In a fixture that promises to be an actual Premier League six-pointer, Frank Lampard’s Chelsea side are set to face off against London rivals Tottenham for the right to stay in fourth place. While a Chelsea win would move them four points clear of Spurs and give them some breathing room, defeat could be the beginning of an unwanted downward spiral.
Chelsea Vs Tottenham Hotspur Tactical Preview
Talking Tactics
Chelsea
The Blues haven’t been displaying even a percentage of the form that they showcased at the early stages of the season, and the lack of creativity in the middle of the park is clearly beginning to take its toll. While Chelsea will look to control the possession of the ball right from the off, what’s essential for Lampard’s side is that they don’t concede an early goal to Spurs. Although a win would be ideal, this is a fixture that Chelsea fans should be expecting atleast a point.
Tottenham
Spurs are coming into this tie on the back of a disappointing Champions League round of 16 first-leg tie against RB Leipzig. A lone Timo Werner penalty in the second half was enough to tip the fixture in favour of the Bundesliga club. Spurs showcased their attacking toothlessness on multiple occasions over the course of that fixture but could find it easier to find the net against an extremely leaky Chelsea back-line.
Team News
Chelsea
Christian Pulisic and N’Golo Kante remain Frank Lampard’s most significant injury misses going into this fixture, as the latter had to be taken off in under ten minutes of the game against United on Monday. Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Marco Van Ginkel both remain unavailable, while Andreas Christensen could retain his place in the side despite a knock to the face.
Predicted Chelsea Lineup: Kepa; James, Christensen, Rudiger, Azpilicueta; Kovacic, Jorginho, Barkley; Hudson-Odoi, Abraham, Willian
Tottenham
Jose Mourinho will argue that his team have been the most unfortunate concerning injuries all through the campaign, and with good reason. While the long-term knock picked up by Harry Kane came as a gutting blow, the recent injury to Heung-min Son further worsened their general situation. With no out-and-out striker available for selection, Jose has had to depend on the likes of Lucas Moura and Steven Bergwijn to produce in the final third of the pitch.
Predicted Tottenham Lineup: Lloris; Aurier, Sanchez, Alderweireld, Tanganga; Ndombele, Fernandes; Moura, Lo Celso, Bergwijn; Alli
Key Men
Chelsea
The absence of Tammy Abraham has had an apparent impact on the Chelsea attack, and his return to the side is of supreme importance. The young Englishman has been in fine goalscoring touch since the start of the campaign, and it’ll be vital for Lampard that the former Aston Villa loanee is at his best on Saturday.
Tottenham
Dele Alli had an extremely strenuous outing against Leipzig in midweek, and will surely be looking to bounce back against the Blues. In the absence of both Kane and Son, the onus automatically falls onto the shoulders of the Englishman, and he could have a vital part to play motivating the team in the coming weeks.
