Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea side picked up a 3-0 away win against Tottenham Hotspur at The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Matchday 5 of the 2021/22 Premier League season.
After a competitive first half which had nothing to separate the two teams, Chelsea came into the second half with much more intent. Tuchel replaced Mason Mount with N’Golo Kante at halftime, as Chelsea score three second-half goals from Thiago Silva, Kante and Antonio Rudiger to register a 3-0 victory and go to the top of the Premier League table.
Chelsea have an identical record to Liverpool at the end of five games, as both teams have 13 points, a goal difference of +11 with 12 goals scored and one goal conceded. The head to head record between the two teams is what sent Chelsea at the top, as they scored an away goal in the draw at Anfield.
The Blues signed Romelu Lukaku in the transfer window to come out of their problems in scoring goals. Lukaku has started brilliantly, with three Premier League goals already as the club has recorded the third highest shots on target so far this season with 29. They have scored the second-highest number of goals in the league. Goals have not been a problem this season, as Chelsea have had a total of ten goalscorers already this season. Marcos Alonso, Christian Pulisic and Trevor Chalobah scored in the first game against Crystal Palace, followed by goals from Lukaku and Recce James against Arsenal the following week. Kai Havertz scored against Liverpool before Lukaku scored a brace against Villa, with a goal from Kovacic as well in the match. This weekend, Kante and defenders Rudiger and Thiago Silva scored against Spurs.
Chelsea have been very impressive going forward this season and have also been termed to be the best defence in the league by some pundits. Going forward, the Blues have been versatile, and have had the third-highest number of touches in the opponent’s penalty areas. They have scored all different kinds of goals till now, with goals from free kicks, corners, open play, inside the box or from long range. While defending, they have only conceded one goal so far against Liverpool at Anfield. Thomas Tuchel and his side should be very confident moving on, as they know they can get goals from multiple players and can also score all different types of goals.
The Blues have also recorded the second most number of passes in the league after the first five games. The team at the moment looks well gelled, with all players trusting each other. They have had more possession in almost every game, and have been able to find the correct passes to score goals more often than not.
the above viz shows that Chelsea have had the best match tempo so far in the Premier League season. Thomas Tuchel said after signing for Chelsea, that he wants to create a Chelsea team that no one wants to face. He has been successful in this aim, as they have dominated all their games, have had great match tempo and have been able to dig out results against the sturdiest of defences.
The above viz shows the number of times that Chelsea have had a string of passes and continuous possession for a period of more than 45 seconds. The Blues have had the most number of such spells of possession, showing that they like to involve each and every player on the field in the gameplay. Every player playing for Tuchel seems to respect the coach and trust all other players. This has led to ten different players already scoring for them this season.
Chelsea are proving to be a very strong team early on in the season, and are a team that no one wants to play against. They have been able to dig out goals in every match. If their striker does not score, the other attackers or midfielders chip in, and when any of the midfielders are unable to score, the defenders join in. The temperament and mentality of this Chelsea squad makes them one of the hottest contenders for the Premier League and UEFA Champions League this season.
