Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Tottenham 4 Chelsea 4

Chelsea lost ground in the Premier League title race after Robbie Keane's dramatic late equaliser earned a point for Tottenham in a thrilling 4-4 draw at White Hart Lane.

In a game that never stopped for breath, Didier Drogba's opener was cancelled out by Jonathan Woodgate before Michael Essien and Joe Cole established a two-goal cushion for the visitors.

Spurs staged a comeback and levelled through Dimitar Berbatov and Tom Huddlestone, then Cole grabbed another 10 minutes from the end.

They were denied maximum points, though, when Keane found the top corner in the 88th minute before Berbatov was denied a late winner by a superb Carlo Cudicini save.

With Spurs naming the same side that defeated Chelsea in the Carling Cup final, Avram Grant's team could not gain revenge for their Wembley defeat.
Spurs have insisted that they have moved on from their triumph over the Blues last month but their three defeats since suggest otherwise, as did the big-screen reminder before kick-off showing highlights of their victory. At least they now have another famous match to remember.

Fabio Capello was in the stands to watch his England players distinguish themselves in a typically hectic London derby.

There was plenty for him to digest, starting with the pace of Aaron Lennon up against Ashley Cole down one flank.

Joe Cole was Chelsea's creative force, while Jermaine Jenas and Frank Lampard were up against each other in the centre, and John Terry had to try to keep Berbatov and Keane quiet.

Capello saw Terry set up the opener in the third minute.

Drogba's free-kick from 25 yards was blocked but the striker then made his way towards the far post. Claude Makelele found Terry on the left and his cross invited a powerful header from Drogba.

It could have been worse for Spurs three minutes later when Drogba turned on the edge of the area and forced a save from Paul Robinson; Joe Cole finished neatly but was ruled offside.

Capello then saw two of his England players combine for an 11th-minute equaliser.

After Lennon had been fouled by Makelele, Jenas swung over the cross from the right and Woodgate, unlike his ricocheted Wembley winner, thudded home his header.

England midfielder Cole, full of invention and energy, created the goal that put Chelsea back in front, in the 20th minute. He weaved his way through the Spurs defence then slipped through Essien, who chipped over Robinson as the goalkeeper rushed out.

The game was already at a frantic pace but the intensity heightened with a series of contentious decisions before the break.

The conduct of players has been highlighted this week through a new Football Association initiative, with hopes of more respect for officials.
Joe Cole, however, picked up a yellow card for dissent towards the assistant when a decision did not go his way.

The Spurs bench were then furious when Jenas appeared to be fouled by Lampard. Play was allowed to continue and Robinson was forced into action when Drogba drilled a shot from the edge of the area.

Spurs were raging again following Ashley Cole's high tackle on Alan Hutton, with Mike Riley issuing a yellow card.

'It's a red and you know it,'' protested Spurs assistant boss Gus Poyet to the fourth official.

Poyet then confronted Cole at the half-time whistle and they went face-to-face down the tunnel before the Spurs assistant went on to aim his anger at the referee.

The debate continued as the second half restarted, then Joe Cole extended Chelsea's lead seven minutes into the second period. Makelele fed him the ball and Cole went outside Pascal Chimbonda before getting his shot away.

Robinson got to the finish but the ball looped in.

Terry was needed at the other end to intercept a dangerous Steed Malbranque cross - but Berbatov pulled one back from the corner.
Huddlestone, on for Jenas at the break, delivered the set-piece and the Bulgarian outjumped Terry to head in.

Huddlestone levelled the match with 15 minutes remaining, drilling in powerfully after Keane's corner went to the far post.

Cole scored his second in the 80th minute, finding the top corner after getting past Chimbonda again - but Keane earned a point two minutes from time.

Picking up the ball on the edge of the area after the ball had hit Ricardo Carvalho on the back from a long clearance, he curled a delicious effort into the top corner. Berbatov could so nearly have won it too, but his right-foot shot was brilliantly blocked by Cudicini.

Avram Grant defended his record in high-profile matches this season after Chelsea lost ground in the Barclays Premier League title race with a thrilling draw at Tottenham.

With Manchester United defeating Bolton, Grant's men are now five points behind the league leaders with eight games remaining following Robbie Keane's dramatic late equaliser.

Grant still has an impressive percentage of victories but is yet to win a 'big'' game - against Manchester United or Arsenal in the league, Barnsley in the FA Cup or Tottenham in the Carling Cup final.

The 4-4 draw at White Hart Lane came after Chelsea opened the scoring and led 3-1 and 4-3.

'Every game in which we drop points is a big game,'' said Grant. 'If we won would it have been a big game? We lost against Barnsley and it became a big game. Every game we drop points is a big game.

'I can be happy only that, in the league, we haven't dropped that many points, otherwise there would have been more big games. Every game here is big. If we didn't win we wouldn't be in this position.

'What is a critical game? Every game at Chelsea is critical. If we'd lost other games, we wouldn't be in this position. Every game we win is a normal game. Every time we drop points is a big game.''

Despite putting in an impressive performance in front of England boss Fabio Capello, Cole was taken off towards the end as Chelsea looked to defend their lead.

Grant said: 'We wanted to play more in midfield, have one more in midfield because we knew they would play a direct ball. We wanted to pass the ball better. That's why we took him off.''

Grant was disappointed with his side's defending from set-pieces, adding: 'In the last two games Tottenham have scored six against us and five were from set-pieces. It is unusual for us.

'There are many positives to take from the game but we didn't win, which is disappointing. We showed a great spirit and, of course, we will continue to fight.''

The Blues face Arsenal at the weekend, where they can overtake their title rivals with a victory.

'We're closer to Arsenal now than we were before,'' Grant said. 'We'll be at home and we'll come to fight to win the game.''

Grant claimed his view was blocked for an incident just before the break when Ashley Cole caught Alan Hutton with a high tackle, earning the Chelsea full-back a yellow card.

'In this case the referee said it was a yellow card,'' said Spurs head coach Juande Ramos.

'But I've seen much less serious tackles that have seen players sent off, like Robbie Keane earlier in the season.''

Grant added: 'The referee was two or three metres from it so we have to respect that.'

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