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There was no end to the hoodoo, no end to the winless Spurs streak at Stamford Bridge that has stretched nearly a quarter of a century.

But even though this was a comfortable victory for Chelsea, it was not a dark night for Tottenham.

Because in this defeat, the signs of a side that has real potential and which is starting to improve were visible.

Sure, the visitors were undone by defensive failings. Vlad Chiriches had a particularly uncomfortable night trying to contain Eden Hazard.

But then anyone who tries to contain Hazard usually has an uncomfortable night. It’s one of the most uncomfortable jobs in football.

Despite those flaws, though, there was much to admire about Spurs. With the ball, they looked cohesive and fluid.

Without the ball, they found it harder. They look like a side that is several evolutionary steps behind Chelsea but ready to try to catch up.

They have a fragility that Jose Mourinho has eradicated in his Blues. They have great talents like Erik Lamela, who have not yet learned to harness that talent effectively.

Mourinho does not tolerate frippery. Nor does he tolerate a failure to embrace defensive responsibility. Spurs are still pockmarked with those faults.

But the seeds of a fine team are there.

They started impressively, playing with confidence and flair, playing like a side that had started to buy into the methods of manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Chelsea 3-0 Tottenham in pictures:

Lamela, the master of the rabona, produced some wonderfully extravagant touches. Some worked. Some didn’t.

Spurs passed the ball neatly and assuredly, Nabil Bentaleb and Ryan Mason anchored midfield intelligently and Kane led the line with great zest and perseverance.

And they might not have won at the Bridge for 24 years but for the first 20 minutes their fans dreamed of breaking the hoodoo.

They nearly went ahead with a fine move started by Mason winning the ball midway inside the Chelsea half.

He spread the ball wide to Aaron Lennon, whose perfect cross eluded Gary Cahill and was met by a Harry Kane header which crashed against the bar.

Spurs kept pressing.

When Cahill made a mistake on the ball, Kane held him off superbly and lashed a shot just wide. But Tottenham did not capitalise on their fleeting superiority and everyone knew it would not last.

When opposition players make mistakes against Chelsea, Chelsea punish them.

And so when Lennon did not track back with Hazard, Hazard played a 1-2 with Didier Drogba and scored.

When Hugo Lloris made a hash of a clearance, Chelsea pounced on it, recycled it, fed it to Drogba and Drogba scored.

And when Jan Vertonghen failed to deal with the energetic physicality of Loic Remy 17 minutes from time, Remy left him on the seat of his pants and scored.

Chelsea are that ruthless and that good. Spurs are a work in progress and are still fallible.

But if Pochettino is given a chance – and that is an awfully big ‘if’ where Spurs are concerned – this side carries the promise of brighter times to come.