Game week 2: Big Match Review

 4 Talking Points As The Points are Shared After an Enthralling Match at Stamford Bridge

Let's take a second glimpse at the drama on Sunday as Tottenham came from behind twice, to snatch a point in the dying minutes of the game

The Passion

Are you not entertained? I ask again, Are you not entertained? The Premier League is back! and dare I say it, It's better than ever. There are new rivalries and new players, but the goal is still the same, who will be on top by the end of it all? 

Is it in the cards for Chelsea or Spurs to take home the illustrious Premier League title? The passion displayed by both sides indicated their intent and boy was it intense.

Chelsea Vs Spurs had us all at the edge of our seats throughout the game and a smile on our faces after the final whistle. Only for Conte and Tuchel to add some extra sauce on top of it all as they both saw red at the end of the game. What a performance, by the players and especially the managers, if it was possible they should be nominated for an Oscar for the best touchline performance.

The Character

Chelsea's summer signing Kalidou Koulibaly scored on his home game debut. The 6' 1" defensive behemoth found the top right comer of Llorises' goal with a stunning volley from a corner in the nineteenth minute. Koulibaly's performance was perfect, to say the least, putting any sceptics surrounding his lack of premier league experience and age to bed.

Chelsea's shape and overall gameplay superseded Tottenham's tactics throughout the game. They managed to control the game almost entirely by ensuring the ball played in between the lines to Tottenham's forwards never came to be. The overall energy and domineering presence of  Chelsea was clear to see, and this made Spurs look almost average.

 Chelsea's summer signing Marc Cucurella,  provided the assist for the first goal. The 5' 6" left back is a technical wizard, he controlled the left flank with ease and finesse. The Summer business conducted by Chelsea has been perfect in my opinion and  Marc will be an asset for the Blues for the foreseeable future.

Playing on the right edge of a back three, Recce James seemed right at home in his new position. Will Thomas Tuchel be playing him in this position permanently? We will have to wait and see, but if this game was an exhibition match, James made a solid case for himself. Tuchels' substitution in the 73rd minute saw César Azpilicueta replace Jorginho. Restoring James to his accustomed position. A move that enabled him to score a 77th-minute stunner had the entire stadium on its feet. And at that moment the fairytale was almost complete but Spurs had a little more to say. 

Spurs were second best in almost all departments. Chelsea enjoyed the lion's share of the possession and shots however, Spurs had more shots on target. This comparison highlights Antonio Conte's counter-attacking style of football, a team is not interested in controlling the game, just scoring goals and defending deep. Goals from Pierre-Emile Højbjerg and Harry Kane ensured the points were shared at the final whistle.

The Controversy

Chelsea fans as well as their manager were not happy with several calls over the weekend. The first boiling point came when Rodrigo Bentancur was adjudged to have stolen the ball 'fairly' from Kai Havertz. About 40 seconds later, Hojbjerg scored. A goal which the VAR official  Anthony Taylor should have judged  'offside' as Richarlison was in an offside position.

 The second complaint was an incident shortly before Harry Kane's late equalizer for Spurs, when Cristian Romero avoided punishment for a hair pull on Marc Cucurella. 

Controversy is the middle name of any great game, however, Chelsea will feel hard done by some of the refereeing on Sunday.

The Quality

With a combined squad value of 1.551 Billion, Chelsea and Tottenham are in the top 5 best teams in the Premier League. Both are in contention for the top 4 and if Manchester City were to slip up, the title could be in the cards for either. The Substitutions made by both sides were mind-boggling as well. Class players such as Yves Bissouma, Ivan Perisic, Lucas Moura & Conor Gallagher all came off the bench. We are only at Gameweek two and boy oh boy! I can't wait for the League on the weekend. I'll see you next week on this segment of Big Match review