Tottenham Hotspur v Chelsea: Nemanja Matic Will Be Key For Blues Hopes Of Victory

Chelsea have been conceding goals because of a porous defence this season and this lack of defensive steel could make a huge difference in this afternoon’s London derby with Tottenham Hotspur.

The Blues have conceded 23 goals so far this term, compared to just 32 for the entire 2014/2015 Premier League campaign.

Nemanja Matic is vital to Chelsea’s hopes in the Champions League (Picture: Getty Images)

There are many reasons for this but perhaps the biggest is the lack of protection currently being offered to defenders by the midfield unit.

This is because the best option holding midfielder at the club, Nemanja Matic, is woefully out of form.

For 18 months Matic was one of the shining lights of the Premier League, with his commanding defensive midfield performances giving Chelsea the platform to challenge for major honours.

However, this season he has simply not been at the races. Only once or twice have we seen flashes of what he has to offer, such as his thunderbolt goal in a losing cause against Everton.

Jose Mourinho has kept faith with Matic this season (Picture: Getty Images)

Despite his poor form Matic has started all but one Premier League game so far this season, indicating that Jose Mourinho feels that there is no one close to his level of quality to take over.

With John Terry out, Chelsea will be relying on their defensive midfield shield to protect Kurt Zouma and Gary Cahill and build a platform to build on.

A good performance at White Hart Lane could be enough to give the Blues the edge and a much-needed confidence boosting win, but Matic will need to be on the top of his game if Chelsea are going to continue their mini-revival.

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