It was a moment that summed up the chaos and emotion of a dramatic night at Stamford Bridge — Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou cupping his ears towards the away fans after what he thought was an equaliser. But once again, VAR intervened, the goal was chalked off, and Chelsea held firm.

For many watching from the Shed End and the Matthew Harding stands, Postecoglou’s gesture looked like defiance — a manager digging in amid criticism from his own fans. But as he later explained, it was actually a plea: a call for the Spurs faithful to rally behind their team after what he believed was a turning point in the match.

“I just wanted to hear them cheer because we’d been through a tough time, and I thought it was a cracking goal,” he said. You can’t fault the Aussie for passion, but at Stamford Bridge, passion without precision doesn’t get you points.

Tottenham fans had been fuming earlier after Postecoglou took off young midfielder Bergvall for Pape Sarr — a move that drew boos and chants of “you don’t know what you’re doing” from the away end. Ironically, Sarr scored the disallowed goal minutes later, but a foul on Moises Caicedo meant Chelsea were let off the hook.

From a Chelsea perspective, the whole sequence showed two things clearly: Spurs are rattled, and Stamford Bridge is becoming a fortress again. The Blues have struggled for consistency this season, but against their London rivals, they showed grit, defensive steel, and — most importantly — unity.

Postecoglou might downplay the boos and try to spin his gesture as motivational, but the truth is there’s a growing disconnect between the Spurs dugout and the stands. Chelsea fans know that tune all too well — we’ve sung it ourselves in tougher times. But now, it’s Tottenham’s turn to feel the heat.

Meanwhile, Chelsea just keep grinding. Under Enzo Maresca, the Blues are showing signs of a side that’s learning how to win ugly. And on nights like this, when your opponent’s manager is trying to rally his own fans mid-match, you know you’ve got them exactly where you want them.

Keep cupping those ears, Ange. Stamford Bridge will keep making the noise.