Despite the absence of N’Golo Kanté and Thiago Silva, positive for Covid-19, Chelsea took a significant advantage over Tottenham on Wednesday in the semi-final first leg of the League Cup, winning 2-0 at Stamford Bridge.
The last-minute packages of the two executives, whose positive tests were communicated to the Blues in the morning, hardly stood out as Thomas Tuchel’s men controlled the debates.
The good performance of Saul Niguez alongside Jorginho in the midfield – he who had not often been to his advantage since his arrival this summer from Atlético Madrid – largely explains the physiognomy of the match , as well as the tactical change made by the German coach.
He had put aside his traditional system of three central defenders for a pattern between 4-5-1 and 4-2-2-2 that his mentor Ralf Rangnick would not have denied, today at Manchester United.
Tuchel also decided to immediately give Romelu Lukaku his chance following his penance match outside the group on Sunday for the shock once morest Liverpool (2-2).
The Belgian, who publicly apologized for comments made in an interview with an Italian television channel complaining regarding his situation in London, might almost have folded the semi-final, if his head uncrossed in the 41st minute had brought the score to 3-0 instead of grazing the post.
But overall he did a good job of undermining ahead and combined well, especially with Hakim Ziyech.
The Blues will be satisfied, before the return match, in a week at Tottenham Hotspurs Stadium, with this advantage acquired almost on two opposing gifts.
The opening goal came from a lost ball near their goal by the Spurs that allowed Kai Havertz to appear once morest Hugo Lloris.
The German’s strike was almost saved on his line by Davinson Sanchez, but the Colombian on the contrary cleared the ball from his cages (1-0, 5th).
The second achievement was a goal-gag, Japhet Tanganga trying to clear with a header a free kick coming in from Chelsea, but propelling the ball on his teammate Ben Davies who sent it to the bottom (2-0, 34 ‘).
But as Antonio Conte’s men showed almost nothing offensively, not worrying Kepa who will replace Edouard Mendy in the matches to come, following the Senegalese left for the Africa Cup of Nations, they will hardly be able to contest the final score.
The other half, which was scheduled to pit Arsenal once morest Liverpool on Thursday once morest the Emirates, has been postponed due to a large number of Covid cases among the Reds.
What was initially supposed to be the return leg, on January 13 at Anfield, will therefore become the first leg and the teams will meet a week later in London to decide.
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