Tottenham Hotspur’s poor run of form at Wembley continued in the Premier League today with a 2-1 defeat to last season’s champions Chelsea. A sublime free-kick from Marcus Alonso in the first-half gave the away side the lead before an own goal from Michy Batshuayi ensured the hosts drew level.
However, Alonso struck again minutes from time with a low drive to give his side all three points and send their large travelling support home happy.
Despite the defeat, there are still positives for Spurs to take, especially their performance in the second-half. They were incredibly unlucky to not get something from the game after conjuring up a number of good opportunities to win the game themselves.
We take a look at what players would make a combined starting line-up for the two sides based on their performances in today’s match.
Goalkeeper: Thibaut Courtois
The 25-year-old Belgian has been ever-present in goal for Chelsea for a significant amount of time now, and he produced another impressive performance in today’s match. Spurs were always going to pile the pressure on the Blues’ defence, but the Belgian was there to prevent them from finding the back of the net on multiple occasions. He is likely to be a huge player for Conte’s side again this season.
Full-Back: Cesar Azpilicueta
The 27-year-old did not produce his best performance for Chelsea in today’s match, but he remains one of the most underrated players in the division. He took over the role of captain due to the absence of the suspended Gary Cahill, and this may have added a bit of extra pressure. However, he led his side to a vital three points, and this is something that should not go unnoticed.
Centre-Back: Jan Vertonghen
The centre-back has formed a superb partnership with Toby Alderweireld over recent years, and he put in another competent performance today. He could not have done anything to prevent Alonso’s free-kick from finding the back of the net and apart from that he kept Chelsea’s attacking threat such as Alvaro Morata relatively quiet. However, he was arguably lucky to avoid being sent off in the second-half for a poor tackle.
Centre-Back: Antonio Rudiger
It is going to take time for the 24-year-old to settle down to life in the Premier League but by this performance, he will have no issues. The only worry for Chelsea fans will be the amount of opportunities that were presented to Kane. However, Kane is one of the most lethal strikers in the division and to prevent him from scoring is a good achievement for any defence.
Full-Back: Marcos Alonso
The full-back became a huge hit at Stamford Bridge last season, most notably for his ability from a free-kick and he produced another stunning effort in today’s match. The 26-year-old scored a sublime free-kick once again to give his side the lead in the first-half before scoring another goal late on with a low driven shot to claim three points for his side. He scored six goals for his side in the last campaign, and he looks set to at least match that tally this time out.
Defensive Midfielder: David Luiz
The 30-year-old Brazilian was one of the best players on the pitch at times and had a huge influence on his side claiming the three points. His first-half performance was particularly impressive, and he won the free-kick in the lead-up to Alonso’s goal. He frustrated Spurs’ attacking players throughout and helped his side turn defence to attack quickly.
Defensive Midfielder: Mousa Dembele
The protection that both Eric Dier and the 30-year-old midfielder provide the Spurs backline is exceptional, and they both played well again today. They limited the away side to very few chances, and Dembele was unlucky not to find the back of the net with a couple of long-range efforts. One of the best aspects of Dembele in today’s match was his ability to keep Chelsea new boy Tiemoue Bakayoko quiet.
Central Midfielder: Christian Eriksen
Spurs supporters must be becoming accustomed to these sublime performances from the Danish midfielder. They will be desperate to keep hold of him this summer as he has been linked with the likes of La Liga giants Barcelona following the departure of Neymar to Paris Saint-Germain. He was one of the main threats for Mauricio Pochettino’s side going forward and was unlucky not to get himself on the scoresheet.
Attacking Midfielder: Dele Alli
It was definitely not the best performance that the 21-year-old has produced in a Spurs shirt, but he still looked a threat every time he had the ball at his feet. He had a couple of wayward shots that he could have done better with, but the likes of Luiz limited the amount of space he had in the middle of the park. Despite this, he was unlucky not to get himself on the scoresheet and was one of Spurs’ busiest players throughout.
Forward: Willian
Chelsea did struggle to create a great deal of opportunities throughout this match but the 29-year-old winger did look a threat at times. The Brazilian forward always put in a shift in every match he plays which is why he is so highly rated by his manager and supporters. He put in a number of dangerous crosses into Spurs’ area but unfortunately for him, none of his teammates were on the end of them.
Forward: Harry Kane
The 24-year-old’s dismal goalscoring record in August continued despite his best efforts in this one. He had a number of chances to open his account for the season but just could not get the ball into the back of the net, much to his frustration. His best opportunity came at the start of the second-half as he missed a header from six yards out. However, if he continues to find himself in these positions, he is bound to be on the scoresheet very soon.
