Chelsea Show Off More Grinding Winners Mentality

Tottenham were the better team, they did dominate the game and maybe they might feel that these were points lost, but teams can lose all those advantages if they don't have a winners mentality, and Spurs seem to have an inferiority complex when it comes to the top teams.  Last year an FA Cup loss at Wembley Stadium accompanied a 2-4 loss and unless a team develops a winners edge, all the prettiest and most dominating of passing and possession is not enough.

Last week two red cards contributed to Chelsea's demise, but those red cards came from red-blooded full commitment to the cause and one of those red cards was for arguing with the referee.  Commentators were quick to a rush to judgement calling it a "Chelsea Crisis" but like the so called "Chelsea Crisis" last year, it was corrected in a weak.  On the other hand, Tottenham's consistent failure to win at Wembley and even to lose to weak sides like Gent, as they did in last years Champions League group stages is becoming a concern. 

Yet it is unfair to count this as Tottenham's "curse of Wembley" because Spurs have won their last 14 home games and statistically that had to come to an end.  What would count as a "curse of Wembley" or also described as Spurs "Wembley Woes" is if they get unstuck against Burnley next week. That is the kind of game that this team is more than capable of securing three points.  Should Spurs lose or draw that game, then the season will look bleak and with Spurs very low and miserly wage structure, could spill over into player disaffection.

The other reality that is emerging is how much more powerful both Manchester clubs are this year, and the idea that Spurs are potential title contenders has to be compared to just how good Manchester United have been in the first two opening games.  There is also a yardstick of a friendly game in the United States when Manchester City took apart the Tottenham team by a 3-0 win in the International Cup pre-season tournament.   Harry Kane is still the player that all Spurs fans look to for goals and his August curse is continuing, for the second time in two weeks, he was unlucky not to be on the score-sheet.

Even the talk of curses is really about team psychology, because a combination of having the right players and winning mentality is neither a curse maker or a crisis club, and Chelsea played a tight defensive and compact game where they squeezed the life out of the Tottenham attack.  For sure Spurs players buzzed around them like bees but they had not sting at the end of what was attractive passing and a high-line possession based game.  Chelsea simply remained rock solid and only the introduction of a more ill-disciplined striker gifted Spurs an own-goal. 

Yet it was two goals from a Chelsea defender Marco Alonso that was the difference maker.  Alonso is now the leading goalscoring defender, and that is not a bad asset to have.  The game today was effectively over when Mauricio Pochettino gambled by bringing on the ever-awful and waste of money that is Moussa Sissoko.  Even with a gifted equalizer, one could not see Spurs winning with his awful commitment, lack of tactical nous and poor fit with the team.

To make matters worse, the second substitution was a Dutch player who does not have the psychological mentality to execute at the Premier League level.  Chelsea on the other hand have invested in players with mental grit coupled with ability, though their French striker is a bit of a hot head and for all his goal-scoring potential can be a distraction to the Chelsea team, but he wants to win and win badly.  So it is that even with a hot-head in their team, Chelsea grounded out another win, though Lloris was at fault for allowing the ball to whiz under his body for the goal.  The point is that Marcos Alonso hit the ball on the target, with sufficient intent and venom that forced Lloris into the mistake.

The jury is still out whether playing at Wembley is really bad news for Spurs, because they did play very well as a team, but far too many times the final ball was unimaginative, easy for the Chelsea goalkeeper to pick off, or pot-shots that were were hurried due to the five man Chelsea defense closing.  Even with that closing down, there was opportunities for someone to come up with a world class play, and unfortunately that mentality suited Chelsea today.  Had the game ended 1-1, Spurs players would have been very happy, so maybe it was a blessing in disguise that the first home game of the season resulted in a loss.  Maybe that will serve as a wake up call to what are very talented players and serve as a marker for the two or three players Spurs may acquire as the latest transfer window begins to close.