ARSENAL IMPLODE UNDER PRESSURE
Heading into this game all the pressure was on Arsenal as they had
slipped to third in the Premier League table over the weekend. They crumbled as Chelsea won 1-0 thanks to a moment of madness from Per Mertesacker.
For the second time this season against Chelsea a red card in the first
half caused Arsene Wenger‘s
side to self-implode and even before they went down to 10-men in the
17th minute they were second best. Whether it was nerves or just coming
up against a side who has had their number so many times in previous
meetings, Arsenal lacked urgency and were punished for slack defending
and a failure to deal with the threat of Diego Costa.
Wenger will be disappointed that his side missed the chance to go back
to the top of the Premier League and once again shot themselves in the
foot against their London rivals. The Gunners have now failed to beat
Chelsea since 2011 and haven’t scored in their last six games against
the west London side, and you wonder whether they have a mental block
when facing them. Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny
looked nervous early on and the former couldn’t handle Costa’s pace
in-behind and was caught out as he tried to play offside, then blocked
off Costa and received a straight-red as the last man.
This defeat doesn’t mean Arsenal’s title hopes are over. Far from it.
And if their best chances had fallen to anybody other than Mathieu Flamini
on Sunday then they could have nicked a point as they impressed in the
second half with 10-men. However, it does throw up even more questions
about their mental fragility when they reach landmark moments such as
this. The Gunners squandered a great chance to send out a
message that they are ready to win the Premier League.
RED-HOT COSTA A CONSTANT PAIN
Costa is a pest. He is a menace and a nuisance but when he is focused
and channels his immense amounts of aggression in a positive way, you
get a performance like Sunday’s. The Spanish international, 27, bullied
Mertesacker and Koscielny and was always playing on the last shoulder.
That caught out Mertesacker as he got the wrong side and when Willian‘s
inch-perfect pass found Costa in the clear, even though he made a meal
out of Mertesacker stepping across him it was clearly a penalty which
Mark Clattenburg did well to take his time on before brandishing the red
card.
If reducing Arsenal to 10-men — for the second time this season, as
I’m sure Arsenal fans won’t need to be reminded about his antics
involving Gabriel and Koscielny back in September during Chelsea’s 2-0
win — wasn’t enough, Costa then delivered the game-winning moment just
five minutes later. A delicious cross from Branislav Ivanovic
found Costa in the six-yard box and his instinctive one-touch finish
marked his sixth goal in his last six games. He’s flourishing under Guus
Hiddink and his aggression, for now, seems to be controlled. His return
to form could be the biggest indicator yet that Chelsea have, finally,
turned things around and on the back of his goals could storm on and
secure a top 10 finish. He remains a polarizing figure but is back doing
the business.
BLUES REWARDED FOR BRAVERY
Before kick off the camera panned in on Cesc Fabregas (who was fabulous throughout) and Oscar
having one final word. Hand movements and serious expressions on their
face looked to have already unveiled Chelsea’s plan to undo Arsenal. The
duo were gesticulating in circular motions and looked to be saying “get
in-behind” and that is exactly what the Blues did time and time again.
Oscar and Costa forced Koscielny into an error early on which led to the
former having a shot tipped wide of the near post by Petr Cech, and their high-pressing in certain areas denied the Gunners from dictating the tempo early on.
After they scored the goal and had a man advantage then it was easy
enough for Chelsea to hold on despite a few hairy moments with Thibaut Courtois,
uncharacteristically, struggling to gather high balls into the box.
This victory now means Hiddink has won three and drawn four of his seven
games in charge in all competitions. Chelsea haven’t lost since Jose
Mourinho was fired eight games ago and they are now six games unbeaten
at the Emirates Stadium and nine games overall against the Gunners. The
Blues were brave early on and were rewarded for taking this game by the
scruff of the neck. Now, let’s see if a victory away at a title
contender can give them the confidence to kick on and well and truly
push themselves away from the relegation zone and into the relative,
albeit unwanted, safety of midtable. Also, Chelsea is 14 points off the
top four. Just saying…
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