High in the cloudy London sky, above Wembley’s majestic towering arc, another plane flew by. This time the message read ‘Antonio Antonio.’ No sign of Wenger out and the great collapse at Arsenal, but outlandish vehicles of communication to express support are in vogue in England. Yet the childish attention-grabbing gimmick turned into a glorious complement to the Italian coach.
General bemusement had permeated the vast bowls and corridors of Wembley stadium ahead of kick-off as Conte omitted both Eden Hazard, the brilliant Belgian, and Diego Costa, Chelsea’s attacking spearhead, from the starting line-up. This season Hazard has created 66 chances for Chelsea, 25 more than any other player. All the chatter centered on Conte’s peculiar team selection.
Perhaps the Italian simply made an inexplicable, outrageously baffling decision, perhaps it was just another masterstroke, or simply a reluctant acknowledgment that Chelsea, who were strolling in dainty fashion to Premier League glory, needed to recalibrate their aspirations, away from the FA Cup after their 3-4-3 nirvana was brutally exposed last week by Ander Herrera and Manchester United. They had even mocked Chelsea.
In came Michy Batshuayi and Willian. After 5 minutes the Brazilian delivered with a swerving set piece. What shock replacement for Hazard? Chelsea were playing with panache and pedigree. They were imperious and protecting an early 1-0 lead, a perfect platform to launch their speed merchants on the counter.
The goal was but a reflection of the balance of power. Tottenham, in recent weeks the embodiment of avant-garde English football, steered by the vision of the ‘Poch’, lubricated by prodigious players, were nervy and slapdash. They were suffering from the ‘Wembley Syndrome’ and perhaps the deeper angst of prolonging their trophy-less existence, with another trademark ‘Spursian’ implosion, forever failing on the gilded stage.
Indeed, from the penalty spot Willian scored a second after a clumsy and comical Son Heung-Min tackle elicited a pre-emptive jump-and-fall action from Victor Moses. Martin Atkinson had little choice but to point to the spot. By then, Conte’s choices were no longer contentious, Pochettino’s were. Son was skittish as wing back. The Korean never got in his rhythm and was left wanting defensively.
At the half, with Chelsea leading 2-1, there was a still crackle in the air: the promise of more full-throttle, manic action from England’s top sides - of topsy turvy football honoring the virtues of the English game, an elevated ode to skills, physicality and speed, facilitated by sophisticated modern-day coaching.
The difference in tactics
Pochettino wants his players to be everywhere and all the time. That’s precisely what Tottenham set out do after the interval. It was swash-buckling and suffocating. A boa constrictor slowly strangling and strangulating its pray. Chelsea scuttled and Dele Alli scored from Christian Eriksen’s beautifully floated delivery, his cross taking out the bamboozled David Luiz. Tottenham’s number twenty did move exquisitely in between Chelsea’s defenders.
As the West-London club were wilting under Tottenham’s all court press and excellent ball retention, Conte moved to bring on the cavalry. Dembele responded aptly in marshaling Tottenham’s midfield, containing both Hazard and Costa. The Blues remained conservative, holding their shape, scarcely committing forward, Not much happened, but slowly Hazard’s influence was growing. Danger was always imminent with the Belgian on the field.
In many ways Hazard is a magician, his little cameo a delight. He does the same trick over and over again, with that languid playing style of his, even with that sense of entitlement and aloofness - and still, even as one can predict what is going to happen, even as one can foretell the future, even so, his trick thrills every time. First Hazard rolled his shot neatly past Lloris to score Chelsea’s third in the 75th minute and then, five minutes later, carrying the ball across the area, he teed up Nemanja Matic.
The Serbian delivered footballing purity - a stunning first-time shot that hit the net with a mundane finality, leaving Lloris immobile and Tottenham disillusioned, a club on the cusp of greatness, but ever-failing in the sight of silverware. Matic’s wonderstrike, as Kane himself hailed the goal, may be the overture to another toxic and traumatic season finale for Tottenham. Chelsea march after a compelling FA Cup semi-final that emboldened Conte and his bold line-up. The double is within reach.