Tottenham ready for another Chelsea battle as Roberto De Zerbi rallies the troops | OneFootball

Spurs gameplan is clear, as manager calls for “calm, with blood”

Almost 10 years ago to the day, Tottenham arrived at Stamford Bridge looking to keep their Premier League title dream alive.

A decade on, and the stakes have shifted dramatically, with Spurs needing a win at Stamford Bridge tonight to secure Premier League survival and complete a remarkable turnaround in fortunes under Roberto De Zerbi.

But some things never change. Spurs have won just one of their last 40 trips to Stamford Bridge, and three points at the home of their London rivals remains as scarce now as it did in 2016.

“It’s good to imagine ourselves celebrating the win in their stadium,” De Zerbi said in his pre-match press conference.

Always calm with blood. With blood, with personality, with the right spirit

De Zerbi

“It’s the reason football is like this, no? It’s a motivation, it’s a challenge.”

Motivation is not in short supply for either team, and De Zerbi says his side must embrace the pressure of being the club that so many rival fans want to see relegated.

“I am Italian, and in Italy, it’s the same. For the biggest teams, it’s the same. We have to accept the pressure. We have to enjoy this pressure. We have to find new motivation from this pressure. I think it’s a good thing for us. If everyone wants Tottenham relegated, it’s a big motivation for me, and I hope for my players as well.”

At the end of a tumultuous season, there is something cathartic about Spurs being able to put their relegation fears to bed against Chelsea.

A win would prove to be a huge statement of intent for De Zerbi and justify the faith he has shown in his squad, who he believes are capable of far more than they have produced this season.

History, though, is not on their side, and De Zerbi admits that cool heads, the right blend of “calm with blood”, is the only way Spurs can arrest their Stamford Bridge hoodoo.

“Always calm with blood. With blood, with personality, with the right spirit.”

Roberto De Zerbi

Getty

The same sentiment applies to De Zerbi, whose animated touchline behaviour means he is one booking away from a suspension.

The Italian must lead by example, if Spurs, who rank second-bottom to Chelsea in the disciplinary table this season, are to avoid a repeat of the scenes that made the ‘Battle of the Bridge' one of the most instantly iconic games of the Premier League era.

Nine Spurs players were awarded a yellow card that evening - the most by a single team in Premier League history - while Mousa Dembele was retrospectively banned for six games after gouging Diego Costa’s eye.

The relegation race is “not finished yet”, according to De Zerbi, and he is determined to get the job done tonight to avoid a nail-biting final day.

Any talk of Spurs playing for a draw against Chelsea, which would effectively keep them up due to their superior goal difference, has been dismissed.

De Zerbi wants Spurs to play without fear. This, after all, is a Chelsea side that has lost six of their last seven league games and were beaten by Manchester City in the FA Cup final.

Not once in 10 years has this fixture had so much weighing on it. Victory for Spurs could be transformative.

By banishing the demons of the past and securing Premier League survival in the present, they would most importantly of all offer a glimpse into the future.