Chelsea eased to a comfortable win over Spurs after Tuchel made key changes at the break, with the Blues climbing to the top of the Premier League table thanks to the victory
The transformation that has taken place at Chelsea since Frank Lampard was replaced by Thomas Tuchel has become clearer in the aftermath of the Blues’ win over Tottenham.
Tuchel’s men survived a shaky first-half to romp to a 3-0 victory after half-time at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.
The win was a convincing sign that Chelsea will be in the running for the Premier League title.
The Blues were at first baffled by Tottenham’s surprising high-press tactics before the break which limited them to no shots on target, though the hosts were unable to capitalize.
They paid for their inability to find a way past Kepa, with goals from Thiago Silva, N’Golo Kante, and Antonio Rudiger ensuring a comfortable win for Tuchel’s men.
Chelsea moved above Liverpool and into the Premier League top spot with three points at home to their rivals.
The Reds are actually the only team where Chelsea has dropped points this campaign. But even that draw was impressive, considering Reece James had already been sent off.
Liverpool is also the only team to have scored against the Blues in the Premier League and the Champions League so far this season.
It is that defensive solidity that is driving Chelsea on their title challenge this term and it is a trend that has been evident since Tuchel took charge.
Remarkably, Tuchel’s side has kept more clean sheets (15) than they have conceded goals (14) in the league since the German replaced Lampard.
The Reds have the worst defensive record, alongside Manchester City and Reds, with only one goal conceded.
This is quite a change from Lampard’s reign when Chelsea was known for their inept defense.
In Lampard’s only full season as manager, Chelsea had the worst defensive record in the top-half of the Premier League, conceding 54 goals.
This problem continued in Lampard’s second season as manager when the Blues managed just two clean sheets in their final nine games.
Those defensive issues were at the heart of Chelsea’s reasoning for sacking the club legend in January this year and replacing him with Tuchel.
In the months since, Tuchel has proven that they made the right decision, with the Blues now possessing the meanest defense in the top-flight.
Tuchel was able to adjust his team at halftime to maintain their clean sheet at Tottenham.
N’Golo Kante was introduced for Mason Mount at the break, which helped the visitors to gain an edge in the midfield battle.
They also tightened up at their back, allowing only two shots to target in the second period, as opposed to six before halftime.
Tottenham’s expected goals in the second period also make starkly clear just how much Chelsea tightened up, with Nuno’s side having an XG of just 0.06 in those 45 minutes.
Chelsea has now been set up to challenge for the Premier League title thanks to Tuchel’s transformation at the back.