De Zerbi's false nine carries Tottenham ahead

Tottenham won the match, played under heavy wind and rain at Stamford Bridge, after a single hard challenge in the first fifteen minutes. Cole Palmer's knee challenge on Matheus Fernandes changed the course of the game. Palmer received his second yellow card, and Spurs quickly scored twice to go ahead.

However, the win cannot be attributed to that incident alone. Roberto De Zerbi's tactical plan was the main factor that gave his side control on the pitch. His high-tempo style of play also aimed to exert psychological pressure on the opponent.

At Chelsea, Xabi Alonso abandoned the 3-4-3 formation of recent times and set up in a 4-4-2. Morgan Rogers and Cole Palmer played as false nines. However, because those two moved erratically to press, Chelsea's two-man midfield was constantly left exposed.

De Zerbi's false nine, Omar Marmoush, knew very well when to drop deep. By playing wall passes to teammates and dropping into midfield, he created a two-versus-four advantage in the centre. Tottenham's decisive edge came precisely from here.

Alonso found no answer to this. Perhaps his side's failure to adjust to the pace and physical tempo of the Premier League played a part. De Zerbi, by contrast, appears to have instilled these qualities in his team. Had Alonso used a 3-4-3 shape in his own style, he could have broken this advantage by tracking Marmoush with a spare centre-back.