Chelsea drop Costa but still toothless

Spur's Son Heung-min challenges Chelsea's Cesc Fabregas during a "lacklustre" clash at White Hart Lane on Sunday. The match ended in a goalless draw. Picture: GERRY PENNY

Spur's Son Heung-min challenges Chelsea's Cesc Fabregas during a "lacklustre" clash at White Hart Lane on Sunday. The match ended in a goalless draw. Picture: GERRY PENNY

Published Nov 29, 2015

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London – Jose Mourinho dropped his disgruntled main striker Diego Costa for Chelsea’s Premier League visit to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday but the champions still proved toothless up front as they ground out an undistinguished goalless draw at White Hart Lane.

The Chelsea manager said before the game that his out-of-sorts Spanish striker was lacking confidence and Costa certainly did not look a happy soul when, late on, he realised he was not going to be brought on as a substitute.

Turning his back on the bench, he tossed his warm-up bib away behind him in disgust. It landed at Mourinho’s feet.

Mourinho told BT Sport after the game that “there was not an issue, not at all” with Costa, who did not warm up with the other substitutes before nor after the game.

In midweek, Mourinho had said he shared “a few kisses and cuddles” with Costa after they argued during their Champions League win at Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Yet even having produced what Mourinho felt was the best Chelsea performance of the season, a team with Eden Hazard as an unlikely target man still offered only intermittent threats in an unusually tepid London derby.

Spurs enjoyed the lion’s share of possession and chances and forced some decent work in the first half from Chelsea goalkeeper Asmir Begovic as they went a 13th straight league game without defeat, their best run since a 14-match streak in 1984-1985.

A lively Hazard was handed Chelsea’s best opportunities, heading over the bar from a pinpoint Oscar cross in the 20th minute when he should have done better and volleying crisply to force what the Belgian described as a “beautiful save” low down from Hugo Lloris in the 68th.

Yet still the Footballer of the Year saw his Premier League goal drought stretch to 17 games as Mourinho’s side, unable yet to string together back-to-back league victories following last week’s win over Norwich City, still struggle in 14th place on 15 points.

Spurs, unbeaten since the opening-day loss to Manchester United, remain fifth on 25, four points shy of the top of the table.

On a cold, blustery afternoon which contributed to a much more mediocre affair than Spurs’ thrilling 5-3 win on New Year’s Day, Begovic had to be on his toes in the first half, keeping out a Son Heung-min header and a Mousa Dembele drive.

Yet it took Lloris’s brilliance to keep out Hazard’s sweet volley as Mourinho was left enthusing: “I think it was the best Chelsea of the season.

“I think we deserved a bit more than what we got but I’m really happy with the performance.

“We are not happy with the result but we are happy with the team. I think we have the team again and we look to the future with a better spirit. We have a good December waiting for us.”

Hazard added: “It’s always difficult to play here. It is a good result, we didn’t have many good chances but Lloris made a good save from me. A beautiful save, the game could have been a win for us if that goes in.” – Reuters

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