Tottenham 0-0

Independent:

Diego Costa dropped as London derby ends in stalemate
Tottenham 0 Chelsea 0

Ian Herbert Chief Sports Writer

If Jose Mourinho had known that Diego Costa came close to throwing a pink bib on the top of his head at the end, then we might have witnessed another conflagration between them, followed by retrospective talk from the manager about their “kiss and cuddles” of a week ago. But Mourinho wasn’t looking over his shoulder when the garment was thrown and, in keeping with the course of his last three months, the striker missed.
The act of insurrection occurred when 19-year-old Ruben Loftus-Cheek stepped off the substitutes’ bench and on to the field instead of Costa and was a baffling action from the Spaniard given that the game was over – 91 minutes old – at that stage. Though Chelsea will look upon that moment – and the goalless draw – as a disaster avoided, it spoke for the fairly desolate place Mourinho finds himself in this morning.
As the dust clears on the wreckage of Chelsea’s autumn, he finds himself trying to locate some quality and enchantment in his only recognised striker, unsure whether dropping him will have made the slightest difference.

The search may last a while, given that Costa arrived without boots to take up his place on the bench and was then absent from either the warm-up or warm-down. Mourinho, needless to say, declared himself oblivious to any such facts. His observation that Costa was “privileged’ to have avoided demotion until now, when most of the others have already faced it, belongs to that well-worn strategy of talking to a player through his press conferences. He does not really know whether it will work on a player  who had scored 11 goals by this time last season and was igniting every game.
In the meantime, it was Eden Hazard filling the Costa boots yesterday and though he played with the energy of a player who has by no means given up on his club and his manager, it was no way for the side who call themselves champions to go about their business. This was Chelsea, the team whose manager – Mourinho, first time round – raged against Martin Jol’s Spurs for “parking the bus” on their ground 11 years ago. Yesterday, they were the ones reduced to the survival strategy. It was written across the pitch from the first minutes, in Chelsea’s deep-lying line and the stationing of Nemanja Matic as a virtual centre-half at times. Classic Mourinho pragmatism.

He looked very happy with it all. Someone threw a drink bottle in his direction near the end – an accidentally aimed missile, this time – and his broad grin said a lot. Four games undefeated, three successive clean sheets for the first time this season and a first clean sheet away from Stamford Bridge all represent progress in the new world this club occupies. They all allow a manager to pronounce that the bottle is half full.
Mourinho spoke afterwards about “the feeling of ‘the team’” and said he can begin to look to December and beyond with confidence. “At the end of the season our feeling will be a different feeling.” But the most that can be said of Chelsea is that the ship is no longer listing. Their manager seems to have engaged with the idea that his histrionics were sending his side into freefall and leaving his players embarrassed and perplexed. We are perhaps witnessing Mourinho entering a becalmed period, hoping quietly to find a way back. His players will give thanks for that.

He is right about December. It brings Bournemouth, Sunderland and Watford to Stamford Bridge – fixtures which do suggest that the top 10 beckons for a side still 14 points adrift of Tottenham. Mourinho will also have more of the cavalry – John Terry, Ramires, Thibaut Courtois – ready for Bournemouth on Saturday. But there is no way to dress up how barren this performance was. They had only a couple of Hazard chances, a deflected Pedro strike and an Oscar shot into the side-netting to show for their trouble. You wonder where it is all heading when the club have exited their emergency mode and their proprietor is looking for something more ambitious.
Individually, theirs was a very mixed bag of performances, too: Cesc Fabregas is still looking for what he brought last season and Willian profligate in possession. Oscar buzzed around and Pedro looked one of the few undamaged by what the autumn has brought. The side cannot advance meaningfully without a striker.
It is a sign of how far Tottenham have travelled that they could consider it an opportunity lost. They have created a piece of history with this result, having gone 13 games unbeaten for the first time since November 1984 to March 1985. The only questionable aspect of this period has been their seven draws in 14, though Mauricio Pochettino did not quite understand why that point was being made, with his side fifth.

Mousa Dembélé and Harry Kane aside, they looked as mentally drained from a midweek Europa League trip to Azerbaijan as Pochettino had suspected. Christian Eriksen could not find his own usual high standards and the stand-out opportunity came and went when Son Heung-min headed into Asmir Begovic’s arms from Kane’s cross.
Pochettino steadfastly refused to be lured into title talk, though he plainly possesses much that the champions lack. That includes the growing central defensive confidence of Toby Alderweireld, whose immaculately timed tackle when a neat  one-two between Pedro and Willian sent the Spaniard through early in the game was one of several interventions. Kane, strong in the way he dropped to help midfield, provides a consistency of input way beyond Chelsea’s current hopes for Costa.
Pochettino made one of those comments about Chelsea at the end which would have been the game’s controversy if the marginalising of Costa had not so dominated the narrative. “You got the feeling that Chelsea were a small team, and Tottenham can win every game we play,” he said. “Not easy. We’re the youngest team in the Premier League.” On all counts, he was right.

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Guardian:

Tottenham extend run but fail to find fluency to add to Chelsea’s troubles
Spurs 0 - 0 Chelsea

Daniel Taylor at White Hart Lane

It probably says a lot about Chelsea’s decline this season that Tottenham Hotspur will be disappointed they could not make the most harrowing season of the Abramovich era even more of an ordeal.
Mauricio Pochettino’s team have now gone 13 matches unbeaten, their best run since a 14-game stretch from November 1984 to March 1985 with Peter Shreeves as manager and Ossie Ardiles flitting around in midfield, but they did not have the wit or creativity to add to Chelsea’s troubles on the day José Mourinho decided Diego Costa was no longer worthy of a place in his team.
 
Mourinho’s decision to leave Costa on the bench certainly jarred with his claim they had resolved their argument during the game against Maccabi Tel Aviv last Tuesday. If there were “kisses and cuddles”, as the Chelsea manager said, it was followed by the cold shoulder here. When Mourinho made his substitutions it was Kenedy and Ruben Loftus-Cheek who were instructed to come to the touchline and, for Costa, it was not far off a public humiliation given that Chelsea did not have another fit or available striker in the squad.
Instead, Eden Hazard was given the leading role and Chelsea can be encouraged by the way they subdued a Spurs team who had scored at least three times in three of their last four matches at White Hart Lane. Chelsea still have not managed back-to-back league wins this season but they did gradually emerge as the more likely winners and with John Terry injured, can feel relatively satisfied about limiting Spurs to only a couple of decent chances in the first half and virtually nothing after the interval. This was Chelsea’s first clean sheet away from Stamford Bridge in the league this season and that at least seems like a start. “The best Chelsea this season,” Mourinho said. “I think we have a team again.”

As well as reflecting badly on Costa, a statement like that speaks volumes about how they have played before this point because it was still alarming to see the number of times a midfielder with Cesc Fàbregas’s gifts misplaced passes that would once have been routine. Nemanja Matic is still not influencing the games in the manner of old and though Hazard showed glimpses of last season’s form and was acclaimed by his manager as “phenomenal”, it was probably unfair to expect him to take on Costa’s role seamlessly.
Hugo Lloris kept out his volleyed effort with a splendid save midway through the second half but Hazard’s misplaced header after Oscar’s cross had set up the outstanding chance of the opening 45 minutes exposed the obvious flaw of using a wide player as a centre-forward. Willian helped to give Chelsea’s attack some energy and directness, with Pedro and Oscar buzzing around in support, but the tactic of not playing with an orthodox striker worked only sporadically.
 
Whatever is eating away at Costa, Chelsea will be a much more rounded team when, or if, manager and player can sort out what has been going wrong and find a way to fix it – and the player glowering on the bench, arms folded, collar turned high, did not give the impression that he had taken it well.
Mourinho said it was not an issue that Costa did not take part in the warm-up and he might also have pointed out that another of his substitutes, Mikel John Obi, chose not to go out. It was strange, though, that when Costa did appear from the tunnel he was not even wearing his boots. He barely went through the motions when he was asked to warm up and when it became obvious he would not be playing a single minute he returned to his seat, pulled his bib over his head and tossed it over his shoulder, landing not a great distance from Mourinho’s seat. “If he wants to hurt me, it’s not with a bib,” a smiling Mourinho said afterwards, adding that he was “not expecting a player to be on the bench jumping and singing”. A difficult day for Costa was completed by Mourinho’s eulogy about how well the team had played without a natural front-man.

Tottenham had a more conventional formation with Christian Eriksen and Son Heung-min operating either side of Harry Kane. They started off as the more dangerous team but their passing was disappointing and it was tempting to think Thursday’s trip to Azerbaijan to play Qarabag in the Europa League had dulled their senses.
The home side tailed off badly in the second half and did not move the ball well enough to get behind the visitors’ defence. “My players are heroes,” Pochettino countered. “Their effort was unbelievable after a difficult week.”
Spurs must have been grateful it was Hazard, rather than Costa, with the headed opportunity to open the scoring but they also had a similar chance in the first half when Kane’s right-wing cross deserved better than Son tamely heading the ball straight at Asmir Begovic. After that, however, there was not a great deal for Chelsea’s goalkeeper to do and Pochettino, as he is sometimes inclined, was stretching the truth when he said his side deserved more than a draw.

Man of the match Willian (Chelsea)

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Telegraph:

Spurs 0 Chelsea 0

Diego Costa a brooding presence during well-earned draw

Improving Chelsea impress without a striker at Tottenham, but they remain a long way from top four finish

By Jason Burt, Chief Football Corresponden, at White Hart Lane

A goalless draw in this uncompromising London derby felt like a better result for Chelsea, another sign that they are on their way back, but it leaves them dauntingly behind in the fight to finish in the top four.
Tottenham Hotspur extended their unbeaten run to 13 matches, their best-ever in the Premier League era, but appeared tired and unable to provide the drive and energy demanded by their manager Mauricio Pochettino.
But if Arsenal win away at Norwich City, also on Sunday, then Chelsea will trail Manchester United, who would drop to fourth, by 13 points.
The biggest story from this fixture was the decision of Jose Mourinho to consign star striker Diego Costa to the substitutes bench where he sat, a brooding presence, as this draw was slugged out. The fact that Mourinho did not turn to Costa at any point summed it up. And summed up the way he feels about Costa right now.
The noon kick-off; the blustery conditions; the travel times both clubs had endured in midweek, particularly Spurs with their Europa League tie away in Azerbaijan; and the stakes.
It made for a lack of certainty for how this game would unfold. So inevitably it did so uncertainly. Spurs, with eight players starting who had started against Qarabag, were more hesitant, perhaps unsure of Chelsea’s tactics as Mourinho’s team sat in – and attempted to strike on the break.
The manager had consigned Costa to the bench with the striker adding to the sense that trouble was brewing by not appearing to take part in the pre-match warm-up. His demeanour and his future feel like a developing story.

Instead Mourinho reverted to a ‘false nine’ striker although the reality of that was Eden Hazard found himself further forward and the first real chance of any substance fell to him when he was picked out by Oscar with a left-wing cross. Hazard met it but could only steer his header over. Inevitably the cameras cut to Costa on the bench.
Chelsea’s most dangerous outlet was the pace of Pedro when he ran in from the left. He forced a panicky clearance from Jan Vertonghen and then a vital interception from Mousa Dembele inside the six-yard area
Again Spurs were almost caught out as the defence stepped up only for Hazard to remain onside. The ball was swept across to Pedro who cut back inside only. His shot was deflected narrowly over.
Before that, and for Spurs, Vertonghen had won back possession and strode forward to find Christian Eriksen with the ball eventually running to Harry Kane whose first-time shot ricocheted up off a Chelsea defender and struck Asmir Begovic on the shoulder with the goalkeeper scrambling to collect the rebound.

Begovic was called into action again. But should have been beaten. A deep cross by Kane reached Heung-Min Son, who had pulled away from Branislav Ivanovic, but with the goal beckoning he failed to get enough power behind his header and Begovic blocked. Then
Dembele’s close control created space for him to drive in a low shot that Begovic pushed away for a corner.
At the other end and Chelsea broke with Cesc Fabregas’s cross-field ball finding Oscar who beat Kyle Walker but could only shoot into the side-netting from a tight angle. It remained nip and tuck – without either side able to gain enough momentum to dominate proceedings.

It was uncompromising, though. Tackles flew in – Hazard was caught more than once –and the cautions were accumulated. Finally another chance was eked out with Son combining smartly with substitute Erik Lamela only to fire straight into Begovic’s arms. Then Hazard forced a superb stop by Hugo Lloris as he reached Ivanovic’s cross to volley fiercely back across goal from a tight angle. It was Chelsea’s first shot on target.
Fatigue was increasingly becoming a factor. As was the knowledge that taking a draw was not the worst result for either side although Chelsea know they have to start collecting points quickly if they are to get close to the top four.
They countered again with Hazard sweeping the ball across to Pedro who ran back inside only to blast his shot high over the bar. It was the last (half) chance for either side.

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Express:

Tottenham 0 - Chelsea 0: Pochettino's in-form side continue unbeaten run in dull draw

THE GREEN shoots of improvement are beginning to flourish for Chelsea just as the winter frosts set in. But Jose Mourinho will feel a little bit warmer after this.

By TONY BANKS

That will be partly because he has a fuming Diego Costa, dropped yesterday after being told he has to learn how to read the game on Friday, breathing angry fire down the back of his manager’s neck from his unaccustomed seat on the bench.
Costa, who did not appear for the pre-match warm up, hurled his bib towards Mourinho when told he was not coming on as a substitute, did not take part in the warm down with the other substitutes – getting changed and marching straight on to the team bus, where he sat on his own until the rest of his teammates arrived.
Costa is not happy but then he is not the first star that Mourinho has banished to the bench this season and there can be no question that the Special One’s gamble of playing Eden Hazard up front with Pedro wide yesterday worked.
Chelsea ranked up their third clean sheet in a row against an understandably sluggish Tottenham and could have won the game but for a brilliant Hugo Lloris stop from Hazard’s volley.
 
“This was the best Chelsea of the season as a team,” said Mourinho. “I’m really happy with the performance. We defended as a team. We have our team again and we look to the future with a better spirit. I’m convinced that by the end of December, we’ll be in a different position, we’ll have shortened the gap to the top teams.
“The message to all my players, not just Diego, is that, when we play as a team, we are much better. The way we played, it wouldn’t be surprised if we don’t lose any of the next 10 matches.”
Chelsea were undoubtedly helped by the fact that Tottenham did indeed look like a team that had got back from a 6,000-mile round trip to Azerbaijan at 5am on Friday. Spurs looked jaded, and lacking the fire and vim that has characterised their performances lately.
Harry Kane, who tore Chelsea apart in this fixture last season as Spurs won 5-3, was well marshalled by Kurt Zouma and Christian Eriksen, Mousa Dembele and Ryan Mason all looked flat.

Chelsea relied on the pace of Hazard, Pedro and Willian to cause problems on the break and it was a tactic that very nearly paid off.
It was a result that stretched Tottenham’s unbeaten league run to 13 games – a Premier League record for the club – but it will feel to manager Mauricio Pochettino like a chance missed. Should he have fielded such a strong team on Thursday in the 1-0 Europa League win over FK Qarabag?
It is two points gone that could prove crucial in the race for the top four at the end of the season. In 2012 Chelsea denied fourth placed Spurs a spot in the Champions League by finishing sixth in the league but winning the competition. Mourinho is still adamant that a top four place can be achieved. Spurs have been warned.
In the end, this was the sort of game where plenty threatened to happen, but very little in the end actually did. Chelsea keeper Asmir Begovic got a bang on the head when he dived at the feet of Kane in only the third minute, but it did not phase the Bosnian.
Tottenham were restricted to pot shots for most of the first half and Hazard should have punished them when he nodded Oscar’s cross just over.

Begovic saved superbly from Heung-Min Son’s header but otherwise Chelsea comfortably kept Spurs at bay. Son got through again but then shot straight at Begovic but the chance of the match came in the 68th minute.
Branislav Ivanovic’s cross found Hazard lurking unmarked on the left and the Belgian’s low volley was heading for the far corner until Lloris stretched out an arm to tip the ball around the post.
Pochettino said: “We deserved more than we got. But I’m proud of the players, they are big heroes. It’s a good thing when a draw against Chelsea is disappointing. It is as if Chelsea were a small team and Tottenham can win every game we play.”

Tottenham (4-2-3-1): Lloris 7; Walker 6, Alderweireld 6, Vertonghen 7, Rose 6; Dier 6, Mason 6 (Lamela 56 6); Dembele 6, Eriksen 6, Son 6 (Njie 73 6); Kane 6. Booked: Rose, Kane, Walker, Vertonghen. Next Up: West Bromwich (a) Sat, PL.

Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Begovic 7; Ivanovic 7, Zouma 7, Cahill 7, Azpilicueta 6; Fabregas 6, Matic 7; Willian 7 (Kenedy 88 6), Oscar 7, Hazard 8; Pedro 7 (Loftus Cheek 90 6). Booked: Matic, Azpilicueta. Next Up: Bournemouth (h) Sat, PL.
Referee: M Oliver (Northumberland).

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Mirror:

Tottenham 0-0 Chelsea: 5 things we learned as defences came out on top in the London derby
  
By Darren Lewis
 
Diego Costa was dropped by Jose Mourinho and neither side could muster a goal in an underwhelming game at White Hart Lane

Jose Mourinho failed to take advantage of Tottenham’s 5,000-mile round trip to Azerbaijan in this stalemate.
The Special One decided he could do without Diego Costa, with whom he had a bust-up in Israel last week and left the striker on the bench.

Without him the ailing Premier League champions were unable to find away past their London rivals who remain undefeated since the opening weekend of the season.
Chelsea’s best chance came in the 67th Eden Hazard forced a a fabulous save from Hugo Lloris with a sizzling volley.
 
Tottenham’s best opening came in the 27th minute when Son Heung Min had a header saved by Asmir Begovic when he should have scored.
The draw leaves Tottenham fifth in the table, five points off leaders Manchester City. Chelsea stay 14th.

Here are five things we learned:

Fear factor gone for for Spurs

They kept the ball better. Theirs was the better distribution and they created the better chances.
Eric Dier was derided on social media for insisting the days that Tottenham cowered at the prospect of facing Chelsea are over.
The way that the two teams performed here it is Chelsea that will not want to be facing Spurs too often.

Costa's Chelsea days may be numbered

He was dropped to the bench despite Mourinho’s claim after their bust-up in Israel last week that they had enjoyed “kisses and cuddles” as they made up.
Even more significantly, Costa failed to appear for the pre-match warm-up. Kane, Vardy, Greizmann, Teixeira and just about every other half-decent striker has been scouted as a possible replacement.
The smoke signals suggested back in the summer that Costa wanted out. Chelsea denied it.
If he still wants to go it would appear there are few people at the club that would stand in his way.

Tottenham have their best backline for years

Credit for that has to go to Toby Alderweireld who is helping Jan Vertonghen to fulfil his potential.
Before Alderweireld’s arrival. Vertonghen was moody, flaky and not the kind of guy you would want in the trenches.
Now he has toughened up and the understanding between the pair is one of the bedrocks of Tottenham’s success.

Pochettino not averse to doing a Sherwood

You won’t have seen it on TV too much but from the press box it is a regular sight. Pochettino, legs apart, fists clenched and screaming at his players when they either give the ball away or waste an opportunity from a good position.
Unlike Sherwood, however, it always elicits a response from the Spurs players who ensure they do not make the same mistake twice.

Dembele is back to his best

During his time at Fulham - and at times early on at Spurs - Dembele was tipped to go on to even bigger things. His touch, vision and ability to shield the ball while creating space for himself were a joy to behold.
Manchester United were the club repeatedly understood to be biding their time for him. He was then unlucky with injuries, struggled to get back into the side and at one point even sought a way out.
Pochettino has seen the quality in him, however, and he is now a key player in the Tottenham team in an advanced position.

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