Sunday afternoon in west London was not pleasant. The air temperature was a scorching 34 degrees, and it was even hotter on the Stamford Bridge pitch as players from both Chelsea and Tottenham ferociously competed in Premier League action.
For the benefit of those representing the two clubs, one-minute water breaks were approved across the two halves by the Premier League. They provided the players an opportunity to rehydrate and – momentarily at least – cool off. Given the pace and intensity of the game, a brief respite was much needed.
Yet the pauses in action also provided the two head coaches, Thomas Tuchel for Chelsea and Antonio Conte for Tottenham, opportunities to reaffirm tactical instructions and outline tweaks that would hopefully give them the edge across the remainder of the half.
