The Mirror sports writer believes the bullishness shown by Tottenham means there will be plenty more opportunity for titles in the future
Christian Eriksen has a point.
Nobody condones the antics of Monday night’s meltdown at Stamford Bridge.
The new Spurs, however, have set down a marker under Mauricio Pochettino.
They have been bullied in the past by Chelsea. They have, in the past, waved the white flag on the other side of London.
This week, they came of age and – despite losing the title – they’ll be satisfied with the statement they made at Stamford Bridge.
To be clear, there was a lot not to like about the night on which they surrendered the title to Leicester.
We all like to see passion, desire and the evidence that players really do care (as opposed to the whimper with which Manchester City exited the biggest match in their history on Wednesday night).
But the Battle of Stamford Bridge crossed the line. The kicking, the gouging, the stamping, the snarling, all of it.
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Frankly both clubs will be delighted that just one player, Mousa Dembele, will face a suspension. The midfielder himself will see it more as an extended summer break than a punishment.
A six-figure fine for Chelsea and Spurs for failing to control their players? They’ll take that all day long rather than have a string of their stars banned for violent conduct.
Other clubs cited by the FA in the future may well point to Erik Lamela’s stamp on Cesc Fabregas, Eric Dier’s horrendous tackles on Cesc Fabregas, Danny Rose’s running battles with Branislav Ivanovic and Kyle Walker’s kick at Pedro and ask why little or no action was taken in those cases. But that’s for another day.
As for Daniel Levy, he probably won’t even discuss it with Pochettino. The Spurs supremo has seen his side bottle it at Stamford Bridge too many times over the years.
So he will have been equally delighted to see that Tottenham have finally discovered a bit of backbone under the man transforming Tottenham’s reputation.
“Not on my watch” declared Chelsea skipper John Terry on his Instagram page as he hailed his team’s success in maintaining the run of 26 years since Spurs last won at Stamford Bridge.
And fair enough. Chelsea showed more heart, appetite and intensity in Monday night’s game than in their previous 34 in the Premier League combined to keep that record intact.
But they needed to because the new Spurs had come prepared for a battle.
Pochettino is a graduate of the trophy-winning Newell’s Old Boys team under Marcelo Bielsa that had a fierce camaraderie and fought furiously for each other.
The Spurs boss will have been delighted at the way that his boys, from the youngest squad in the Premier League, refused to back down against their more experienced opponents.
Tottenham have made their point this season.
They have re-established themselves as the top club in London and made it clear that they are no longer a side to be trifled with.
Check out the vine doing the rounds of Dier ‘tackling’ Fabregas.
There might yet be a bit more Lethal Bizzle in the Spurs dressing room next season.
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