London — Thomas Tuchel and Antonio Conte tried to shrug off a dramatic red-card showdown in a thrilling London Derby, but Anthony Taylor’s performance was no laughing matter for the Chelsea manager. ‘ matches again.
Both managers were cautioned shortly after scoring the first equalizer in Tottenham’s 2-2 draw with Chelsea, but the post-match handshake lasted so long that the final whistle blew and they again fell apart. We faced each other.
Conte reacted enthusiastically to both equalizers, with Harry Kane flicking a corner in the closing minutes after Pierre-Emile Hoybjerg fired a low shot from outside the box in the 68th minute. . Tuchel was not irresponsible either. Right out of Tottenham’s dugout, he sprinted down the touchline in celebration as Reese’s James took Chelsea to the lead for the second time.
Referee Anthony Taylor gave both managers a straight red at the final whistle. This ruled him out of the next match. The fireworks on the field didn’t extend to the post-game press conference. There, both coaches were keen to laugh off their performances, suggesting that Tuchel had some fun on set, and even suggested that Conte might have as well.
The Chelsea manager said: “We compared two players who had a bit of a fight on the field but nothing happened and no one got hurt. Because I was fighting for the team, that’s all, no one was insulted or hurt, we didn’t fistfight, for me it’s not a big deal.
“It was a very intense match. Both dugouts are very close. Did I have fun? Yes, I think he did too.”
Conte was equally keen on building a bridge over London, with Strumash repeatedly saying “it doesn’t matter”. He said Taylor “didn’t understand the dynamics” of what happened in the dugout, suggesting that he believed the red card was too harsh a punishment for both. Unable to help himself, he pointed out that in his view, Tuchel, who seemed to have held the two handshakes longer, was the attacker after the match.
“Honestly, I never want to come back, but I’m sure there are videos to help you understand what happened,” he said. If you think it’s a target, my answer is aggressive.
The red card isn’t the only thing Taylor is in the spotlight for. Tuchel’s anger after the first goal was based, at least in part, on what Chelsea felt was a Rodrigo Bentancur foul against Kai Havertz. Note that managers were briefed prior to the start of the season regarding when to retroactively check for serious fouls. VAR official Mike Dean never looked back at Bentancourt’s challenge, but ruled that Richarlison was not hindering play in an offside position when Huybjerg took the shot.
Dean also chose not to give a red card when replays showed Christian Romero grabbing Marc Cucurella’s hair in the corner just before Kane’s equalizer. It was these events, not the protracted handshake, that mattered.
“I do not think so some fans think [he made bad decisions]I can assure you that the whole dressing room thinks so, and each and every one of you. I don’t understand why the first goal is not offside. I don’t understand how players can be pulled by their hair. This doesn’t explain anything to me and I don’t want to accept it,” Tuchel said.
Taylor, who dismissed Mateo Kovacic in the 2020 FA Cup final three years after conceding a controversial Alexis Sanchez goal, has not enjoyed the best reputation among Chelsea supporters. It suggests that he is held in high esteem by his counterparts in the judicial body PGMOL.
“It might be better [if he did not take charge of Chelsea games]’ said Tuchel when told some supporters held the same belief.Since when did players start being pulled by their hair? [not a foul]?
“If [Taylor] I don’t blame him i didn’t see that. But VAR has someone to check this. Seeing that, why isn’t this a free kick or a red card? In this case this has nothing to do with the referee. If he doesn’t see something, there’s someone to check if there’s a fatal error. “
Tuchel’s reaction was scathing when he was told he would miss Chelsea’s trip to Leeds next week. “Can the referee whistle for the next game, but not the coach?”
The ramifications of this match could go well beyond the Blues’ head coach’s red card.
