Gary Lineker was a lad, still wearing his Barcelona suntan, the last time
Tottenham beat Chelsea 10 years ago.
So it was no surprise to see Gianluca Vialli's cosmopolitan mix prove too
strong for George Graham's honest but severely-limited plodders yet again at
White Hart Lane.
But on a day four Frenchmen took the field and one other - Chelsea's Frank
Leboeuf was left on the bench - the biggest shock of all was the identity of the
Gallic match-winner.
Not only did big Bernard Lambourde, unheralded former Bordeaux defender, tame
the exquisite skills of David Ginola, he also took time out to score the only
goal from Dennis Wise's crafty free-kick seven minutes into the second half.
Cocky captain Wise slipped a quick set-piece past Tottenham's badly-organised
defensive wall after Sol Campbell had been penalised for wrestling with Chris
Sutton and Lambourde found himself totally unattended as he coolly chipped over Ian Walker.
In fact, it was his second goal of the season having been a match-winner again
at Middlesbrough in October and how Spurs could have done with his finishing
touch.
Sadly they do not possess a marksman with even a fraction of Lineker's
predatory sniping which earned that last long-ago Tottenham win at against their
rivals from Stamford Bridge with one of the goals in a 2-1 triumph in February
1990.
It was the same old story for Graham's team. Plenty of huff and puff but not
enough class to unhinge Chelsea's composed authority.
The traditional grandstand finish produced a spate of near-things, Steffen
Iversen's header clipping the bar before he was carried off on a stretcher after
Ed de Goey stopped another snatched effort by the Norwegian with an outstretched
foot.
Spurs also had a confident claim for a penalty in the first half when
Lambourde appeared to bear-hug Ginola as Iversen headed on a long-distance
clearance by Walker.
But Chelsea should have had a spot-kick too for Mauricio Taricco's desperate
clatter into the back of Chris Sutton just when the goal-starved £10million
striker looked poised to head in Gus Poyet's cross.
Referee Graham Poll,
perfectly in tune with the Premier League's new leniency decree - he showed only
one yellow card, to Poyet, in a rugged encounter - turned down both appeals.
Spurs had been indebted to Walker's lightning reactions which prevented them
going two down in the first 10 minutes.
Yet Sutton should have put away an easy chance to improve his paltry goal
tally of just three in 19 starts after breasting down a classic lay-off header
by the enduringly classy George Weah who had earlier tested the keeper with a
fierce angled drive.
Walker could not hold either shot but solidly pushed both of them away, the
second a wonderful instinctive stop at close range.
Tottenham could not be faulted for effort and Sherwood's improvised
back-header looped just over the Chelsea bar following the disappointing Darren
Anderton's free-kick before Ed de Goey did well to scramble Anderton's half-hit
drive around the foot of a post.
Chris Armstrong should also have done better when nipping in ahead of Emerson
Thome to meet Steve Carr's cross but could make no meaningful connection and the
chance slipped harmlessly away.
But Chelsea's extra class was invariably apparent in the first half with Weah
always a dangerous foil for Sutton's hard-working, muscular runs and the
promptings of Wise and Deschamps.
For the opening goal Campbell was penalised for a wrestling match with Sutton
just outside the area and Wise's quick-thinking with the free-kick was too much
for the slapdash organisation of the Spurs rearguard.
The nimble little midfielder curled the ball around a raggedly-formed wall and
found Lambourde totally unmarked to lift the chance over the helpless Walker.
Tottenham's fighting heart finally produced a near-miss when Taricco's
goalbound volley was blocked by Thome who probably knew little about it.
Then with 16 minutes left the previously anonymous Iversen outjumped all
challengers for Carr's cross and his header clipped the top of the bar.
Suitably inspired at last, Iversen, eight yards out, stuck out a foot to
connect with another cross, this time a low ball from Armstrong and it looked
like an equaliser until de Goey did likewise and turned the ball away.
The effort proved to be Iversen's last of the game and he was carried away on
a stretcher with a possible pulled muscle.
So after defeat in their previous home match against Sheffield Wednesday in a
run of five without a win including the 1-0 defeat at Chelsea three weeks ago,
it was another bad day for Spurs.
News of Arsenal's demise at Bradford was the only thing that cheered up their
sorely-tried fans but the mood was still in severe contrast to that of the
visiting supporters who celebrated their side's 10th consecutive game without
defeat and a climb up to fifth in the Premiership table with a lusty last-minute
outburst of "You'll never beat the Chelsea".
Sadly for Spurs it is beginning to look that way.
Teams
Tottenham: Walker, Carr, Perry, Campbell, Taricco, Clemence,
Sherwood, Anderton (Nielsen 85), Ginola, Armstrong,Iversen (Korsten 80).
Subs Not Used: Baardsen, Scales, Young.
Chelsea: De Goey, Lambourde, Desailly, Thome, Harley,
Petrescu (Morris 84), Wise, Deschamps, Poyet, Weah, Sutton (Flo 76).
Subs Not Used: Cudicini, Leboeuf, Zola.
Booked: Poyet.
Goals: Lambourde 52.
Att: 36,041
Ref: G Poll (Tring).
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