Mido Off As Chelsea Win (Sky Sports)
Tottenham Hotspur 0 Chelsea 2
The
dismissal of Spurs striker Mido aided Chelsea's fourth straight win
of this season, with Asier Del Horno and Damien Duff on target in a
2-0 win at White Hart Lane.
Chelsea have a sparkling record against Spurs, but the hosts had looked lively until Mido was adjudged to have led with an elbow as he went up for a header with Del Horno - and shown a straight red card by referee Rob Stiles 25 minutes in.
Del Horno picked himself to nod home the opener for Chelsea four minutes later, and a fortunate second from Duff 19 minutes from the end ensured the champions stay top of the table.
Inevitably the dismissal of Mido had overshadowed an even first 25 minutes.
Spurs could, and perhaps should, have taken the lead early on when Michael Dawson managed to head wide with the goal gaping after poor marking from Chelsea at a corner.
Soon after Jermaine Defoe had stung the palms of Petr Cech with a hooked effort from outside the box, but Stiles' first big decision of the day came when Michael Essien felled Davids.
A fine move had created the chance for Davids, Defoe and the impressive Teemu Tainio combining and the latter playing a fine ball on for the Dutchman to run on to.
Essien was certainly clumsy in the tackle, but John Terry had probably done enough to put doubt in Stiles' mind as to who was the last man, and the result was a yellow card.
Chelsea had rarely threatened, but suddenly they were in the driving suit when their opponents were reduced to ten men.
Mido certainly led with his arm when he contested a header with Del Horno, but the contact with his elbow was minimal and the resultant red card will be as hotly disputed after the event as it was on the pitch at the time.
Inevitably Chelsea took over the running of the game, and after Didier Drogba's tenacity had just been prevented from creating a fine chance by a combination of Matt Dawson, Paul Robinson and Paul Stalteri - the visitors took the lead.
It was a simple goal when it came, Del Horno all too easily evaded slightly shoddy marking from Spurs, and his header went in off the far post, despite William Gallas' attempts to get something on the ball and claim it for himself.
Cech was forced to save from a Carrick free-kick but Damien Duff and Drogba both threatened to extend Chelsea's lead soon after the break - the former finding his shot blocked after a decent foray into the box and the latter's volley fizzing just wide of Robinson's right hand post.
Aaron Lennon had been brought on for Spurs and given early indication of his talent with a cantering run through into the box that required a fine Terry tackle to stop him.
Substitute Hernan Crespo's first touch, a close-range half volley, was well saved by Robinson after Paolo Ferreira's penetrating cross but the second goal finally arrived when Shaun Wright Phillips' cut back was horribly mis-hit by Damien Duff, but dribbled into the corner nonetheless.
Crespo, denied once by the Spurs keeper, was frustrated by Robinson again with the keeper down smartly to save from the Argentine after Wright-Phillips' pinpoint cross.
Essien was nearly given a first goal, as Chelsea turned on the style, but curled narrowly wide and, in truth, the match was over as a spectacle.
The Chelsea fans were singing 'it's so easy' and, against a side decimated by the early dismissal, they had a point.
| Tottenham Hotspur | Team Name | Chelsea |
| 0 | Goals | 2 |
|
5 |
Shots on target ( Inc Goals ) |
5 |
|
5 |
Shots off Target (inc woodwork) |
5 |
|
1 |
Blocked Shots |
3 |
|
2 |
Corners Won |
5 |
|
15 |
Total Fouls Conceded |
12 |
|
0 |
Offsides |
8 |
|
3 |
Yellow Cards |
2 |
|
1 |
Red Cards |
0 |
|
44% |
Possession |
56% |
|
|
||
Teams
Tottenham Hotspur
Robinson, Dawson, Gardner, Kelly, Stalten,
Carrick, Davids, Reid, Tainio (Lennon 45), Defoe, Mido
Subs Not Used Cerny, Naybet, Brown, Keane
Booked Gardner, Reid, Davids
Sent Off Mido
Goals
Chelsea
Cech, Del Horno, Gallas, Ferreira, Terry, Cole
(Wright-Phillips 63), Duff (Huth 89), Essien, Lampard, Makelele, Drogba (Crespo
67)
Subs Not Used Cudicini, Gudjohnsen
Booked Essien, Cole
Goals Del Horno 37, Duff 71
Attendance 36,077
Referee
R. Styles