This Saturday, Tottenham Hotspur face one of their toughest challenges in any season, but especially this one — a trip to Stamford Bridge to play Chelsea. Tottenham have an absolutely dismal record against Chelsea and especially on the road — the Blues have won 12 of their last 13 matches against Spurs in all competitions, and you have to go back to 2018 to find a Spurs win at Stamford Bridge. It’s grim, and it doesn’t seem to matter what the relative strengths of the teams are; Spurs just struggle
at the Bridge.
Roberto De Zerbi is hoping to use that as motivation. Speaking in his pre-match press conference, De Zerbi acknowledges his team’s historical ineptness against the Blues, but says he hopes that this new team he’s assembled will use that history as a means to an end.
“I think it’s not just this negative record. There are many, many negative records, but for me it’s one motivation more. For the players, I want this negative record, they give us more motivation, more mentality, more energy to win a game, to play a good game. Because we have the qualities enough to win a game, this game.
“Yes, it’s a derby against one very good team, very good coach, they have a clear style of play, great players, but also Tottenham players are very good. The level of the players is high, we have to show together as a team, not as an individual.”
De Zerbi didn’t give too much away regarding his tactical approach against Chelsea on Saturday, but did hint that his team’s tactics could change based on game state — how Chelsea press, whether they want to have the ball, etc. He also predicted a very different tactical approach from Chelsea than what he saw from Coventry last weekend.
“I think every game is different. We change many players, they change not too many players, but they change coach, two coach in the last two seasons. But nothing changes, you have to run, you have to fight, you have to put the same behaviour we are putting in the last two games.
“And then there is the game. To play with personality, with courage, to find a way to score, to find a way to defend in the best way we can with courage. Nothing more.
“We kept the ball against Coventry, we didn’t create too many chances, like in Manchester or Aston Villa also. But there is a reason, because when you find a low block so close, 5-4-1 or 5-3-2 or 4-4-1-1, it’s still difficult. If you watch the game Man City vs Coventry, considering Man City one of the best teams in Europe, also Man City didn’t shoot too many times. Because it’s a totally different game than a more open game.
“I think last season, the last game with Chelsea, we could make a great result. We conceded one stupid goal, but now it’s completely changed the situation.
“Against Coventry we played three at the back, we were predictable, not because we played three at the back, but because we played against one low block. We conceded only one counter-attack, I think we played a very good game in the order on the pitch, in the space we occupied. We can play tomorrow three at the back, we can play four, like the first period, nothing changed.
“It depends on the game, if the game is more vertical or more in control. Also for the behaviour, for the attitude of the opponent. If the opponent comes strong in the pressure, you will play more vertical. If they stay with the low block, if they cover the line pass, you have more time in control, but maybe you have many less spaces between the line, less spaces to do one-vs-one in dribbling. These are totally different games.”
If De Zerbi wants a win over Chelsea tomorrow, he’ll have to do it without a few members of his playing squad. De Zerbi said Pedro Porro has now returned from the hamstring he sustained before the international break and is available for selection, and new signing Andy Robertson is also available after limping off the pitch vs. Coventry, but James Maddison missed three days of training this week after his first start in over 500 days, and is unlikely to feature, and neither is Destiny Udogie.
“I don’t know, because in the first three days Maddison didn’t work with us, I don’t know if he’s ready for tomorrow. We can play also with Mathys Tel, we can play with Marmoush, we can play with Gallagher, or we have more solutions considering Pedro Porro can play.
“Like I said many times, I don’t want to take risks, because if you analyse this period of European football, you can see many injuries, not [just] for Tottenham, for everyone. So if I can, I don’t want to take risks to lose many players for many games.
“Kulusevski worked well, but in the first days he stayed individual. [Destiny Udogie] is not available.”
It’s anyone’s guess how De Zerbi will approach his lineup for tomorrow’s match — there was no word on the status of Lucas Bergvall who missed the Coventry match with a knock, and Rodrigo Bentancur is serving his second of a three match suspension for violent conduct. It’s likely De Zerbi will employ some combination of Sandro Tonali, Conor Gallagher, Mateus Fernandes, and Archie Gray in midfield, with Pedro Porro and Robertson as fullbacks. Dominic Solanke, Omar Marmoush, and Mohammed Kudus are likely to play in the forward line, but we could also see Mathys Tel at some point. It’ll be a fascinating match.
Tottenham play Chelsea on Saturday in the late match — kick off is 12:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. BST. The match will be televised on Sky Sports in the UK, and NBCSN in the USA, and streamed on Peacock.
