Drawn, but not Blank
Draws are weird. It’s hard to know where you stand with a draw. It’s especially hard when a game’s been so hyped up by headcams and hysterical headlines that you think it can only go one way or the other, either glory or despair. A draw leaves you with a kind of anti-climax, a realisation that there was another possible outcome from a game where you really, really wanted to beat the other side, and not just for the points. I felt like that after the euphoria of Poyet’s last-gasp equaliser on Campbell’s return to the Lane. I guess the feeling you get from a draw depends on a number of things: your preconceptions, the balance of the game and the result you needed from it. Weighing all those things up, last night’s game could have been a lot worse.
Going into a match with Chelsea, you know you’ll have your work cut out. But we started the game on song, taking it to our visitors when they were under fire and under pressure, not least because of their captain’s latest exploits. We got the early goal. They couldn’t get the ball off us for the best part of 25 minutes. And then, controversy struck. A soft free kick against Modric led to an accidental – albeit crucial – handball by Cole, for which our defenders were still subconsciously appealing when Sturridge nipped in to equalise. How we missed the pace and the width of Lennon, how much we could have done with him keeping Cole in his own half. Oh well. Back to the draw and back to the drawing board. Then, just as we thought Ade had put our noses in front again, a linesman’s erroneous flag denied us. At this rate, we could corner the market on wrongly disallowed goals by the new year. Still, a couple of decisions the other way softened the blow, and we don’t often say that when Howard Webb referees a Spurs game. Beni was fortunate to get away with a handball in our box, and Ade could have been sent off for repeated offences after his harsh booking. Then again, Ramires could have gone too. These days, you can get sent off for a Biggles and a half-challenge, as Kaboul found out the other week. Or you can get a straight red for winning the ball too aggressively, as when Jay Spearing speared a little too strongly at Fulham. That's right - you can get a red for winning the ball.
Rafa’s withdrawal at half time really affected the balance of the side and the flow of the fortunes. Enter Super Pav. If only we’d had Defoe’s pace against Terry and Ivanovic. We were suddenly outnumbered in midfield, finding ourselves increasingly on the back foot and inviting Chelsea onto us. They missed a hatful of chances in the second half, but a late rally brought us a few of our own in a game that bounced from end to end. That’s the way it is now. We can take on these sides and give as good as we get, not just frustrate them and hope to nick a goal. Well, at home anyway. We’re now capable of hanging in there with our gloves up and our backs on the ropes, but staying on our feet – and unleashing some damaging counter-punches of our own.
With the bell looming, it looked like we were about to deliver the killer blow. Bale put in Ade for the chance we’d been waiting for, only for the tottering Togolese to stroke it gently past Cech – and into the sliding Terry. Put your foot through it man. Nail it, just like you would have done if you were playing for Arsenal against Tottenham. He did almost everything right, but almost wasn’t enough. He shouldn’t have given Terry the chance to make a fortunate block, to make himself the hero, to march over to the Chelsea fans at the end with his chest puffed out. But Ade’s scored a lot of goals for us so far and all things considered, a draw was probably fair.
The knocks are piling up like unwanted stocking-fillers. Rafa’s hamstring puts him on the sidelines with Lennon and Defoe, although the latter will hopefully be available before the turkey leftovers get cold. With any luck, Rafa will recover as quickly as he did earlier in the season. Kaboul joined the hamstring club in the warm-up and with Ledley, it’s one game at a time. With Dawson still a long way off, we could go into the next few games with Bassong and Willie G our only fit centre backs. Maybe Harry will have to delve into his Christmas gift money for some January purchases.
These derbies represent more than just respectability now. They’re full-blooded and they’re boisterous because now, we want points as well as pride. We’re up there battling for prizes and Chelsea know we’re getting closer. The main thing is that we didn’t allow them to go above us. We’ve seen off another difficult fixture and remain intact. We go into Christmas in third place with all to play for.