Premier League

CHELSEA 0 
SPURS 0

IN years gone by, we have seen Tottenham put on performances of varying degrees at Stamford Bridge, ranging from embarrassing to the respectably solid.

No matter what Spurs side have turned up, however, they have all too often come undone to a Chelsea sucker punch.

But the new broom under Jose Mourinho has swept such issues away: in a defensibly disciplined display, Spurs went back to the top of the Premier League table after holding Chelsea at arms length.

While Tottenham did not quite create enough clear cut chances themselves to win it, they worked hard for the point.

Speaking after the match, Mourinho said his players were disappointed not have done more – and that represents good progress.

The Spurs boss added: “The one thing that I take from the game is that a draw here is normally a positive result. To stay top of the league with that result is also a positive thing, and my dressing room is not happy.

“That’s the best thing that I take from the game, we are not happy, and that for me is fantastic. It’s a complete change of mentality, a complete change of personality.

“You can tell us we didn’t have many chances and I agree, but how many did they have? And that’s the thing that makes me really happy – that we are not happy with a draw at Stamford Bridge.”

Spurs had already laid down markers against the two Manchester clubs, destroying United 6-1, and coming out on top against City too courtesy of a 2-0 win.

But this upcoming run of games, which now brings contests against Arsenal, Liverpool and Leicester, has been billed as a true title test.

And while the game against Chelsea might not live long in the memory for goalmouth action, it will certainly be remembered by debutante Joe Rodon in the Tottenham defence.

Mourinho was brave in his selection, preferring 23-year-old Rodon, signed in the summer from Championship side Swansea, to the more experienced Davinson Sanchez in place of the injured Toby Alderweireld.

Rodon was charged with marshalling Tammy Abraham – who had, before getting a chance at Chelsea, a loan spell at Swansea – and showed why Mourinho placed his faith in the youngster.

In a solid first-half, Rodon’s only mistake came early on. He lost the ball and then did not react quickly enough to track back – and it was a move that saw Timo Werner finish with aplomb, but from an offside position.

Rodon’s standout moment was a brilliant defensive header to get in front of Abraham as the Chelsea striker shaped to attack the ball.

All of Rodon’s hard work was nearly undone late in the second-half, however, when he got caught out attempting a header back to Hugo Lloris that allowed Olivier Giroud in – but the Chelsea substitute failed to lift his effort over the onrushing keeper.

This time, there was to be no sucker punch at Stamford Bridge.

Steven Bergwijn went close for Spurs on eight minutes when he fired over from inside the box, before Tanguy Ndombele tested Edouard Mendy with a low drive that the Chelsea keeper did well to push away.

As Mourinho put Ben Davies on for the final five minutes, it seemed he was happy with a point.

As Davies took up his position on the left, fellow substitute Giovani Lo Celso suddenly found himself in space on the edge of the Chelsea box with teammates steaming ahead of him.

The midfielder seemed to have almost too much time and was caught between shooting and passing. In the end, he did neither and the chance was gone.

While this was the first time in six matches Heung-Min Son or Harry Kane have not been on the scoresheet, it was Tottenham’s third straight clean sheet away from home – and another point off a fellow title hopeful.

It might not have been barnstorming display, but as Mourinho says, it feels like progress.

Chelsea: Mendy, James, Silva, Zouma, Chilwell, Kante, Kovacic, Mount, Ziyech (Havertz, 83), Abraham (Giroud 78), Werner (Pulisic, 74)
Substitutes not used: Kepa, Azpilicueta, Rudiger, Jorginho

Spurs: Lloris, Reguilon, Dier, Rodon, Aurier, Hojbjerg, Sissoko, Ndombele (Lo Celso, 65), Bergwijn (Davies, 88), Son (Moura, 90+2), Kane
Substitutes not used: Hart, Sanchez, Bale, Vinicius