‘Finally’ – Ex-Spurs star takes two positives despite poor performance against Chelsea

Ex-Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Jermaine Jenas was delighted by the impact the new signings made in the 2-2 tie against Chelsea yesterday in the Premier League.

Tottenham travelled to Stamford Bridge on Sunday to face off against the Blues and stole a point despite not being at their best. The away side were cagey on the day as they struggled to get any kind of foothold against a pressing and relentless Chelsea.

Antonio Conte turned things around by subbing on several new additions in the second half, with the likes of Ivan Perisic, Yves Bissouma and Richarlison playing a major role in helping them to finally gain control in the match.

Conte also tweaked his system into a back four at one point after bringing on Richarlison for Ryan Sessegnon around the half-hour mark. Those changes resulted in Spurs posing much more of a threat to Thomas Tuchel’s team.

Jenas commented that it was good to see Tottenham getting a result at Stamford Bridge without playing at their best, as that shows growth.

The former England international also conveyed how the Spurs boss would no longer feel reluctant to make substitutions, which was something he admitted to last season due to a lack of quality options (Evening Standard).

In his column for BBC Sport, Jenas wrote: “On Sunday, we finally saw that a Spurs side can go there without getting anywhere near the levels we know they can, and still get a result against a Chelsea team that – to a man – has played out of their skin.

“The ability to do that is what Conte was searching for with the signings he has made, to meet his demands as a manager. The beauty of all the signings Conte has made is that they give him the depth and flexibility to make the changes he needs.”

“His options now are vast, to change shape as well as personnel, instead of him looking behind him during a game and thinking ‘what’s the point?’ because he might as well stick with the best XI he has got on the pitch.”

Spurs Web Opinion:

There is no doubt that players like Richarlison, Perisic and Bissouma have raised the team’s quality and depth, as was seen in yesterday’s fixture.

The Italian manager will no longer be hesitant to make substitutions as he now feels more confident about his options on the bench, which was not the case last season. Fingers crossed, that will allow Spurs to adapt and change games more.

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