Arsenal and Chelsea play out a drab affair : A Premier League Review
It has been always a slug fest , every season, the Chelsea-Arsenal London Derby.
Both , members of the big six would punch away with all vigour. In the past few years Chelsea though had probably a better part of the spoils.
This year promised to be different. Chelsea have been unusually wobbly , with an distinctly poor run. An often shuffled and disjointed attack and the defense looking vulnerable at best . Their management troubles just added to the sombre air around Stamford Bridge.
Arsenal ,meanwhile have looked premium. A young hungry team, some with silky touches, others with endless energy arrayed in the midfield and the attacking line. Their defensive performance has never been better for a long time.
It all was evident on the whistle. Arsenal kept the ball more, ran more, created more. The wings were overloaded in turns, Cucurella knew he would his hands full, as Saka continued to enhance his reputation.
It was more of a probing game through both the halves. More midfield action than drama in the box. Aubameyang , taunted by travelling fans, hardly got a run. The only time he was in the box for a possible tap in chance , the cross from Havertz was anything but one.
Arsenal’s best chance came from a Martinelli cross some distance outside the box. Jesus arrived from nowhere and with a gaping net to his left, all he could manage was a glance past the near post. A different haircut would have probably given him the goal, that is how close it was.
They broke even at halftime. The second half was almost a repeat of the first. A probing Arsenal and Chelsea holding on.
The Second Half goes Arsenal way
Just past the hour, the deadlock was broken. It took a strange goal to do that. A low corner from Saka went through the crowded box, bounced and spun while the crowd of players strangely parted like the biblical sea. Mendy missed the path of the ball and Gabriel nudged an already goalward headed ball ,into the top of the net. What was to be Saka’s was now Gabriel’s on the scoresheet.
Arsenal grew in confidence as Chelsea seemed to be struggling. Brajo and Gallagher were thrown in, But it was just not one of Chelsea’s day’s and they continued to struggle. Arsenal could have added one or two more.
It was a scrappy game , more jostling than movement, more midfield runs than goal mouth action. Both goalkeepers hardly troubled and a freak goal to settle it all. While it was a poor cousin to the earlier clashes between these two teams, it had a winner and all said and done Arsenal probably deserved it.
Arsenal continue their fairytale run, while Chelsea might need divine intervention to save their season.
Potter has his job cut out and he knows it more than anyone else.
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Sudhir Bhattathiripad
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