Reckless Tottenham are never far from a costly error… Chelsea quickly worked out they didn’t need to take too many risks to get chances in their comeback victory - sportsnewsfoot

Enzo Maresca appeared to have worked out by half time that it is not necessary to take undue risks against Tottenham to create chances. They will come regardless. They always come because that’s the way Spurs play.

Caution thrown to the wind in storm season. Not only do they pour players forward and offer great, tempting, wide-open spaces in transition, but Ange Postecoglou does not like to see them playing safe on the ball.

His team are crammed with players such as Pedro Porro, Destiny Udogie and Yves Bissouma who are not defensively astute despite being relied on to occupy defensive positions, and thus never far removed from a costly error in a dangerous area.

There’s always a chance that Bissouma will thunder back after making a mistake in possession and slide recklessly into a challenge, such as the one on Moises Caicedo for the first penalty to haul Chelsea level.

Always a chance Cole Palmer might jink through the massed ranks from Udogie’s side of the defence. Always a chance Porro will not close down a shot quite as quickly as you think he should for the goal by Enzo Fernandez to put Chelsea ahead.

There was never any real need for Maresca to rely on Caicedo in a right-back-cum-central-midfield role, flexing Chelsea from a back four into a back three in possession, easing Benoit Badiashile across to the right and releasing Fernandez to go forward. At least no need other than to somehow squeeze all three of his expensive midfielders into the same team.

Ange Postecoglou’s side collapsed after establishing a 2-0 lead against Chelsea on Sunday

Yves Bissouma gave away a penalty with a reckless challenge on Moises Caicedo

Those so-called lesser teams who feel no obligation to make the game when they face Spurs have learned to sit tight, frustrate Postecoglou’s team and wait for the chances to open up.

The more illustrious teams go toe-to-toe and Chelsea’s tactical complications simply played into Tottenham’s hands during a frantic opening sequence. It was one of the reasons they were 2-0 down inside 11 minutes. 

That and Marc Cucurella’s banana-skin boots. There’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing, as the saying goes, and Cucurella’s boots appeared suitable for neither the rain-drenched surface nor the intensity of the Spurs press. He made a great show of changing them after his team conceded the second.

Dominic Solanke made such a scintillating start, he was giving both centre-halves Levi Colwill and Badiashile all manner of problems. His work-rate spread uncertainty through Chelsea’s defence, left Son Heung-min in space and served to replenish Spurs’ confidence, damaged by defeat at Bournemouth.

Once Maresca reverted to an orthodox back four after Romeo Lavia was forced off at half time with a hamstring niggle, enabling Cucurella to play higher up the pitch and join the press, the visitors seized control and squeezed Tottenham’s lead out of existence.

Chelsea look impressive and credit Maresca for finding balance and fluency amid the blur of the sheer numbers available after their billion-pound spree.

Palmer is a delight to watch, the talisman for this emerging side, a new hero for the fans, and yet there is plenty more to the Blues. They have purpose under Maresca and keeping players happy on the fringes of a mammoth squad is easier when the team are winning.

For Spurs, though, this is another painful defeat with repercussions. Pre-match positivity from the return of Cristian Romero and Micky van de Van back was transformed into more woe when Romero damaged a thigh muscle while performing a back heel in his own penalty area.

Pape Matar Sarr conceded a second penalty with another unnecessary challenge on Cole Palmer

Van de Ven did not make it through either. The sight of the pair limping off along with top scorer Brennan Johnson, who was unwell, typified the afternoon.

Watching Spurs is the best ticket in the country and yet Postecoglou finds himself taking physical risks with just-fit players on top of the tactical risks inherent to the only way he is going to play. The squad is creaking, the fixtures on the horizon are daunting and the pressure is building.

There will be a hostile reception for the Celtic hero at Rangers in the Europa League on Thursday, then home games against Manchester United in the Carabao Cup and Liverpool either side of a trip to Southampton. Plenty at risk. Now Postecoglou desperately needs some reward.