Just goes to show how a sustained period of wasting money can focus the mind.

Unless you are Barcelona of course.

What on Earth makes Cédric a definite miss? A free transfer and as a back up reserve, has he ever let us down?

Agreed. A decent squad player who always did his best.

Man u’s last 7 away games, 7 defeats, 21 goals conceded, 2 scored.

Even at our lowest I don’t think we were ever that bad

Fair point, I did wonder where to put him and it felt maybe too harsh being a miss, but he’s not a hit.
I think I just felt that whilst he hasn’t ‘let us down’ his quality is quite a bit lower than Tomiyasu and losing our full backs was a big reason why we didn’t get too 4.

Chuba Akpom (remember him) just scored for Middlesbrough in the championship.
I would rate Cédric a successful transfer all things considered.

Stan sees winning as secondary, even tertiary. Josh wants to win as much as be profitable. I would surmise he is of the camp that sees winning will eventually mean more profits (merchandising, ticket sales).

When he has been put in charge of his dad's teams, he's actually tried to win.

I see Piers Morgan has tweeted ‘I’m trusting the process #Arteta’

I can’t think of many people I wish weren’t Arsenal fans more than him. He’s been so critical of Arteta and hugely supporting of Aubameyang and other players Arteta has cast aside. I don’t like this sort of fan, doom and gloom telling everyone ‘I told you so’ all the time if you don’t win every single game and then jump on to celebrate the good moments.

Cheering a little bit for Chelsea today, because I think Tottenham can become really dangerous if they get off to a good start. Think Tottenham wins this though, just have a feeling of a shock result for Chelsea who seem disjointed and with bad energy all around the club.

Kane gets away with a clear yellow. It’s criminal and self perpetuating….every time he gets away with one he’s more likely to get away with the next one.
The exact opposite for Xhaka

Jinx!

I don't really get Tuchel's insistence of playing a back five. They have the personell for a very good back four - James is one of the best right backs in the league, Thiago Silva and Koulibaly are excellent central defenders and both Chilwell and Cucurella are very good on the left. Their collection of central midfielders are among the best in Europe in my opinion, and with a combination of three of Kante, Jorginho, Kovacic and Gallagher they should be able to win the midfield battle against most teams and provide better support for their misfiring attackers.

Saying all that, and don’t forget Mount, Havertz and Sterling, I’m a little surprised you earlier said “Cheering a little bit for Chelsea today”. Myself, I think the best result for Arsenal would be a draw so they both drop points. So I hope Tottenham equalise.

I think this first half illustrates some of the points I've made about Spurs. Conte has made them pretty tough to beat and he sets them up well against the big teams, but they're very one dimensional. They are now sitting back deep and playing on the counter even though they're 1-0 down, because that's really the only way they can play. They lack the ability and the players to dominate games, their defenders are poor on the ball and their central midfield is hugely lacking in creativity. With their front trio firing they can get 4th or even 3rd but they'll never reach higher than that with this squad and this set-up.

The reason is I don't really see Chelsea being a confidence team in the way I think Tottenham might be. Chelsea will probably be in the fight for 3rd place regardless of how they do today because of the quality in their squad, I see Tottenham as a team more reliant on confidence so I don't won't them to build that right from the start of the season.

That being said, a draw would do just fine.

A draw is best with both sides dropping two points although it would be good to knock Tottenham’s confidence.

A couple of red cards would help. Or key players being crocked.

The ref is letting them kick lotus cheek around the park with impunity. I’ve counted at least 3 other tackles that should have had yellows too for spurs players.

All feels very familiar

Yes, and I think more teams will have learnt how to set up against Conte's Spurs after last season. If you do well more teams sit up and take notice and prepare more serious plans for you.
If you're a very good team then it makes little difference because you have an answer for any game plan against you, and for my money the very best teams go on the front foot and have attacking options and threats from all over the pitch - be that set pieces, crosses, tippy tappy, counter attacks, individual skill. City and Liverpool both have this, Spurs don't. They don't have enough creativity in their team to break down a deep block consistently and struggle to impose themselves in both possession and territory when they go behind in games away from home.
They're still a very effective and dangerous team and irrespective of today's result will be a huge threat to the top 4 places.

Spurs seem to have a mental block with Chelsea - and they often lose their discipline if things don't go their way.

Conte has taken off his left wing back and bought on Richarlison. It is a bold move, lets see how Spurs cope moving out of their rigid structure and in to a more chaotic mode to try to get a point

It would take very particular (and extreme) circumstances for me to want Tottenham to win. Therefore I'm holding my nose and hoping for Chelsea to beat them.

Interesting, the comms have just said a new refs directive this season is there will be no warnings for time-wasting this season. It is a straight yellow card. Mendy has just been booked for time wasting.

I like that. If something is a yellow give it, don't let players have a few free ones and then give it.

Season ending injuries for Kane and Son but Spurs to score two late goals for the win - I assuem that is the kind of very particular circumstances you'd want?

How on earth is that not a free kick for Havertz?

1-1 now

and a scrap between the benches

Bentancur escapes a clear second yellow - what is it with Spurs and avoiding reds and yellows so consistently?

I'd take that, yes. Or if a Tottenham win allowed us to leapfrog City or Liverpool to win the league.

I for one hope it stays like that. A draw means two points dropped for both. That’s preferable to either side winning.

EDIT: Sod it. Chelsea have gone 2-1 up.

Not saying he should've saved that but I don't think Lloris is a very good goalkeeper

Your wish has been granted.

They are all horrible arseholes aren’t they. It’s so easy to dislike all of them it’s unreal

Quite good that Kane bloke. Unfortunately.

Reds for both coaches

That should go down as an own goal, was heading out for a goal kick until it touched James. Good result in the end, Chelsea can only blame themselves after dominating most of the game but not capitalizing on it.

When I said red cards I meant key players. Not the childish managers.

Shades of Arsene and Pardew.

2-2. Var looks at a possible red card for Romero pulling Cucurella's hair - nothing given then Spurs score from the corner.

2-2 is a good score for us but Spurs have been ridiculously lucky with discipline decisions. bentacur fouled before the equaliser, and Richarlison looks very much in the line of the GK sight and offside as it goes in then Romero pulls Cucurella's hair before the second equaliser.

Both managers red carded at the final whistle - comms said punches were thrown!

Throw the book at both of them.

Arsenal and Man U had points deducted for a punch up......

It's a very poor decision. Shirt pulling is one thing, but to grab a player by the hair and throw him down on the ground surely is a red all day long?

Like Rich, I would have preferred Spurs to lose. As it is, coming back from behind twice away to Chelsea is a big boost for them.

They just showed the replay a couple more times, and I have to say it's a shocking decision rather than just a very poor one. Clear as day, Romero pulls Cucurella down by the hair. Should be a red card and a free kick, instead Tottenham gets another corner and steal two points from Chelsea. I don't mind Chelsea being robbed of points but VAR has to do better than that. Could be us next time.

Agree totally

Also souness was saying the ref let things go improved the game! Feel dirty saying this but if I was a chelsea fan I’d feel cheated,

At the very least its a foul Haz and should have been a free kick and not another corner. I really do not understand the logic in not giving a foul.

All I can say is these VAR guys are just clueless.

I also thought Richarlison was in an offside position and in the line of the keepers sight for the first Tottenham goal.

EDIT:

Apparently VAR cannot step in and give a foul, its either a red or not so I was wrong. Still think the ref, who was looking right at it, should have spotted a foul.

Totally cheated. A foul at the very least and thus a free kick and not another corner.