Do you need to win a game to regain your confidence?

In a thrilling 1-1 draw at White Hart Lane, Chelsea may have lost two points but won back their sense of self.

Glass half-full? Or glass half-empty?

For the glass half-empty crowd, the problems were obvious. First and foremost, two points were dropped at Three Point Lane. Not good with the top of the table so tight.

Second, Chelsea’s ongoing problems with possession and defence were once again on display in the first half. The flanks were under constant pressure. On the goal, Defoe found room on Chelsea’s right and made an incisive pass. Pavlyuchenko’s first touch spun around two flat-footed defenders, Terry and Mikel, and he slotted home an excellent shot. Where did he find the space?

Third, the early-season “beautiful game” was once again glaringly absent. Sloppy passes everywhere, with Anelka and Essien prime culprits. Spurs and Modric were bossing the midfield and the game.

And yet.

For those who think the glass is half-full, this may prove to be a pivotal game in Chelsea’s season.

Stifled by pressing midfields and high defences as recently as midweek against Marseille, Chelsea’s attack had been a unhealthy shambles of poor passing and desperate long balls.

The cure? The wide open spaces of White Hart Lane. Tottenham don’t press. Freed from tight marking, Chelsea found what they’d lost for so long. You could see their self-belief returning.

The dramatic change came in the second half.

Down a goal, Ancelotti gambled by bringing on Drogba and removing Mikel. I say gambled, because you’d think an attacking team like Spurs would lick its chops at seeing a defensive player being pulled. But instead, the added attacker threw Tottenham into disarray. It was just what Chelsea needed to take over the game.

They dominated the second half. Suddenly their confidence came pouring back. Drogba got one goal on a Gomes blunder and should have had a second when Ramires was brought down in the box. The passing began to click. The attacks came in waves. Spurs were reduced to the occasional, not very convincing, breakaway. Even Ferreira began to look decent against the mighty Gareth Bale.

So Chelsea dropped two points and missed a game-winning penalty. But they may have found their confidence. A fair trade, says I. Arsenal and Manchester United will look at second-half Chelsea and they’ll wonder if the worm has turned. Just in time.

Player notes:
1/ The match commentators criticized Ancelotti for not starting Drogba. But the man’s been in poor form and is obviously suffering from his malaria. To me it made perfect sense. And coming on in the second half, knowing he only had to go 45 minutes, seem to free him. His energy output was much better than in recent games. And he got a goal.
2/ Lampard finally made an appearance! He didn’t do much, but he didn’t have to. The idea was to give him a few minutes in preparation for the massive match next Sunday against Manchester United.
3/ This may have been Ramires’ best game in a Chelsea shirt. He enjoyed the room Spurs gave him. And it was a buccaneering Ramires whom Gomes took down in the box for the penalty.
4/ Other than being flat-footed on the goal, Terry was magnificent. Willing his side on, he even galloped forward on the attack. Haven’t seen that since, well, ever.
5/ Finally, the missed penalty. Some might feel Lampard should have taken it. But honestly, wouldn’t that have been asking a bit much of man who’d only played 10 minutes in the last three months?