Harry Kane fires Spurs into first-leg lead over Chelsea after VAR assist
As if to make a point afterwards, in defence of a team who were hanging on to their one-goal lead for most of the second half, Mauricio Pochettino talked about Chelsea like this early-stages Maurizio Sarri creation were one of the most formidable forces in English football.
It was a strange way to pitch it, given Tottenham Hotspur have eased ahead of Chelsea in the past 12 months, a higher league finish last season and this being their third straight win over their near neighbours, the best run since 1963. Almost as if the Spurs manager, who has done more than anyone to change his club’s place in the hierarchy, wanted to make a point after this Carabao Cup semi-final first leg that no one should take for granted how far that his team have come.
Even so, there is much left to play for, and that was a consequence of a Spurs team who faded considerably after Harry Kane’s first-half penalty, a tie that finished frantically as if it were the closing minutes of the second leg, rather than the first. Just as they had run out of gas in the second half against Wolverhampton Wanderers last time out at Wembley, Spurs failed to press their home advantage and Chelsea could sense the weakness.
If the League Cup is to be the first trophy of the Pochettino era, then his players will need to show their manager they can come through in the big matches when this semi-final resumes on Jan 24. The club’s win at Stamford Bridge in April in the Premier League was Spurs’ first at the stadium since 1990, which means the second leg on Jan 24 is not quite the daunting test it once might have been.
The goal was a video-assistant-referee call, delivered from the referees staring at monitors at the broadcast centre at Stockley Park in west London, while Wembley twiddled its thumbs and referee Michael Oliver encouraged everyone to be patient. An earlier offside decision was overruled by VAR, which meant Kepa Arrizabalaga’s clumsy foul on Kane was a penalty after all, and after a long wait the goal machine himself dispatched the ball past the Chelsea goalkeeper.
Sarri later railed against the VAR intervention, making all sorts of claims about the reliability of the camera angles upon which Cesar Azpilicueta was adjudged to have played Kane onside. He declared the introduction of VAR in his native Italy to have been a “disaster”, a favoured word of his analysis style.
He said his team had been the better of the two and it was hard to argue, although whether his formation had been his best option was debatable.
It was another Chelsea team lacking a striker, this time Alvaro Morata absent from the squad with a vague-sounding injury. Once again Eden Hazard was deployed centrally as the most reluctant of false nines. Perhaps there will be some kind of resolution by the time this semi-final reconvenes at Stamford Bridge, as more reports from Italy suggest Gonzalo Higuain, currently on loan at AC Milan from Juventus, is on his way.
For the time being, Sarri’s approach is being undermined by the absence of a goalscorer whom Hazard can play off. It was not until the final 10 minutes when Olivier Giroud came on that Chelsea’s No 10 could take up his favoured position wide, having been hunted all night by the Spurs defenders he sought to spin around.
Giroud had come on for Callum Hudson-Odoi, the 18-year-old whom Bayern Munich are seriously pursuing. He started this game, a clear indication from the club that they want to encourage him to stay, which makes him the first Chelsea academy boy who seems to be dictating terms, rather than the other way around. He was up against Danny Rose, an old warhorse in these kind of games, and Hudson-Odoi acquitted himself well.
Like Willian, and later Pedro, Hudson-Odoi found himself as a winger without a centre-forward to aim at. Hazard occupied the central area and, while he was magnificent with the ball into his feet, it was hard to find him when the ball was pushed out wide. Even so, there was a period of pressure early in the second half when it felt as if Hazard’s quality alone might just be enough to pull Chelsea level.
By the end of the first half both Hudson-Odoi and N’Golo Kante had hit a post with efforts and Chelsea were on top. Before then Spurs looked long when they turned possession over quickly. Their first chance was for Son Heung-min within three minutes, when he was chased by Andreas Christensen and the two of them went down in a heap in the area. Oliver waved that one away but, by the time he went to VAR for a second opinion after 26 minutes, it looked worse for the Chelsea defence and Arrizabalaga.
He had turned Kane upside down in a chase for the ball over the top from Toby Alderweireld. The Spurs captain had got there first and lifted it past the goalkeeper, but was originally flagged offside. When VAR took a second look it was decided Kane had timed his run well and, after a couple of minutes of ear-pointing and television-set miming, Oliver pointed to the spot.
Kane dispatched the penalty beautifully, to go fourth in Spurs’ all-time goalscoring list, on 160 goals and one ahead of Cliff Jones. But Spurs never built upon it and by the hour they were under the hammer. The best chance for Chelsea came from a corner when a header from Ross Barkley found its way to Christensen at the back post. He took it on the wrong foot and, in the end, it was a mess.
Spurs had lost their way and the momentum was in the other direction. In those final minutes, Pochettino sent Oliver Skipp into the battle, the 18-year-old making at least one important tackle, with his manager’s faith in his young players unswerving. Whether the team can deliver for him later this month remains to be seen.
Match details
Tottenham Hotspur (4-3-1-2): Gazzaniga; Trippier, Sanchez, Alderweireld, Rose; Sissoko, Winks (Skipp 90), Eriksen (Llorente 90); Dele; Son (Lamela 79), Kane.
Subs: Lloris (g), Walker-Peters, Foyth, Davies.
Booked: Winks, Sanchez, Lamela.
Chelsea (4-3-3): Arrizabalaga; Azpilicueta, Rudiger, Christensen, Alonso; Kante, Jorginho, Barkley (Kovacic 75); Hudson-Odoi (Giroud 79), Hazard, Willian (Pedro 63).
Subs: Caballero (g), Zappacosta, Luiz, Ampadu.
Booked: Arrizabalaga.
Referee: Michael Oliver (Northumberland).
The VAR view of the offside
Maurizio Sarri says English referees aren't up to task
I saw a few minutes ago a video from our camera, it was offside. Offside. Our camera was in line with Kane but it's not important. It was important they stop the run, he had a big influence over our defenders. I think English referees are not able to use the system.
If you are not sure with the system you have to follow the ball and then decide but in this case he stopped, didn't follow the ball and so for our defenders he was offside. I dunno about the goalkeeper but for sure about the defenders but it's not important, they have to study the system because also in Italy the first period it was difficult to understand. It's strange in Premier League it isn't but in Carabao cup is the system.
We played very well with great level of application, determination, against a very good team but we defended very well and played 70 balls in the opposition box. Tottenham had only 10 balls in our box. In this moment for us it's not easy to score but I am very happy with my players for this match.
Sarri's seen at a data analyst view of the match on the laptop. It's a side-on, zoomed out view of the whole pitch... and on that, Kane does look off. Controversy! Hooray!
Pochettino likes technology but hates VAR
No I thought similar performance, Chelsea was good today, of course it's half time because we have to play another leg. It's different competition to the Premier League, we cannot compare when we play two months ago. It is not a point to compare the same team, same club in a different period.
I dunno. I won't talk for you or the people, I think it's half time for us and we're ready to compete. Deserve or not deserve, the game is finish.
I don't like (VAR). Today we get the benefit but watching the World Cup, La Liga, no-one is happy from day one that they start to use. To get the benefit is nice. I prefer the technology but in a different way, I am pro technology because you cannot stop evolution but I think waiting how we wait to get the benefit like this... when you are going to use... I think we have to be clear how to use between clubs, players, staff. The teams that win the title and for survival, no-one is happy (in La Liga). We still have six months to improve that system.
Chelsea is a great team that has a lot of quality, it's going to be tough.
V interesting thoughts from Mr Pochettino there. I think VAR's great personally but I'm not important. Not yet. One day.
Harry Kane with a message to the fans
"A proper grind from the lads." ��
�� A message from captain @HKane after tonight's victory at Wembley. #COYSpic.twitter.com/H6Zx0sz0eY— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) January 8, 2019
Deep insight.
The stats
Those are some nice stats for you. Chelsea had nearly three times as many shots but almost all of them (maybe all...) were from outside the box. Easy peasy. Sort of.
In other news, Danny Rose's post-match interview is so down that I've lost my enthusiasm. I was going to have a lovely Tuesday night there. Now I just want to sit. He also said "you know" about 800 times in his two minute chat. That's too many times, Danny! Too many!
Harry Kane on VAR
I played to the whistle, nicked it round the keeper, it was a clear penalty. VAR is there for a reason and I'm sure they got it right. I knew it was tight, I'll have to watch it back and see.
I'm a little bit used to it after the World Cup, it's part of the game, will be a big part of the game going forward.
FULL TIME
Spurs have the advantage! That wasn't a game I'm going to remember for a particularly long time but the tie certainly isn't over. No sir!
90 mins +2 - Spurs 1 Chelsea 0
Llorente is on for Eriksen now. OHHHHH what a challenge! Danny Rose has just slid into a brilliant slide tackle to stop a very promising looking Chelsea attack. He might have injured himself doing it though and kicks the ball away to nurse the back of his thigh. That could just be a bit of cramp.
90 mins - Spurs 1 Chelsea 0
Giroud hasn't had a single cross near him that he can do anything with. Spurs very nearly get an undeserved second by hitting Chelsea on the break but Alonso goes down under the attention of Lamela and the move ends with a Chelsea free-kick.
88 mins - Spurs 1 Chelsea 0
Hazard seems to have figured out that Chelsea are much better when he has the ball so he's just dribbling past everyone instead of passing it now. He can do that too... Spurs players are terrified of him! Hazard's getting tired and you can't blame him, he's running non-stop and having all his good work undone by shoddy worksmanship fro his Chelsea pals.
85 mins - Spurs 1 Chelsea 0
Waaaaaaaaaaay. Hazard leaves Kane on the floor as he razzle dazzles his way past. And what I mean by that is Hazard has dribbled past Kane so successfully that the England striker looked rather foolish in his attempts to tackle the ball.
Chelsea are definitely in charge of this final section of the game and away goals count... Spurs could do with getting some control back.
83 mins - Spurs 1 Chelsea 0
Hazard is getting kicked off the park here. Sissoko has a little dig and then Lamela earns a yellow card for catching him at pace, whacking his forearm across the chest.
80 mins - Spurs 1 Chelsea 0
Still Chelsea cross the ball in towards their zero strikers. Spurs clear their lines.
Son is coming off for Erik Lamela, who must have some new batteries in his hand to put inside Harry Kane. But where do you insert the batteries? Maybe Kane eats the batteries? We can't be sure. What we do know is that Olivier Giroud is now on the pitch and Hudson-Odoi is not. Hazard had started playing on the left anyway and it meant that H-O wasn't really needed.
77 mins - Spurs 1 Chelsea 0
Hazard and Hudson-Odoi do their best to create space and try to delicately compose some passing moves which will yield a shooting chance... and Jorginho decides to Peter Kay it and hits a shot from 25 yards into the stands. Uuuuurrrgghhghghg. These teams aren't playing well.
74 mins - Spurs 1 Chelsea 0
Kane looks knackered but is still jogging around. If this were Football Manager he'd be on about 58 per cent, you'd have subbed him ages ago. But damn it, Janice, this is real life and Spurs need their heart-throb, their hero, their Sir Harry of Kane.
Kovacic is getting ready to come on for Chelsea and I'd imagine will swap straight with Barkley.
71 mins - Spurs 1 Chelsea 0
For a game where both teams want to win a midfield battle, a huge part of it has been played in either final third. The ball's going from defenders to attackers every time, it's really weird.
Barkley's given the ball away again, he's been clumsy with it tonight.
68 mins - Spurs 1 Chelsea 0
Eriksen has genuinely just played a one-two off the corner flag to make up for a bad bit of control. Love it. The professional version of pinging it off the wall. Spurs have upped the levels and are back in the game, keeping the ball in the Chelsea half and chasing things with a bit more aggression.
Passes in the opposition half so far
Hudson-Odoi: 39
Eriksen + Dele + Sissoko + Winks: 39— Duncan Alexander (@oilysailor) January 8, 2019
65 mins - Spurs 1 Chelsea 0
It is Willian who comes off for Pedro. I think Hudson-Odoi has gone wide left.
Uh oh! Harry Kane is sitting down and may have an injury... this might be bad news for Spurs fans. It could also be an attempt to disrupt Chelsea's momentum.
62 mins - Spurs 1 Chelsea 0
Chelsea have a grip on this second half, Spurs can't quite find their rhythm. Chelsea winning the midfield battle. Pedro is getting ready to come on - he's half decent as a false nine, I wonder if Willian will come off, Hazard goes wide left, Pedro through the middle.
59 mins - Spurs 1 Chelsea 0
WHAT A MISS! Chelsea corner, flicked on by Barkley at the six yard box, and Christensen gets his finish all wrong. The ball flies behind for a goal kick when that should really be 1-1.
56 mins - Spurs 1 Chelsea 0
Hazard conjures space to shoot from 25 yards but hits his effort straight down the barrel at Gazzaniga. Chelsea keep up the pressure, Alonso moves into a striker position, Kante is on the right and fancies another dig at goal... saved well! Kante must have had more shots on goal in this match then he maybe ever did under Antonio Conte.
Hudson-Odoi goes through some four star skills on the edge of the box to win space to cross but again, the lack of striker means it's a mostly pointless endeavour.
53 mins - Spurs 1 Chelsea 0
Hudson-Odoi is played in down the right, fires a hard-hit cross to the edge of the box and Hazard manages to read it, control it with his studs and roll the ball to take a shot. This all sounds very easy to do but it's mental. How has he anticipated exactly the speed that Hudson-Odoi would knock that pass towards him?
Anyway, Chelsea don't score. Barkley gives the ball away in midfield, Kane fires a direct pass forward and Spurs can attack. Kane turns up to get on the end of the move and thunderblasts a shot at goal which Kepa has to put behind for a corner.
50 mins - Spurs 1 Chelsea 0
Willian clips a free-kick from a central area into the box and Hudson-Odoi sprints to it! He's offside, just, but that was a clever bit of running.
47 mins - Spurs 1 Chelsea 0
If the world wasn't already melting, I might suggest we do it anyway and start all over again. This is so depressing:
Police have arrested a 17 year old male for a racially aggravated public order offence at tonight's @SpursOfficial v @ChelseaFC The male is currently being dealt with at a North London police station.
— MPS Football Unit (@MPSFootballUnit) January 8, 2019
KICK OFF 2
Chelsea start the second half.
The players are back
No changes during the break.
Analysis
Neither team's full-backs have really been able to get forward which has meant the attacking wide play has been from wingers. For Spurs this is fine because they're playing through the middle of the pitch anyway - that's what fielding four central midfielders will do for you - but Chelsea are getting the ball wide and then having to shoot from distance or cross to nobody. Playing Hazard as a striker is like buying a Ferrari and only driving it to Tesco.
HALF TIME
Aaaaaaand that's that. VAR has gifted us a goal, Hudson-Odoi has been ace to watch... and that's about it. It's not been a bad game but both teams are cautious and a little reluctant to throw bodies forward. Chelsea need something to aim at. Like a striker.
45 mins+2 - Spurs 1 Chelsea 0
CHELSEA HIT THE BAR! Where did that come from?!! Hudson-Odoi crosses from the right wing, it takes a deflection and the goalkeeper has to stretch to stop an embarrassing little situation developing.
Callum Hudson-Odoi's deflected cross forces a brilliant save from Paulo Gazzaniga! �� pic.twitter.com/0EKSa244EL
— Soccer AM (@SoccerAM) January 8, 2019
45 mins - Spurs 1 Chelsea 0
Chelsea really need a striker on here. There's absolutely nothing to aim towards in the middle and so Hudson-Odoi and Willian are either crossing to a ghost or being forced to try and shoot. Hazard can't influence the game from his position.
43 mins - Spurs 1 Chelsea 0
A bad kick out from the goalkeeper puts Chelsea on the front foot with numbers in Spurs' half. The ball finds its way to Hudson-Odoi, who cuts onto his left foot and fires a powerful shot towards the far post but gets too much on it.
40 mins - Spurs 1 Chelsea 0
Hudson-Odoi has seen a lot of the ball, as though his teammates know he can make things happen.
Chelsea are on the ball now, Willian finds Alonso, who crosses in and KANTE CONNECTS! Off the post! Kante meets the ball but hits the outside of the post. That felt like it came out of nowhere.
38 mins - Spurs 1 Chelsea 0
Hudson-Odoi drives down the right wing at pace, Hazard takes the pass with a lovely bit of control then dribbles past two tackles at high speed. God he's good.
Willian blasts a powerful cross into the box from wide left but nobody can make any use of it.
35 mins - Spurs 1 Chelsea 0
Hudson-Odoi tries a Hollywood pass to Willian but puts the ball on the head of a defender and Spurs can come forward again. Kante flicks a little ball out to Hudson-Odoi shortly after and he's not read it! Chelsea in trouble now as Spurs run at goal... but they get away with it.
Hazard is dropping really deep to get involved, which leaves Chelsea without a striker in a central position to aim towards. Lots of long shots are the likely repercussion of that. Kante's tried another one now that Gazzaniga easily catches.
32 mins - Spurs 1 Chelsea 0
Willian stands over a free-kick about 30 yards out on the right... Alonso has it on the left now and loses out, to the delight of the home fans who like booing him.
29 mins - Spurs 1 Chelsea 0
Winks picks up a yellow card for a blatant foul on Hazard, stopping him leading a counter-attack deep in his own half.
GOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLL!
KANE SCORES A VAR PENALTY!
It's a great hit too, blasted with power into the bottom left. It's hardly in the back of the net before Kepa hits the floor.
PENALTY!
VAR decides there's no offside and then awards a penalty and a yellow card to Kepa. Chelsea still complaining. I'm not sure why... they've got proof of all the decision making!
24 mins - Spurs 0 Chelsea 0
Barkley stays calm and takes the ball down on the edge of his own area and plays it back to Rudiger. Rudiger has to chip it down the line to avoid handing possession to Spurs in a dangerous situation, and Hudson-Odoi's little touch to flick it on is amazing. He's such a good player!
AND KANE'S GONE DOWN IN THE AREA! Is that a penalty? It's a VAR decision!
21 mins - Spurs 0 Chelsea 0
Sissoko's been a bit loose with some of his first touches tonight and has just shanked another bit of control out for a throw-in. Both teams are clearly wary of each other at the moment... there's not too much happening. And then Hudson-Odoi gets involved! He springs into action, moves between the lines and finds Hazard, who tries a shot from 20 yards which you expect to go over the bar but which dips and forces Kepa to parry it away.
18 mins - Spurs 0 Chelsea 0
Barkley tries a volley from 25 yards but hits it wildly and the ball flies off into the night, hopefully taking a drone of the sky as it soars.
15 mins - Spurs 0 Chelsea 0
Barkley drops deep to help with linkup play, presumably because Jorginho is being crowded out of it again, but he passes straight to the Spurs defenders with a dreadful effort of a through-ball.
Kane drops into midfield, turns and finds Trippier on the right wing in an advanced position. Spurs are on the attack now.
12 mins - Spurs 0 Chelsea 0
That's your Christensen bringing down Son in the early minutes of the match.
No foul, remember.
10 mins - Spurs 0 Chelsea 0
Hazard is on the pitch apparently but he's not been near the ball yet. Spurs moving the ball quickly through the lines, playing quite a direct style of passing. Kante has been winning tackles and loose balls in midfield and has helped turn defence into attack for Chelsea here now. Hazard gets involved and Willian ends up winning a corner.
7 mins - Spurs 0 Chelsea 0
KAAAAANE! So close! Sir Harry of Kane tries an overhead kick to turn a cross at goal but there's not enough on it and the keeper, Kepa, can save.
Willian finds Hudson-Odoi on the right wing in space, he controls, faces up to Rose and shoots low at goal! Saved by the keeper.
5 mins - Spurs 0 Chelsea 0
I don't understand this one. Son is racing away from Christensen and burns past him for pace to chase a bouncing ball going to the Chelsea box... and Christensen falls over while chasing and brings him down. The referee says it's not even a foul...? Is that because it's too early in the game for a red card? Did Son make him trip up? I'd love a little replay there because that seemed like a biiiiig moment.
Barkley has punted a shot just wide of the left post.
Apparently VAR has reviewed that Son non-foul... and say it's fine. I'm not sure I understand football anymore.
3 mins - Spurs 0 Chelsea 0
Aggressive start from Spurs and Danny Rose in particular. He's quick to get forward and ends up fouling Azpilicueta near the Chelsea box after going on a little run towards it.
Hudson-Odoi gets in play, comes inside and then plays a clever little scoop pass which starts a one-two and gets him between the lines. Really nice play!
KICK OFF
Spurs get the game started.
Here come the players
Wembley's not as busy as you might have expected. The top tier is entirely empty. It's only a semi-final I guess.
Pochettino says absolutely nothing
"Every game is different, this game is going to be different. I think it's so important, it's a semi-final, we try to win every competition, put our best player for different reason we are in a good position. Our challenge is to be good, to fight for the competition, it will be tough because Chelsea are a good team, I expect a very competitive game."
I can't confirm whether Spurs have built a Pochettino robot to do these interviews yet but this should probably be kept as proof in case.
Joe Cole on Hudson-Odoi
"I think kids get held back a bit too much. He'll learn more tonight than maybe a year's training would."
Maurizio Sarri on his team selection
Alvaro had a little problem in the last training with his hamstring so we prefer him to rest.
He's on the pitch because in the last match he played very well, he's doing very well in training and second because I don't want on the pitch too many players at risk of substitution like Willian, Pedro, Giroud. I prefer to start with the young players.
A sign of things to come?
Working a drill pre-match where the CMs combine quickly with the FBs for a cross. Also I am very cold.
— NathanAClark (@NathanAClark) January 8, 2019
Spurs' 4-1-2-1-2 formation is very narrow... the full-backs will be busy providing width tonight.
Behind the scenes
Inside the Chelsea dressing room at Wembley... �� #TOTCHEpic.twitter.com/w6AIscjLXH
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 8, 2019
I bet Spurs are excited to win these semi-finals. Just imagine what a treat it will be to reach the final and, finally, get to play at Wembley!
©️ Captain Kane. #OneOfOurOwnpic.twitter.com/nX5P6IwgQC
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) January 8, 2019
Chelsea have room for a new hero
This, by Adam Hurrey, is an excellent wee read on why Chelsea needed to give Hudson-Odoi a start today.
Starting lineups
Surprise, surprise - Callum Hudson-Odoi starts!
It's a strong Spurs lineup but nothing we didn't expect.
#THFC: Gazzaniga, Trippier, Alderweireld, Sanchez, Rose, Winks, Sissoko, Eriksen, Dele, Son, Kane (C).
Latest @WilliamHill odds - https://t.co/6E2h07OwBh (18+) #COYSpic.twitter.com/z3XfL4ZQKs— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) January 8, 2019
Chelsea are playing Hazard as a striker/false nine. Hmmm.
Tonight's team to play Tottenham...#TOTCHEpic.twitter.com/ELtyi1Zgfq
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) January 8, 2019
Testing the technology
Can't be too careful with technology these days.
Hello!
Welcome to our liveblog for the first really important game of this entire competition! The semi-final is where managers start to take things seriously in the League Cup, when the idea of winning a trophy and the many metaphorical points that would gain amongst fans and chairmen becomes something they actually quite fancy.
There's the small matter of this being a semi-final then, but don't forget it's a London derby too. Spurs are in slightly better form but cup games usually don't take that into account. What Maurizio Sarri will be heavily influenced by is the utter doing that his side took the last time these two teams met. That was a 3-1 win for Mauricio Pochettino's motley crew. Not the band.
It's not clear what sort of starting XI either manager will opt for and there's every chance they field a couple of youngsters, especially considering those same squad players were the ones that got these teams here in the first place. You may have heard a little thing about Callum Hudson-Odoi the last few days, specifically that Bayern Munich want to spend lots of their money acquiring him and then - shockingly - actually playing him despite the fact he's only 18. It's almost as if insanely talented young players like Hudson-Odoi are perfectly capable of playing football with older lads.
It's better to be safe spending many millions on players who've already been given a chance though, eh. Spurs have some academy prospects of their own who might make an experience. Oliver Skipp has broken into the first team this season and may well appear today.
We'll know for certain who's playing at around 7pm. You can follow all the buildup and action from the game with us (me) right here!
