Football: Spurs sink toothless Chelsea to pile more misery on Potter

LONDON – Graham Potter’s Chelsea tenure appears to be in genuine peril after his side lost 2-0 to hosts Tottenham Hotspur in the London derby on Sunday, thanks to a pair of goals from Spurs’ youth products.

Even the north Londoners, so often a banker team for the Blues, could not offer the 47-year-old Englishman respite.

Tottenham lost all four meetings with Chelsea last season, including a two-legged League Cup semi-final. Before Sunday, the Blues were unbeaten in eight English Premier League matches against their London rivals.

Neither side hit their stride in a bad-tempered first period, which the visitors were lucky to finish with 11 men.

After consultation with his assistant, referee Stuart Attwell showed Chelsea midfielder Hakim Ziyech a straight red card for a push into the face of Emerson Royal.

However, Attwell then reversed the decision after viewing the incident on the pitch-side monitor.

But 19 seconds after the break, Oliver Skipp picked up a clearance by Chelsea’s British record signing Enzo Fernandez and fired in from more than 20 metres, his shot going in off the bar after Kepa Arrizabalaga could not get enough of a hand on it.

It was the quickest second-half goal in a Premier League game since Gerard Deulofeu (11 seconds) found the net for Watford against West Ham United in May 2019.

Said Skipp of his maiden Spurs goal: “The first goal always a special one and in that game it means a lot. I think I cut across it slightly, it wasn’t completely perfect, but we work a lot in training on getting to those second balls on the edge of the box. 

“It means a lot when you come through the club as a boy.”

Harry Kane secured the three points for Spurs when he pounced at the far post after a corner by Son Heung-min was flicked on by Eric Dier in the 82nd minute.

The England captain is one of just two players in Europe’s big five leagues, alongside Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski, to score more than 20 goals in all competitions in nine consecutive seasons.

Said Kane: “Chelsea are a top team and we struggle at home against them. We played really well, especially in the second half when we put our foot on the pedal.

“Clean sheets are going to win you games and we’ve done that well apart from the Leicester game, which was a blip. If we want to be around the top four at the end of the season, we’ll need more performances like that today.”

Potter spoke in the lead-up to the game of the mental toll Chelsea’s poor run has taken as he has had to deal with abuse from supporters aimed at his family.

The Blues are 10th in the table with two wins in their last 15 games and have scored only once at home in 2023.

Despite splashing over £500 million (S$806.45 million) on new players this season, Potter’s men have now won just twice in 15 games in all competitions.

“I know the responsibility,” said Potter. “(The results) are not good enough for this club. I’m not happy with them. I take full responsibility for those results.”

Chelsea’s new owners have remained steadfast in their support of Potter.

But patience must be wearing thin and the Blues chairman and co-owner Todd Boehly was in attendance to watch another toothless display from his club at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

“If results aren’t good enough, which they aren’t at the moment, you can’t rely on support forever,” added Potter.

“My job is to keep going, to try and change the moment. The players are hurting. It’s a tough moment for us.”

Their overall scoring record does not make for much better reading, having found the net just six times in their last 12 Premier League games, and once in their last five league games.

Former Arsenal striker Alan Smith said on Sky Sports: “It has been said many times, but it’s worth repeating. When you spend the amount of money they have, it’s incredible that one of those players wasn’t an orthodox striker.”

Since Potter took the job in September after the sacking of Thomas Tuchel, Chelsea have won just nine of their 26 games.

Summing up the match, former England and Spurs goalkeeper Paul Robinson said: “Tottenham have been excellent today. Fraser Forster hasn’t had much to do, he came off his line to collect it at the feet of (Kai) Havertz, but Chelsea haven’t had enough shots at goal.” REUTERS, AFP