Didier Drogba and Loic Remy Show Chelsea's Fire Power in Spurs Win
STAMFORD BRIDGE, LONDON — There was no Diego Costa for Chelsea against Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday, but with Didier Drogba and Loic Remy in reserve, they needn't have worried.
Despite a subpar opening 20 minutes—a period in which Spurs dominated—Chelsea won this game with ease, strolling to a 3-0 victory.
It was Drogba they had to thank for it after he first set up Eden Hazard for the opener before expertly doubling Chelsea's lead three minutes later.
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Remy replaced him midway through the second half and got himself on the score sheet to make sure of the result with an excellent third.
The first question in the press conference was inevitable.
"You don't need Diego Costa, do you?" Jose Mourinho was asked.
"We need [him], but I think our mentality is the right mentality," the Chelsea boss responded as he reflected on his star striker's one-game suspension.
"When we don't have a player, we don't cry about it. We give confidence to the others and the others respond in the best way."
Drogba turned back the clock at Stamford Bridge. It was over six years since he scored his first goal against Spurs, yet the time that has passed in between that strike in the 2008 League Cup final and his latest clearly stood for little.
Nothing has changed.
The Ivorian was imperious, bossing the centre-back pairing of Jan Vertonghen and Federico Fazio.
"Drogba did very well, Remy the same," Mourinho continued. "[...] It's remarkable [the way Drogba is playing].
"He is a team player and after that, he has one of these old days mentalities—he's not selfish, not vain, a humble guy who plays for the team and fights for the team.
"He's fantastic as when he's on the bench and he comes to play in the last couple of minutes because the team needs somebody to hold the ball, to help defensive set-pieces, he does it with the same enthusiasm, with the same spirit as when he starts a game against Tottenham Hotspur."
Indeed, with Manchester City seemingly finding their groove at long last, the performances of Drogba and Remy couldn't have come at a better time.
Chelsea need to rely on their squad as the title race heats up and Mourinho is getting the answers he has craved: They are capable.
There's been a danger of getting caught up in the Costa hype as the Spanish international has been so impressive for Chelsea this season.
Drogba did to Spurs what Costa has done to all the opponents he has faced and it was confirmation this team relies on much more than one man.
To suggest that's not the case is lazy, demonstrating a lack of appreciation for what Mourinho has built and is continuing to develop at Stamford Bridge.
The balance in this Chelsea squad has returned and nowhere is it more visible than with the front men.
Last season Fernando Torres, Samuel Eto'o and—to a lesser degree—Demba Ba, were rotated as the manager endeavoured to find the right formula with his strikers.
It was never forthcoming, Chelsea's front three often firing blanks.
All three were replaced in the summer and Chelsea are now a team to be feared.
Ahead of this game the usual stories were written about Spurs' on-going struggle for a win in west London. Not since 1990 have they taken a win of any kind from Chelsea at Stamford Bridge—a run that has now been extended to 28 games and includes 18 defeats for the visitors on the back of their latest loss.
Mourinho suggested that it had no bearing on the game, that few of his players and those of Mauricio Pochettino would have been aware.
"They will be aware tomorrow," one journalist quipped.
Yes, they will and the rest of the Premier League will equally notice the growing reputation of Chelsea as the Premier League's deadliest side.
No Costa, no problem—Chelsea have Drogba and Remy.
Garry Hayes is Bleacher Report's lead Chelsea correspondent. All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted. Follow him on Twitter @garryhayes
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