villas-Boas is now manager of Tottenham. And well though they contributed to an excellent London derby, they were not a match for this new Chelsea side.

The fact Juan Mata, signed under Villas-Boas, sparkled as he danced his way through Tottenham challenges, can only have added to the ruefulness of the Spurs manager. ‘I thanked him for that,’ said his former assistant, Roberto Di Matteo, with a rare smile.

And difficult though it is to argue with Abramovich’s decision to dispense with  Villas-Boas, given that the Champions League was subsequently won, it is hard to escape the conclusion that had he been asked to work with this team, his task would have been an awful lot easier.

‘The players they have are on a level of form and so  connected with each other, so creative, you can only compliment teams that play like this,’ said Villas-Boas. ‘You have to agree both teams played a good game but you have to accent the trio up front behind the striker were amazing.

‘I think the game was won on individual brilliance from Oscar, Mata and Eden Hazard, who were tremendous today. These are people who can unlock doors and create problems and manage to find gaps and find people because they are extremely creative.
‘This kind of form is what we saw last year with Manchester City.’ As for his new club, they are a different proposition without Gareth Bale and Mousa Dembele.

While Aaron Lennon, Jermain Defoe and Jan Vertonghen all contributed performances which at times exposed the vulnerabilities of Chelsea, ultimately, Spurs cannot do without their two most creative  players.

A clutch of players shone for Chelsea — Villas-Boas might have added Ramires to the list — but Mata was the star. He scored two, made another and missed a sitter; all this from a player who cannot make the Spain squad.

Chelsea’s early superiority translated into a goal on 17 minutes with a superb volley from Gary Cahill that belied his status as a centre half, though William Gallas’ clearing header that looped into his path was poor.

Tottenham lurched out of their complacency and Defoe responded with a shot that Petr Cech parried, while Ashley Cole had to hook away before Clint Dempsey struck.  Lennon delivered a troublesome cross which Cahill  managed to clear but only to Gylfi Sigurdsson, who fired wide.

Chelsea had the best chance to score the second goal of the game when Ramires broke from midfield and fed Mata, whose strike was smartly saved by Brad Friedel. The rebound fell to Mata eights yards out but he scooped his shot over.

The period prior to and immediately after half-time saw Tottenham in full flow.

First came the chances from Dempsey, desperately blocked by John Obi Mikel, and Defoe, cleared off the line by Cole.

Then came the equaliser after the break, with Tottenham level within 90 seconds when Tom Huddlestone’s free-kick was headed back across goal by Vertonghen for Gallas to head in almost on the goal-line.

By the time Tottenham went ahead on 55 minutes — Defoe meeting Lennon’s through-ball with an excellent finish —White Hart Lane was in full voice and Chelsea were on the back foot.

But momentum was transformed again by that man Mata with two goals in three minutes. First, Oscar crossed and Gallas again cleared weakly, allowing Mata to strike into the bottom right-hand co
Then came the move of the match, Oscar, Mata and Mikel combining to bamboozle Tottenham before Hazard provided such a perfect, threaded ball through for Mata, that it would have been a travesty not to score. Mata was equal to the task, finishing calmly.

Though Lennon and Kyle Walker tested Cech with long-range strikes, Chelsea grabbed their fourth when Walker dallied, allowing Mata to steal the ball and square along the goal-line for substitute Daniel  Sturridge to tap in.

‘Andre, Andre, what’s the score?’ chanted the Chelsea fans, gleefully.

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Mirror:

Tottenham Hotspur 2-4 Chelsea: Juan Mata double inspires Chelsea and ruins AVB's day
Matt Law

William Gallas and Jermain Defoe put Tottenham ahead after Gary Cahill's fine volley, but the Spaniard struck twice to continue Chelsea's fine form

Who needs John Terry? Certainly not Chelsea if this latest victory is anything to go by.
As Terry served the first of his four-game ban, it may just have dawned on him that he is no longer indispensable.
Gary Cahill, his replacement, scored a wonderful volley, the team rallied themselves without Terry after falling behind and stand-in captain Petr Cech produced a string of great saves. The message was loud and clear. Chelsea are in the Premier League title race to stay – with or without their captain, leader, legend.
This is a new Chelsea. One full of youth, vitality, ­creativity and goals – epitomised by the brilliant display of Juan Mata against Spurs. It is no longer a team that relies so heavily on the old names.
And, just as Chelsea can cope without Terry, Spurs may do well to look past one of their veterans.
William Gallas might have scored against his former club, but the ­defender was also at fault for three of Chelsea’s goals. Michael Dawson was once again on the bench, but manager Andre Villas-Boas may need to ­review that decision.
Thanks to Gallas, Villas-Boas suffered an unhappy reunion with the club that sacked him. It must have hurt when the Chelsea fans sang ‘Andre, what’s the score’ after substitute Daniel Sturridge tapped in the visitors’ fourth goal.
What transpired to be a ­wonderful game was sparked into life when a poor header from Gallas was volleyed past Brad Friedel by Cahill.
Without Gareth Bale, whose girlfriend was in labour, ­Tottenham laboured through parts of the first period.
Villas-Boas was not famed for his motivational skills ­during his unhappy time at Chelsea, but whatever he said at half-time did the trick. Spurs flew out of the blocks.
 Just two minutes after the break, Tom Huddlestone swung over a cross that Jan Vertonghen turned back into the six-yard box and Gallas nodded the ball in.
When Jermain Defoe then turned in a scuffed cross from Aaron Lennon seven minutes later, it appeared revenge may be on the cards for Villas-Boas.
This was the moment when Chelsea teams of old would have looked to Terry for some chest-pumping words of encouragement, but this group can count on their invention.
As Spurs assistant Steffen Freund offered up a lesson on how to jump up and down on the touchline without actually doing much of any value, Chelsea struck back.
Gallas once again produced a weak clearance from Oscar’s hopeful cross and Mata ­produced a wonderful finish.
Fernando Torres hesitated to let a good chance pass, but Mata then made and scored a wonderful goal.
The Spaniard laid the ball off to John Mikel Obi, Mikel passed to Eden Hazard and he picked out Mata who slotted the ball into the net. It was not a huge surprise that Gallas had been caught flat-footed.
Spurs threw on Emmanuel Adebayor and piled forwards in search of an equaliser, but Cech spread himself ­brilliantly to keep out Defoe and then Kyle Walker.
It was Walker’s eagerness to get forward that allowed Chelsea to seal the three points.
Mata got free and simply rolled the ball across the goal for Sturridge to tap in.
Nobody had missed Terry – least of all Chelsea.


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Sun:


Tottenham 2 Chelsea 4

By ROB BEASLEY

JUAN MATA bit the hand that signed him with a brilliant double at White Hart Lane.

Throw in his assist for Chelsea’s fourth and the super Spaniard really rubbed it in the face of ex-boss Andre Villas-Boas.

It was AVB who paid £26million to take Mata to Stamford Bridge from Valencia last August — and this was his thank you.

He produced a magical, man-of-the-match performance to sink Spurs — the only criticism being he should have had a hat-trick.

Chelsea went 1-0 ahead with a stunning 17th-minute volley from centre-half Gary Cahill which arched over keeper Brad Friedel.

Then came the chance to put the Blues even more in control of a one-sided first half.

Mata let fly but Friedel managed to parry the effort, although in doing so only teed up the attacker for a second attempt.

However, for once, Mata got it all wrong, blazing over with the American keeper floundering.

It looked a costly miss when Spurs came storming back early in the second half.

There was a hint of handball as ex-Chelsea defender William Gallas hauled Spurs level two minutes after the restart, converting a Tom Huddlestone free-kick.

But there was nothing debatable about the second as seven minutes later the lively Jermain Defoe surged in front of Cahill to sweep Tottenham ahead.

It was Defoe’s 200th career goal and a good one, too, capping another quality display from the England ace. Suddenly Chelsea were reeling. They came to North London having not conceded a second-half Premier League goal this season.

Now here they were shipping two in double-quick time as the game swung alarmingly away from them.

The Lane was really rocking in stark contrast to the library atmosphere of the first 45 minutes.

Although the Blues were shaken they quickly stirred and it was Mata who orchestrated the fightback.

First, with 66 minutes gone, he pounced to coolly steer home an equaliser after Gallas had only half-cleared Oscar’s cross.

Three minutes later he was wheeling away to celebrate another goal as Chelsea stormed back into the lead. And what a goal it was, too. If Cahill’s opener was a strike of the highest individual quality, this was a team goal.

Mata not only started it but fittingly applied the final glorious finishing touch.

He began it with a short pass out to Oscar on the left, the Brazilian gave it him back and Mata quickly moved it on inside to John Obi Mikel.

Next it was at the feet of the alert Eden Hazard who spotted the Spaniard’s surge into the box and picked him out perfectly — and Mata stroked home for 3-2.

It was a sucker-punch that would have flattened most teams, but not Spurs.
Back they came again.

Skipper for the day Petr Cech saved from Aaron Lennon, Defoe and Kyle Walker as the home side threw caution to the wind.

That was always a calculated risk against a side as free-flowing and free- scoring as Chelsea.

Mata tried to capitalise, freeing Fernando Torres into the box with five minutes left.

The £50m man should have killed off any hope of a Spurs comeback but steered his low effort just wide.

Mata was not finished, though, and would have enjoyed his role in Chelsea’s fourth. He had been having a running battle with Walker throughout the match.

And after chasing him down near the touchline the Spurs right-back capitulated comically.

Mata took the loose ball, glided casually into the box then nonchalantly rolled it into the path of the on-rushing Daniel Sturridge who side-footed home.

So Chelsea remain top of the pile after back-to-back away wins in North London.

They clearly like it in these parts — and where is this season’s Champions League final being played?

Tottenham: Friedel, Walker, Gallas, Caulker, Vertonghen, Huddlestone (Livermore 67), Sandro, Lennon, Sigurdsson, Dempsey (Adebayor 74), Defoe. Subs not used: Lloris, Naughton, Dawson, Falque, Townsend. Booked: Huddlestone,Gallas, Walker.
Goals: Gallas 47, Defoe 54.

Chelsea: Cech, Ivanovic, Luiz, Cahill, Cole, Ramires, Mikel, Oscar (Sturridge 83), Hazard (Lampard 90), Mata, Torres. Subs not used: Turnbull, Romeu, Moses, Azpilicueta, Bertrand. Booked: Ivanovic, Ramires.
Goals: Cahill 17, Mata 66, 69, Sturridge 90.

Att: 36,060
Ref: Mike Dean (Wirral).


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Express:

TOTTENHAM 2 - CHELSEA 4: CHELSEA’S NEW SPECIAL JUAN MATA 
By Jim Holden

MORE than a few Chelsea players made a point of seeking out Andre Villas-Boas to give their old boss a warm and conspicuous embrace before and after the final whistle yesterday – but their generosity extended only that far.
During the game, the new slick Chelsea team being fashioned by Roberto Di Matteo were razor-sharp in their destruction of Spurs.
It was a first home defeat for AVB as Tottenham manager, and although it was no disgrace against such vibrant and accomplished opponents, it was a reminder of the work to be done at White Hart Lane.
Would it have been closer had Tottenham’s talisman Gareth Bale not been absent because his partner had gone into labour yesterday morning? Probably.
But there is an appreciable gulf in class between the football Chelsea are playing right now and the rest of the Premier League. Juan Mata, in particular, is having a purple patch of elegant majesty, while the team as a whole are showing impressive resolve – not only in ignoring the distractions of the John Terry affair, but in fighting back so strongly from 2-1 down early in the second half.
Di Matteo said: “We had a test of character and it was good to win. We are very pleased with the way we are playing but it’s too early to talk about being title contenders. Wait until Christmas for that.”
Chelsea dominated from the start, with control from their attacking trio of midfield miniature musketeers. Oscar, Eden Hazard and Mata weaved magic everywhere, and it was a severe examination of the credentials of young English defenders Kyle Walker and Steven Caulker.
The opening goal came from a more traditional route – a corner curled to the far post by Hazard.Tottenham’s experienced central defender William Gallas could only direct a clearing header to the edge of the penalty box and Gary Cahill had space to thunder home a thrilling volley in the 17th minute.

Much of the pre-match talk had concerned the absence of Terry, starting a four-game suspension. But who needs him with defenders of the calibre of Cahill and David Luiz?
It was a wonderful goal, and at the other end Luiz did sturdy work with a fine saving tackle on the marauding Aaron Lennon.
Chelsea should have scored again before half-time. Another quicksilver move of the type becoming their trademark ended with a drive by Mata that Brad Friedel saved superbly. The rebound fell to Mata but he sliced over the bar.
Spurs were depleted by the absence of Bale and Moussa Dembele, who has a hip injury. Yet they briefly took command in a surging start to the second half.
There was an instant equaliser when a free-kick to the far post was clipped back by Jan Vertonghen for Gallas to head home.
By the 54th minute Spurs were ahead as Lennon’s awkward shot reached Jermain Defoe in the box and he clipped a more decisive drive into the net. Villas-Boas leapt like a jack-in-the-box in celebration on the touchline. It was premature.
This was a test for the new slick Chelsea, and they passed it in the most stylish fashion. Villas-Boas was impressed, saying: “Creativity and brilliance won this game. The trio behind the striker were amazing. You can only compliment a team playing like Chelsea.”
The equaliser came midway through the second half from turnover ball. Oscar crossed from the right, Gallas again fluffed the clearance and Mata steered home a precise shot from 18 yards. Three minutes later Mata scored again, with the composure to chip the onrushing Friedel after a delicious pass from Hazard. Mata’s skill has never been doubted. There is also a fire in his belly this season, as a series of niggles with Spurs defenders illustrated.
Tottenham tried to fight back in what had become a captivating match. They have character too. Lennon’s shot stung the hands of Petr Cech, and the Chelsea keeper only just managed to scoop a long-range shot from Walker round the post.
There was no denying the superiority of Chelsea’s inventive team. They completed the job in stoppage time. Mata, of course, was the catalyst, winning a fight with Walker for the ball out on the left and then delivering a low cross that gave substitute Daniel Sturridge a tap-in. “Andre, Andre, what’s the score?” taunted the visiting fans. Perhaps they had forgotten it was Villas-Boas who signed Mata.
“Yes, I have thanked him for that,” said Di Matteo. Both men knew how much that meant to the result.


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Star:

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR 2 - CHELSEA 4: BLUES ACE JUAN MATA RUNS THE SHOW
Spaniard Mata struck twice and created two more to gloss a five-star performance and ensure Roberto Di Matteo continued his unbeaten start to the season

By Tony Stenson

JUAN MATA made it a happy day for RDM when Chelsea got the better over AVB in a game that had plenty of GBH.
What’s more Chelsea did not miss skipper JT.
Spaniard Mata struck twice and created two more to gloss a five-star performance and ensure Roberto Di Matteo continued his unbeaten start to the season.
The Blues stay top at the expense of inflicting defeat on former boss Andre Villas-Boas.
Five players were booked in a spiky derby that kept both sets of fans on the edge of their seats.
Chelsea had to dig deep to secure victory. After dominating the first half and taking the lead, they were clearly rattled as Spurs came out for the second half with a new focus and aggression.
Skipper William Gallas scored his first goal for his current club against his former one and Jermain Defoe added a second nine minutes later to turn the game on its head.
Mata then took over with two goals inside four minutes to spur Chelsea to victory.
Then in added time he set up sub Daniel Sturridge for a fourth, sparking a taunt from Blues fans of ‘Andre, Andre what’s the score?’
Villas-Boas made several of his customary touch-line dances, while Di Matteo remained calm, enhancing his reputation and showing why he easily adapted when given the job of taking over from Villas-Boas 18 league games ago, having lost only three.
Spurs were forced to make changes when ace winger Gareth Bale pulled out just hours before the game, with his girlfriend due to give birth.
It was frantic, passionate but lacking the quality pass until Mata began to take control. And rewards were reaped when Chelsea took the lead after 18 minutes – Gallas tried to head out Eden Hazard’s cross but the ball dropped for Gary Cahill to return with venom.
Spurs finally began to put passes together with menace. However, Mata was still orchestrating Chelsea and tested Freidel in the 39th minute.
Spurs equalised within 65 seconds of the restart. Tom Huddlestone swung over a free-kick that Jan Vertonghen hacked back across goal and Gallas dipped to nod in.
Sigurdsson then seemed to wage a one-man war, forcing Chelsea’s defence to flounder – rescued by the odd deflection and Petr Cech’s hands.
Chelsea were rattled and Tottenham added a second in the 54th minute when Jermain Defoe turned in Aaron’s Lennon’s pass.
Mata worked Chelsea back in the game in the 66th minute. And he was there again to score four minutes later
One final pass to Sturridge in added time and his job was done.

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Sunday Times:


Tottenham 2 Chelsea 4: Mata makes merry

SO THAT’S all you need: £130.5m. The problem of how to reinvent a football team whose great stars have faded or gone has tested owners and managers since the game became professional. The men who have proved best at it — Herbert Chapman, Sir Matt Busby, Sir Alex Ferguson, Bob Paisley — are considered visionaries. Chelsea have come up with a less romantic way. But that doesn’t mean no credit is due for the kaleidoscopic and coruscating ensemble at the top of the Premier League. You can dip into your bottomless pit of pounds and roubles but you still have to ensure your executives spend wisely, so credit to Roman Abramovich — whatever soap operas and absurdities have gone on with Chelsea recruitment in the past — for bringing together Oscar (£25m), Eden Hazard (£32m) and the part-artist, part-workaholic that is Juan Mata (£23.5m). Even Fernando Torres, the owner’s £50m indulgence, is doing his bit with this electric trio behind him.


In a tremendous match Tottenham were good but Chelsea were better and forward lines made the difference. Spurs surged from 1-0 down to 2-1 ahead after upping their intensity at the start of the second half but then Chelsea upped the genius levels.
 With Oscar and Hazard creating, Mata scored two goals then fashioned one himself out of nothing for Daniel Sturridge to finish. 4-2.
 Credit to Roberto di Matteo also. Many coaches are given lavish or expensive player options but don’t know how to combine them. In 2012-13, Di Matteo has applied to Chelsea’s Premier League football a different style but the same principles — clear decision-making, man management, tactical fearlessness — that he used, victoriously, in the Champions League in 2011-12. Perhaps nobody since Jose Mourinho has kept the big personalities and the mega-paid in Chelsea’s dressing room so unified.
 The club’s first league win at White Hart Lane since Mourinho triumphed here in 2005 was achieved with Frank Lampard on the bench and John Terry banned. The Terry racism saga kept throwing up stories but Di Matteo focused his players and achieved a result. If the saga reflects badly on Chelsea off the pitch, on it nothing can deflect from the magic of Mata and Co.
 The tap-in for Sturridge that settled the result a few seconds into stoppage time was teed up by the Iberian, who pressed Kyle Walker out on the touchline, stole possession, advanced and rolled a pass across the goalmouth. It demonstrated Mata’s extraordinary levels of effort — still sharp, still chasing after 90 minutes of a super-intense derby. His two goals showed more cerebral and technical qualities.
 Strikes in the first nine minutes of the second period, from William Gallas and Jermain Defoe, put Spurs 2-1 up and an increase in the speed of their pressing, passing and counterattacking was behind their revival but, as Andre Villas-Boas noted, his players needed to consolidate when ahead.
 “We were too frenetic,” he said. When Jan Vertonghen lost possession when trying to go on another run down the left, Chelsea grabbed the initiative. Oscar crossed, Gallas’ clearing header was poor and Mata placed a shot inside Brad Friedel’s far post. Soon 2-2 became 3-2, when Mata went one on one with Friedel and finished confidently. He had executed his run with exquisite timing to stay onside and reach Hazard’s gorgeously weighted through ball after an ingenious passing exchange involving Oscar and John Obi Mikel.
 It was exactly the football that Andre Villas Boas, who signed Mata, wanted to impose on Chelsea and the beaten manager was generous. “Their players are on a level of form, so connected with each other, you can only compliment teams like this. Tottenham played well but we have to accept the trio behind the striker was amazing,” Villas-Boas said.
 His formation was the same as Di Matteo’s, though his principles were a little different. There is an impressive mix in Chelsea’s football under Di Matteo: they have spells of possession, spells of playing a blistering counterattacking game. Ramires’ readiness to join his forwards increases their dimensions and the swapping of passes and positions by Mata, Oscar and Hazard offers fluidity. Torres’ finishing is still reduced but his running does stretch opposing defences.
 Tottenham’s game is more focused on ball retention and Villas-Boas was compromised by the loss of his playmaker, Moussa Dembele, with a hip injury. Spurs were just as affected by the absence of Gareth Bale, whose girlfriend went into labour a few hours before kick-off.
 The three players they had behind their striker, Gylfi Sigurdsson, Clint Dempsey and Aaron Lennon, did not carry the danger of Chelsea’s, even if Lennon sparkled intermittently.
 Chelsea led after 17 minutes when one of their centre-backs came over all Brazilian, but it wasn’t David Luiz. At a corner, another poor clearing header by Gallas dropped near the penalty spot and Cahill lost Steven Caulker and got ahead of Walker to strike a volley beyond Friedel.
 Cahill’s defending wasn’t as good as his attacking, though, and his weak header fell to Lennon. He set up Sigurdsson, who shot wide. Mata, in his only bad moment, skied a rebound from Friedel’s parry, with the goal open, after Ramires led a break.
 Spurs finished the first half strongly, with Cahill and Mikel making blocks from Demspey and Ashley Cole clearing a Defoe cross-shot off the line. Summoning similar verve at the start of the second period, they scored twice.
 Vertonghen hooked Huddlestone’s free kick back across goal and Gallas glanced home. Then Lennon, not for the first time, unbalanced Cole with his dribbling skills and used a gap this created to cross. Defoe got between Cahill and Luiz to score. There will be few better games this season.
 “We play good football but ultimately we want to win games,” said Di Matteo. Players such as Mata look capable of being not just bill-toppers but topping tables too.

 Tottenham: Friedel 6, Walker 6, Gallas 5, Caulker 5, Vertonghen 7, Huddlestone 5 (Livermore 67min), Sandro 6, Lennon 7, Sigurdsson 5, Dempsey 6 (Adebayor 74min), Defoe 8

 Chelsea: Cech 5, Ivanovic 6, Luiz 6, Cahill 7, Cole 6, Ramires 7, Mikel 6, Oscar 7 (Sturridge 83min), Hazard 8 (Lampard 90min), Mata 9, Torres 6