TV
Sky Sports 1 - (live coverage)
Match of the Day 2  (BBC 1) - Monday 22.30 (highlights)  Also available online.

For coverage in all parts of the world, check here and here.

Radio :  
BBC LONDON 94.9FM (London area only), Digital Radio (London area only) &  Sky Channel 0152  (live coverage)
Commentary may be found on
>   BBC Radio Five Live (live coverage)  606/939 MW
>  TalkSport (DAB or 1089 MW)
>  Absolute Radio  (1215 AM/MW)

If available on BBC radio, it can supposedly be heard in these countries on these stations ...
Australia (Melbourne) SEN  -  116 AM  Live Transmissions: TWI, Saturday. 12.45 & 15.00 matches
Australia (Sydney)  Radio 2  -  1611AM  Live Transmission: TWI, Saturday, 12.45 Match
Singapore Media Corp Radio  -  93.8 FM  Live Transmission: TWI, Saturday, 15.00 Match
South Africa  SABC (Radio 2000)  Live Transmission: TWI, Saturday, 15.00 Match
Uganda  Radio 1 (English) 90.0 FM, Radio 2 (Lugandan) 87.9 FM  Live Transmission: TWI, Saturday, 15.00 Match
North America (USA, Canada, Mexico, Caribbean)  Sirius Satellite Radio  Live transmission: Saturday - 12.45, 15.00 (TWI) & 17.15 (BBC) Sunday - 14.00 & 16.05 (BBC) Mon, Tue, Wed - Various times (BBC)

Internet :
www.spurs.co.uk   Live webcast  - subscribers only
BBC London - http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articles/2005/10/12/live_commentaries_feature.shtml click on link to "Listen to Tottenham Hotspur live commentary" on top right hand menu.

28  Cesar AZPILICUETA
26  John TERRY (c)
24  Gary CAHILL 
  2  Branislav IVANOVIC     

21  Nemanja MATIC  (  8  OSCAR  78)
12  Jon Obi MIKEL     

17  PEDRO  (10  Eden HAZARD  46  )
  4  Cesc FABREGAS
22  WILLIAN     

19  Diego COSTA

Unused subs: 
32  Marco AMELIA
  6  Baba RAHMAN
16  KENEDY
36  Ruben LOFTUS-CHEEK
14  Bertrand TRAORE
 

  2  Kyle WALKER     
  5  Jan VERTONGHEN     
  4  Toby ALDERWEIRELD  (22  Nacer CHADLI 90+1)
  3  Danny ROSE       (33  Ben DAVIES 82)

19  Mousa DEMBELE     
15  Eric DIER     

11  Erik LAMELA     
23  Christian ERIKSEN     
  7  Heung-Min SON    (  8  Ryan MASON  65    )

10  Harry KANE       

Unused subs: 
13  Michel VORM
27  Kevin WIMMER
14  Clinton N'JIE
28  Tom CARROLL

A draw as the final result from a winning position was a disappointing end to the night and Tottenham's pursuit of Leicester City at the top of the Premier League.  While Chelsea celebrated like it was them who would be lifting the trophy (and who wouldn't bet on John Terry being there in his tracksuit ?) and in doing so displaying how far they have fallen.  It wasn't this match that decided the league title, but too many of our games that ended up in draws and the narrow defeats we have suffered during the season.  It has been a fine campaign and while Chelsea only care about winning things ... like a point off Tottenham ... the future looks bright for us and with their managerial roundabout about to turn again, some of their old lags will be looking over their shoulders at a potential move to China with money their only motivation.

The different in class was shown by the low tactics that the home team stooped to, which even brought disdain from their own manager when he was knocked over in the scuffle that ensued when the teams were leaving the field.  Strange that the FA appear to be pointing the finger at Tottenham for the incidents during AND after the game, when the Pensioners were no innocent party in any of this.

As for the actual football, there was a stunning first half from Tottenham and they were then stunned by the way they were made to play by their opponents in the second half and how they were allowed to get away with it by lax refereeing from Clattenberk.

Going into the game without Dele Alli meant Heung Min Son came into the attacking three behind Harry Kane.  Spurs started well, as they pushed on the Chelsea man on the ball, creating errors in their passing.  The tackles snapped in from the start and Chelsea didn't like it, with Costa moaning and Azpilicueta not enjoying being tackled with a bit of force.  Walker was lucky that his petulant kick at Pedro wasn't seen and there were a few feet left in as Chelsea players went in too.  Some football took place and it mainly came from Spurs, with Danny Rose firing a shot that flew a couple of feet over, with Begovic an onlooker.  Danny then took Willian out as he went in for a tackle and got a talking to from the ref, before he became the target for Chelsea's winding up with Ivanovic and Willan hitting him late.  Rose was almost a villain when a corner came in and when cleared, it was knocked harmlessly back in, but the defender lost his footing, almost allowing Fabregas to get in on the loose ball on the edge of the six yard box, but the former Arsenal man was too slow to latch onto it. 

Son was put in on the left side of goal by a good Kane pass, but the delay in getting his shot off allowed John Terry to fall in front of the ball.  A few minutes later, Chelsea broke on Spurs and Pedro squared from the left to Fabregas, who tried to be clever and put the ball between Walker's legs, which he did, but his side-footed shot went wide of Lloris' right hand post.  Walker picked up a booking (which was to be one of many in the game) for a foul on Pedro before Son was set up after good play from Kane and Lamela, but his shot curled wide of the post.  Chances were swapped with Kane firing a free-kick from 25 yards out over the bar and then Costa doing the same from slightly closer in, but a deflection helped it go too high.  

With ten minutes to half-time, Spurs went ahead with a neat passing move that led to Harry Kane's goal.  Eric Dier started it with a pass into into Christian Eriksen, who played it on to Lamela.  Erik threaded a reverse pass into the box behind two Chelsea defenders, who had not been aware of Kane's run that took the ball wide of Begovic and allowed him to slip it into an empty net.  The run was perfectly timed and left Chelsea exposed to round off a well fashioned move.

Vertonghen went into the book after Costa threw a strop because he had his shirt pulled.  Histrionics are obviously allowed to get fellow professionals cautioned it seems.  The free kick came to nothing and when Spurs built up play again, Walker's low ball was struck goalwards by Lamela, but his effort was blocked and although Son got the rebound, he couldn't get enough on it to trouble the Chelsea goal.  Willian wildly sliced a good chance wide and then Spurs were two ahead just before the break.  Ivanovic played lazy square ball 35 yards out from his own goal and Harry Kane picked it off easily.  He found Eriksen, whose ball out to the right made it easy for Son to run onto and slip it wide of Begovic's dive to his left and found a gap inside the post to make it 2-0.  Wild celebrations on and off the pitch ensued, with, no doubt, a few  concerned faces being exhibited in Leicester. 

Unfortunately, less savoury scenes followed when Willian went for Danny Rose after another challenge in front of the benches and Pochettino moved onto the pitch to separate the players, with Chelsea shirts gathering round to escalate things and it was here that Dembele put his hand on Costa's face. But there was a lot else going on which wasn't spotted.  I think Clattenberk might have been glad to blow the half-time whistle and the Spurs fans were too.

Having gone into a two goal lead, it looked as though Spurs might be keeping the title challenge alive into the last fortnight of the season, but by hook or by crook, Chelsea were not going to allow that to happen.  Hazard came on for the ineffectual Pedro and his involvement started to prod Chelsea forward.  After not playing for the majority of the season, he suddenly found some urgency in his play.  Funny that.  Kane twice brought Begovic into action, with a header from a corner that saw a simple save and then a quick free-kick exchange with Lamela to drill a low shot in from the left of the box and the keeper had to dive down to stop.

Sonny had a shot go wide and Rose had to have treatment after being caught by Willian, whose corner in the 58th minute dropped to Gary Cahill six yards out and his shot beat Lloris and a man on the line to peg Spurs back to 2-1.  This gave Chelsea a bit of impetus and Spurs went into their shell a bit.  A Costa handball prevented him making a chance out of Matic's pass and then Lloris was alive to Willian's curling shot that he saved with a dive to his right.

Poch replaced Son with Mason and his first involvement saw him feed Kane, whose shot was deflected wide.  Spurs had a couple of free-kicks and corners, but could not trouble Begovic any further, but from open play Walker picked out a low cross to Mason, but his shot was kept out by the goalie and Eriksen got to the loose ball to put a shot in on goal, although it was blocked by Ivanovic.

Once more Rose was the target for harsh treatment and had to have the physios on, this time ending his involvement, as Ben Davies came on to replace him.  Within a minute Chelsea were level to the delight of the East Midlands.  A move on the Tottenham right saw Spurs give Hazard time to play a one-two with Costa and fire an early shot into the top corner out of Lloris' reach to level the scores.  It was a bitter blow for Spurs, who had been on top for the majority of the game.  But the pressure, both on (legal and illegal) and off the pitch had finally got to them.

After the goal, it was a series of tackles flying in from both teams.  Most of Tottenham's ended with a booking, while a lot of Chelsea's ended with Spurs players coming off the worse.  Alderweireld had to leave the field after a late intervention from Costa.  Davies twice denied Willian.  Once from breaking 30 yards from our goal and the other a block to a volley from the Brazilian.  Not a lot happened in added time, other than a mass flare-up following yet another Tottenham booking and then another at the final whistle as the teams headed for the tunnel.  During these incidents, Clattenberk was nowhere close to what was going on, so wouldn't have had a clear view for his match report.  His handling of the game was lax and he allowed it to get away from him, resulting in a record number of bookings for one side in the Premier League for Spurs, while the home team got off lightly.

In the end it is no surprise Spurs didn't win, as it was the same old Chelsea.  Not being hard to beat, but being determined to bring the game down to as low a level as you can and by being in the referee's face the whole time disputing decisions and trying to get opponents booked.  Unable to live with Spur sin the first half, they reverted to type and reduced the game to a sniping, cynical display of football at its worst.   How is it that once booked for throwing his arms into a Spurs player's face, Willian does the same again and no further punishment follows.  Dembele may face further sanctions for his hand in Costa's face during the pre-half-time melee, but what of Fabregas' and Terry's parts in the whole sorry affair ?  Video evidence is all very well, but when does it end ?

All you can say after the result was well done Leicester and we hope to emulate their success next season. 

Sparky Marky