Sun 11 March 2007, 12:00
Tottenham HotspurMartin Jol insisted it was a big compliment to the lads that they were disappointed after our FA Cup draw against champions Chelsea at fortress Stamford Bridge.
Martin Jol insisted it was a big compliment to the lads that they were disappointed after our FA Cup draw against champions Chelsea at fortress Stamford Bridge.
We were just four minutes from a famous quarter-final victory when Salomon Kalou volleyed home to force a replay at the Lane on Monday week, March 19.
Martin lined-up in a 4-3-3 system wiuth Aaron Lennon just behind the front two of Dimitar Berbatov and Jermain Defoe and we looked a threat going forward for the first hour of the game. That resulted in a 3-1 lead at half-time via Berbatov, an own goal and Hossam Ghaly, two of those set-up by Lennon.
The speedster then had a one-on-one saved by Petr Cech and Chelsea forced their way back in, Lampard scoring his second of the tie to make it 3-2 before Kalou's heartbreaker for 3-3 four minutes from time.
To put the performance into perspective, Chelsea's last home defeat was against Barcelona in the Champions League in February 2006.
They haven't lost at home domestically since Charlton knocked them out of the League Cup on penalties after a 1-1 draw in October 2005 while in 90 minutes, you have to go back to February 2004 for their last home defeat against a Premiership side - yes, Arsenal - and that was also their last home loss in the Premiership. They've gone through 2004-05, 2005-06 and so far in 2006-07 without their colours being lowered in the league at Stamford Bridge.
Sunday was also the first time they've conceded three goals at home in Jose Mourinho's time in charge.
"We cannot sit down and blame ourselves because we have another game on Wednesday and we have to pick ourselves up," reflected Martin. "It is a great compliment to us that we are disappointed after a draw at Stamford Bridge.
"We have played 17 cup games this season and over 90 minutes we have not lost. Their first goal was a lucky goal and the second, from a set piece, is something we have to concentrate on.
"But the pleasing thing is we have scored 20 goals in six matches and it’s a long time since Chelsea conceded three goals at home.
"We’ve done well away because we had a schedule of five away matches in six games and we’ve managed five wins and a draw, a good sequence of results.
"There are a lot of positives after a disappointing spell two or three weeks ago."
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