Times have changed for Tottenham Hotspur
No longer are they considered to be a club who will automatically get hammered when facing a side like Chelsea or even Arsenal – both of whom they have beaten this season – and going into the League Cup final on Sunday, the north London side have every reason to be optimistic about the outcome
Chelsea are no pushovers despite the impression the Blues may have given during their last trip to White Hart Lane and have some outrageously talented players – but so do Mauricio Pochettino’s men and we think there is no reason they cannot emerge winners once again against Jose Mourinho’s world class stars.
With that in mind, we have taken a look at five reasons Harry Kane et al will win the League Cup.
1. Spurs hold no fear anymore
Gone are the days when Spurs fans would just write off games against the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal.
They are a different side now and have a manager who is instilling a winning mentality in them – and some top notch players to boot.
After their 5-3 win over the Blues, they have shown that not only can they beat Chelsea, they can tear them apart and do not need to worry about being embarrassed by Mourinho’s men.
2. Harry Kane knows exactly how to score against Chelsea
That became crystal clear on New Years Day when he took their defence to the cleaners.
Jose Mourinho may opt for Kurt Zouma at the back next to John Terry this time but it will not be enough to deter Kane who is on fire at the minute. The forward will also relish facing a Chelsea side who are without Nemanja Matic and will want to show how impressive he can be against the best sides in the league.
With Christian Eriksen supporting him and hopefully weighing in with goals to boot, Spurs have a deadly duo that is just as good as anything Chelsea can boast.
3. No matter how they try to play it, losing Matic is a massive blow for Chelsea
Bar John Terry, there is no player Jose Mourinho will have wanted to be fit and available for the final more.
Matic is the lifeblood of Chelsea’s side and when missing, there is no denying the Blues are weaker and their results prove it.
He may have been poor the last time these two sides faced off – which speaks volumes about why Spurs came out on top – but Mauricio Pochettino will know that Chelsea will struggle without the Serbian and has to take advantage of that.
4. Chelsea are on the brink
This is arguably the ideal time to face Chelsea given they have a key player suspended, a Champions League second leg to worry about and have Manchester City breathing over their shoulders.
Jose Mourinho and his side cannot afford to lose the final and Spurs will be well aware of that. They are going into the game as underdogs and have a lot less to lose than the Blues.
Pochettino’s men can have a go, enjoy their day out and even if they go a goal down, know they are easily able to get back into the game. If Chelsea go a goal down, the situation will be vastly different and the Blues may well combust.
5. Spurs are the masters at scoring late goals
And conveniently for the north London side, Chelsea are the masters at conceding them.
The Blues have dropped points against Manchester United, Manchester City and Burnley this season after holding the lead and even saw their Champions League first leg opponents Paris Saint Germain pull one back. They also had the lead at White Hart Lane before getting drubbed when the Spurs attack came to life, so it wouldn’t really come as a shock to see Spurs go behind and still manage to win.
Eriksen et al specialise in late goals this season and that mentality could well be key if they want to emerge victorious by tea time on Sunday.
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