Chelsea defender Gary Cahill has revealed that his team’s loss to Tottenham Hotspur on New Year’s Day was a wake up call and the Blues regrouped in the aftermath of that crushing defeat.
Jose Mourinho’s side were taken apart by a resurgent Tottenham Hotspur as they put five past Thibaut Courtois to inflict a 5-3 defeat on the league leaders.
Spurs’ star Harry Kane was in inspired form that day as he scored a brace, assisted Nacer Chadli’s goal and won a penalty that Andros Townsend converted to heap misery on the Blues at White Hart Lane.
Four months on, Chelsea are on course to win their first league title since the 2009/10 season, having taken a commanding ten-point lead in the table over second placed Arsenal, whom they face this weekend at the Emirates Stadium.
And Cahill has revealed that Chelsea’s loss to Tottenham on New Year’s Day was a timely reminder for the players and they have gone from strength to strength since then.
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“At the time it was a blow, but it shows the character we have in the squad to react in the way we did to that result, because it can go one of two ways”, the England international told his club’s site.
“It’s impossible to go through a season without getting a kick in the teeth somewhere along the line, that game made us realise that we needed to regroup and go again.
“The response to that result has been absolutely fantastic and that’s down to the spirit in the squad.”
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