Nacer Chadli was productive against Chelsea in Tottenham Hotspur’s 5-3 win despite a lack of passes in the final third.
Tottenham’s stunning 5-3 win over Chelsea was remarkable for a number of reasons.
Belgian winger Nacer Chadli’s performance was just one of them. The £7 million signing scored once and provided an assist, to continue his superb 2014/15 season so far.
This contribution was even more remarkable considering he only made eight final third passes during the entire game.
| Match | Successful Final Third Passes | Mins Played | Goals | Assists | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nacer Chadli | Tottenham vs Newcastle | 21 | 90 | 0 | 0 |
| Nacer Chadli | Tottenham vs Burnley | 20 | 90 | 0 | 1 |
| Nacer Chadli | Tottenham vs Liverpool | 15 | 90 | 0 | 0 |
| Nacer Chadli | Man City vs Tottenham | 13 | 90 | 0 | 0 |
| Nacer Chadli | Aston Villa vs Tottenham | 11 | 90 | 1 | 0 |
| Nacer Chadli | Tottenham vs Southampton | 11 | 90 | 0 | 1 |
| Nacer Chadli | Tottenham vs Stoke | 9 | 90 | 1 | 0 |
| Nacer Chadli | Tottenham vs Chelsea | 8 | 90 | 1 | 1 |
Of all of the matches Chadli has played 90 minutes in the Premier League for Spurs this season, the 5-3 win was his worst in this key area, making only eight.
Yet what makes this so remarkable, is it is the only game he has scored and provided an assist in which he has played the full 90.
It perhaps speaks volumes for Tottenham’s healthy lead, but while Chelsea held 54 per cent of possession, Spurs saw plenty of the ball.
Chadli’s clinical use of his time in the final third was key in sealing the victory, and fans won’t mind seeing more of this ruthlessness.
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