Chelsea Ease To Victory Without Breaking A Sweat
Chelsea (2) - (0) Arsenal
Stamford Bridge, London
Well that is Arsenal’s title challenge officially over for yet another season.
Before going into the games against Aston Villa, Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool we were still in contention, but now, even before the Liverpool game, we find ourselves 9 points behind Chelsea. Ever since we threw away the FA Cup our form and confidence has collapsed and we’ve draw one and lost two.
Arsenal have suffered defeat 6 times this season, twice to United, twice to Chelsea and once to Manchester City. If anything confirmed the fact that we were a Top 3/4 side then that was it.
Strangely, both the away and home games against United and Chelsea followed the same
At The Emirates, both Manchester United and Chelsea dominated their games against us and completely deserved their victories. We were simply outplayed and tactically they were superior. We had no answer to anything they threw at us and our defensive frailties were exposed.
But today was similar to the match at Old Trafford. We dominated possession, passed the ball well but couldn’t take advantage, and in the end, the clinical finishing (combined with naive defending) was our undoing.
It was the same old story. Lots of pretty passing, decent possession but lacking that killer instinct in the final third. Too many times we were in fantastic attacking positions but the final ball was lacking. With a better final pass, we could have scored 2 or 3 against Chelsea. If you play poorly then you can hold your hands up and admit the other team was better but today was particularly frustrating to watch - a decent performance but in the end the fact is we are just not good enough.
We might as well go through the goals.
Didier Drogba is dangerous at the best of times but to gift him two goals was… I don’t know, ridiculous? naive? amateurish? sloppy? I realise that Arsene doesn’t teach defending and quite honestly when they scored the goals they did I wasn’t disappointed like I usually was, I saw it coming. We concede the same kind of goals time and time again and it’s just frustrating that we don’t learn from it.
Gael Clichy is clearly targeted and almost every attack (in both the United and Chelsea games) went down their right hand side. And why not? Wenger doesn’t change things so once you see a team like United use a particular game plan then all you really have to do is emulate it. So how many Arsenal fans were shocked when the first goal was a set-piece and the second was on the counter attack?
The fact was that Chelsea didn’t even step out of first gear. Their win over us today was easy. We know they can defend so all they had to do was pick us off whenever they could be bothered. In the first half they punished us but in the second they just sat back and strolled to the final whistle. They forced us wide and we had to resort to crossing into the box, which never works for us, and they can cope with easily. John Terry and Ricardo Carvalho can defend crosses in their sleep.
Anyway, the first goal was from a corner. Malouda crossed from the left and John Terry won the header after he lost Vermaelen and the ball fell to the far post where Drogba tapped in from two yards. Drogba was amazingly unmarked (Song lost him) and we gifted Chelsea a simple goal.
I would like to know why we didn’t have a man on the far post though.
Then the second was on the break. Arsenal (like against United) had possession on the edge of the Chelsea box and Chelsea won the ball, played 2 simple passes through and Drogba waltzed into the area and smashed the ball into the net.
22 minutes, and the game was over.
After that, we threatened here and there but never really looked like scoring. There were a few skirmishes but you felt that if Arsenal had somehow miraculously managed to get a goal then Chelsea would just step it up a gear and kill off the game. In all fairness, it was a walk in the park for Chelsea.
There were some positive performances, from Diaby, Song, Vermaelen, Gallas and substitutes Eboue and Bendtner, but that’s not enough. Cesc was trying his hardest to make something happen and he carved out 2 or 3 real opportunities only for his team mates to waste them. Andrei Arshavin had a massive chance at 1-0 to equalise but once again, he let us down.
Arshavin doesn’t really give a shit anymore, and he wants to leave. Partly because he’s being played out of position, and partly because he doesn’t think Arsenal are real title contenders. You can see it in his body language, we strolls around and doesn’t care. Can you blame him? Maybe not, but I expect 110% from anyone who puts on an Arsenal shirt. Unfortunately, he’s not the only one who hasn’t been performing.
There’s the argument that the vast majority of the squad are overpaid and pampered kids who are being rewarded without having won anything. I personally don’t think that’s the main reason why we’re once again not challenging for the title, because players like Song and Diaby have really stepped up this season. The fact is we’re just not good enough.
And that is down to Arsene Wenger. The squad isn’t strong enough. I’ve never been one to shout about buying players (mainly because I don’t ever expect Wenger to spend any money) but unless we strengthen in key areas then we’ll always be also rans.
We don’t need a complete overhaul of the team, we just need to get rid of dead wood like Almunia, Clichy, Walcott and Bendtner. I don’t have anything personal against them (and I’ll always support them if they’re in an Arsenal shirt) but I just don’t think they’re good enough. They are all players who have been at the club for 5 years plus and not improved. Bendtner was okay today but Van Persie is the top quality striker we need.
I am pissed off with today’s game? Not really, we all knew winning at Stamford Bridge would take a miracle. I was hoping something special could happen, but we Arsenal fans watch the game week after week and know what to expect.
I just hope Arsene gets his act together and looks at defending more seriously because we won’t get far in the Champions League with defensive performances like that.
February 7th, 2010 at 8:00 pm
don’t know if anyone noticed, on the first goal Aluminia had his eyes closed
http://img51.imageshack.us/img51/4830/chelseavarsenal001.jpg
February 7th, 2010 at 8:00 pm
Plz go back 2 442
February 7th, 2010 at 8:01 pm
Wenger is in a comfort zone no pressure from grateful fans. It’s no suprise the players are also comfortable with failure when it counts. Anyway over time something will give!
February 7th, 2010 at 8:04 pm
And how exactly do you defend the performances of Rosicky and Nasri ??? What we really need is a change of manager,you said it yourself,HE DOESNT TEACH DEFENSE,how can we have a manager that doesnt teach defense,it is mind boggling.
February 7th, 2010 at 8:04 pm
Same old same old.
Wenger will blame injuries and that we are still learning… blah blah blah blah
Just feels sad that no one can do anything about this one man show.
February 7th, 2010 at 8:04 pm
Glad wenger didnt buy a striker because we are the most offensive team in the premiership. how many goals in the last 3 games ????
Most intelligent people expect the best but prepare for the worst, wenger continually fails to prepare for the worst and we keep sufffering because of it. if he is unable to do this simple task let someone else have a go.
February 7th, 2010 at 8:05 pm
It is derelict of duty not teaching defense.
February 7th, 2010 at 8:07 pm
Sorry was i watching the same match Arsenal were outstanding all they were missing was the striker, goalkeeper, and centreback that everyone knows Wenger should of bought in the window. Arsenal totally outplayed Chelsea remember beat Liverpool on Wednesday night and its a clear run to the end it aint over till its over
February 7th, 2010 at 8:08 pm
Almunia, Clichy, Walcott - I have been telling everyone about this trio for the last 2 years. They are VERY POOR. Bedtner is not a bad player, AW needs to play to his strengths. RVP is not available so revert to a 4-4-2 with Arshavin and Bedtner up front. Play Rosicky and Nasri on the flanks and Song and Fabregas in the middle. Bring in Fabianski for that Clown in goal and bring Traore back in for Clichy.
February 7th, 2010 at 8:11 pm
Oliver wake up mate,we didnt outplay Chelsea dont be as delusional as Wenger if you think a decent centreback and a decent attacker will solve this problem you are in for a rude awekening,this team is rotten to the core,tactically,mentally,physically and morally.The only way we are gonna go forward is to change the manager
February 7th, 2010 at 8:12 pm
cant wait to hear the spin arsene puts on this one.. if this arsenal team is not enough to bring on the great depression, i dont know what is..clearly the champion’s league is all thats left. n you are right about arshavin mate, i think that sodding immigrant has forgotten were he came from.
February 7th, 2010 at 8:18 pm
What more proof did wenger want to show he should have bought an out and out striker. All that possesion and and what did it get us. The defence lost drogba twice and bang 2 goals and the game was over.
Wenger cant blaim anything or anyone else for the these kind of results. He bought some of the dros that litters this squad. At 8 players need to be sold in the summer. Almunia, Fabianski (they are both shit), Eduardo, Vela, Silvestre, Traore, Chilcy and my Favourite… Denilson. Replace them with 3-4 players who are top class. New keeper, new centre back, new Striker are a must.
February 7th, 2010 at 8:20 pm
Arsenal F.C. need to bring in a strong quality number two manager who knows his mind and will challenge some of Wenger decisions. This man should be ready to take over after one season.
February 7th, 2010 at 8:21 pm
Sky’s Andy Gray said we played well today, and that’s enough for me to believe in the exact opposite.
We had more possession, more corners, more shots and you know what? Cech only had one save to make, at that was pretty routine for him. Without Van Persie we are toothless. Our most dangerous attackers right now are Gallas and Vermaelen. And for a team which is apparently the ‘most offensive in the league’ that is shocking. When throughout the game did Walcott, Nasri, Bendtner, Rosicky and Diaby look like scoring? Without Fabregas we are pathetic. We are almost a one man team, like Liverpool and Gerrard.
Did you hear Wenger the other week? He said that finishing third is better than winning the FA Cup! The guy is on another planet!
I wish we didn’t throw away the FA Cup, and our performance in that was unforgivable, especially to the fans who made he journey up to Stoke.
February 7th, 2010 at 8:23 pm
You guys need some defenders and a striker and you could win it all, today could have been 2-2 but for super Cech, still a long way to go good luck on Wednesday, Chelsea will win FA cup, and the Prem super blues
February 7th, 2010 at 8:25 pm
What a load of rubbish is being posted here. Yes we lost, did we deserve to lose, probably not.
A change of manager!! Why does everyone assume that this is the way forward?
Your kidding yourselves. Things need to be changed but those changes are not huge.
We have lost 2 games to the best 2 teams in Europe for the last 3 years and all we hear is moaning. If and when Wenger goes, you will then see an Arsenal team really struggle to get into the CL places. Never mind beating the Manks and Chelski.
February 7th, 2010 at 8:25 pm
Yea, a club like Arsenal F.C. should have a squad good enough and big enough to compete for all trophies. We, apparently, have the money.
February 7th, 2010 at 8:27 pm
why do i have this feeling it is the first time I actually didn’t feel gutted or absolutely depressed after an Arsenal defeat it just feels so normal
February 7th, 2010 at 8:29 pm
song is one booking away from a two-match ban — and (of course) we don’t have any strong cover for dm.
if we have any money we need to bring in some 6′+ players with experience as well as quality (cf cm c b) ; if we don’t we must sell one or two of our short-arsed players (even those that we like) to pay for the former.
we cannot keep going season after season with a bunch of 5′8″ lightweights in tghis league. fact.
accoring to sky, aw tried to bring in a goalie this week…..
February 7th, 2010 at 8:30 pm
Quote from Wenger,we were the better side,what is going on in his head has his delusional state of mind taken him so far that he lives in a paralel world now.For all his comments they make him look silly and dumb.Why doesnt he just own up once and for all and say something like we were crap i will rebuild in the summer,it would give him a lot more credit.
February 7th, 2010 at 8:32 pm
Aman, we did deserve to lose. We looked good after going two goals down because Chelsea sat back and let us have the ball in front of them because they are all bigger and stronger and knew we were unlikely to break them down.
I think we are luck Chelsea played like this because though we would have scored had they continued to come out after they scored two, we would probably have conceded 4 or 5
February 7th, 2010 at 8:33 pm
Aman,have you been watching for the last six seasons ??? Remmeber it is the same manager that started project Youth.
February 7th, 2010 at 8:33 pm
clichy was on the post for the first goal. Watch it again, hes pointing like and idiot and just walks to the other side of the goal. He is shockingly bad. Cant defend cant cross. What does he do.
February 7th, 2010 at 8:39 pm
It has been said by all who know about the game - even before the season started. 1 quality goalkeeper, powerful central midfielder and quality striker. We are that close to being serious title and CL contenders
February 7th, 2010 at 8:43 pm
Aman, you are as disillusional as Wenger. What is this belief that without Wenger we will turn into Leeds United?
With a manager who is tactically intelligent would make all the difference. Wenger makes the same substitutions time and time again - if we’re losing he throws on 3 strikers. But why are we always chasing goals in the last 20 minutes? Because our defence is a joke! Wenger ignores defending again and again. If it wasn’t for Dixon, Adams, Keown and Winterburn when he first arrived we wouldn’t have won the Double in 1998.
How does Wenger think we were the better side today? Cech only had one save to make in the entire 90 minutes! Possession is fuck all without scoring goals. I thought Chelsea were far better than us today without even having to really try.
February 7th, 2010 at 8:43 pm
‘AW tried to bring in a goalie this week.’
No, more like he saw that Stoke City, yes Stoke City !!, had bought a new keeper and Wenger thought he’d have a look through their dustbins and see what they were throwing out.
February 7th, 2010 at 8:49 pm
People are already spouting a load of bollocks and I expect we’ll get a lot more of this through the week.
Graeme Souness was the guy who spoke good sense. Listen to him.
We are not so far off being a great team but there are some key areas that need addressing.. MistaKen summed it up above. As Souness said, probably three experienced players, one of which is a big kick-ass striker like Drogba and some serious defensive coaching.
February 7th, 2010 at 8:52 pm
Chilcy has been awful since his return - he was on the back post when the corner was going to be taken, then went to the front post ? leaving Drogba a tap in. For the second goal Chilcy had the chance to get a tackle in on Drogba, but let him turn him !!! Almunia looked scared and didn’t go for anything … he watched Drogba’s shot and when Drogba took the free kick that hit the bar he was static, no attempt to go for it at all !!. I just wish that Arsene would grow up and stop trying to fill a team with players he has bought on the cheap and brought through. We all love what he has done with and for the club, but his current attitude seems mental ! the best teams he has had are when he has bought players Henry, Overmars, Pires, Viera, Petit who played in front of a solid back 4 who already knew how to defend. So come on Arsene, stop being a knob and go and get a few to make us great again. I honestly do believe that we have lost Cesc now though guys, he deserves to play in a great team and we are just a good team !
February 7th, 2010 at 8:55 pm
AJ, 3 experienced players? Is that it?
How many experienced players has Wenger brought in over the years? Last summer it was Vermaelen. The season before it was Arshavin… we only bring in one player per season, and that’s if we’re lucky.
IF Wenger was to bring in experience then it would take 3/4 years to do so. And by that time, teams like United, Chelsea and Liverpool will have strengthen further.
Do you not know about Wenger’s youth project? He isn’t going to bring in experience! Surely you know that AJ, unless you’ve never watched Arsenal. Wenger himself has said that bringing in players would ruin the confidence of the youngsters he’s invested a lot of time in.
February 7th, 2010 at 8:57 pm
Does anyone agree with me that AW should have tried replacing Arshavin with Ramsey (I love this guy) 20 or 15 minutes before the end. Not saying we would have won but I thought Arshavin was beginning to wilt.
February 7th, 2010 at 9:00 pm
Almunia,didnt have much to do in second half,werent culprit on goals.
Clichy,horrible(toattly lacking in form used to be very good playing with the invincibles).
Sagna,bombs away and fails to defend,not horrible but close.
Vermaelen,gives everything shows heart and desire but given the run around today,still quality.
Gallas,anyone wanna give this geriatric a new contract in the summer,hope not,totally outclassed today by the drog.
Song,sometimes like today seems like he has smoken weed before game,slow as a tortoise,Obi mIkel showed how you do it.
Fab,major disappointment again in big game,does a lot off firefigting but totally dominated by fat frank and Essien wasnt even there,deary me.
Diaby,clueless a real Wenger player master of overelaboration.
Arshavin,yet again tried hard but played out of position by his hapless manager no wonder he wants to leave.
Walcott,not fit to waer the Arsenal jersey complete waste of space,
Nasri,extremely infuriating lazy,lethargic performance cant hit a barn door.slow in action slow in mind, rubbish.
Rosicky,not a footballer,rubbish pretty little patterns and falls over physically complete in the wrong league,better as stand in for Tom Cruise or as pretty boy bartender,fancy dan not fit to wear an Arsenal jersey,send back to Czech republic where he can frollick in his whores.
Nicky B,big fat umph,talks alot about his giant talent,how about showing you fat fuck,a giant Perry Groves.
Eboue,didnt contribute big plus.
February 7th, 2010 at 9:03 pm
Bendtner, Walcott, Eboue, Denilson, Clichy, Vela, Almunia, Fabianski, Traore, Silvestre…feck me with have some sh!te…WENGER OUT!
February 7th, 2010 at 9:05 pm
wenger has lost notes, stubborn and doesnt want us to disbelieve in his ideology. he is just crap and i must say some thing next to an idiot. IQs have gone below 50%
February 7th, 2010 at 9:06 pm
Yes AJ, Souness can see it, we can see it, the whole fucking world can see it. For five seasons we have all seen it.
But there is one stupid, stubborn man who won’t see it !!!!
February 7th, 2010 at 9:11 pm
Its hardly fair to say Chelsea never broke sweat.They were forced to work very hard but they had two early goals to hang onto.We actually played well in midfield today but Wenger’s lack of willingness to confront weaknesses cost us.we don’t defend set pieces properly,especially against big teams.We also can’t use a (talented) midget at centre forward against two huge defenders in a game like this.
Wenger doesn’t seem to learn from his mistakes-Ferguson clearly does
February 7th, 2010 at 9:17 pm
PAT RICE - What’s the point?
What does he do, he doesn’t say anything during the game and sits there as if he’s pooped his pants.
He doesn’t train the players, he doesn’t talk to the media….what the hell is the point of him…all he does is put the cones out in training.
Where’s the £40 we got for Adebayor & Toure gone on top of our other ever growing transfer budget?
SACK THE BOARD
February 7th, 2010 at 9:40 pm
http://www.goals.se/2010/02/07/highlights-chelsea-arsenal-2-0/
This goals really killed us . .
February 7th, 2010 at 9:43 pm
Typical reponse from “fans” after a defeat. Our fans are an embaressment. Spoilt, ungrateful and embaressing.
We played well today. We lost - it happens, get over it.
I’m sick of all the fiucking whining and moaning, people throwing their toys out their pram like spoilt children when we don’t get a result.
It’s pathetic.
Before Wenger came we didn’t even challenge at the top, we were happy to qualify for the UEFA Cup ffs!
When we decided to build the new ground it was obvious we’d suffer financially. The fact that Arsene has kept us up there while others throw millions at their team (we can’t) is remarkable.
Chelsea were nowhere and we datys away from ghaving to sell their prized assets when Abromovich came and bought sucess. Man City are doing the same. Man Ut were streets ahead of us before Arsene arrived.
Some people need to engae their brains and look and the bigger picture rather than spouting absolute shit and proclaiming we should buy this player and that player. It’s not Championship Manager, it’s real life.
There were NO big signings in the window, NONE. No player wants to move country in a World Cup year, no club wants to sell quality players unless it comes at a stupid price (think Everton selling Lescott to Man City).
Arsene has hd to work with one arm behind his back. The board admitted in the summer that Arsene hasn’t had the funds. The club took on a project of building a new stadium and redeveloping Highbury. Sadly the world economy and housing market changed drastically during this time with the Highbury flats being worth considerably less than during the plans.
Arsene is making sure we have a future, the board are ensuring we have a future. So many clubs are financially in the shit.
Th away fans were fantastic today and one reason for that is becuase the players were putting the effort in and were playing well.
I don’t care what response this post generates, you can slag me off but the simple fact is i have an understanding of the bigger picture and can see what the club and Arsene are trying to achieve and what a difficult task that is.
February 7th, 2010 at 9:59 pm
Sidcup Gooners, you are a legend.
And Merse, please tell me, how much does it cost to teach defence? Because the sad truth is when Keown taught the likes of Senderos, Toure and Flamini how to defend as a unit in the season were reached the Champions League Final it put Wenger’s nose so out of joint that he told Keown that he couldn’t coach at Arsenal anymore.
Is that something a brilliant manager does? Gets rid of the guy who can teach defence to players like that? If he could get wasters like Senderos to defend and Flamini who isn’t a left-back then God knows what he could do with Gallas, Vermaelen, Clichy and Sagna.
February 7th, 2010 at 10:02 pm
And another thing, the problem I have is that Wenger doesn’t learn from his mistakes. He is incredibly stubborn. United carved us open and Chelsea did exactly the same a week later. What kind of manager doesn’t see things like that?
And I’m not talking about big money signings or spending money. I’m talking about a manager who is so stubborn it’s ruining what could be. The biggest problem is Wenger.
February 7th, 2010 at 10:06 pm
this is our worst season ever. its so humiliating. AFC has now become underdogs and a laughing stock
February 7th, 2010 at 10:35 pm
No response Merse? Thought not.
February 7th, 2010 at 10:52 pm
if Wenger had the money and choose not to spend it this is crimminal on the other hand if Wenger had no money than the board has to go , me thinks the board has to go.
SACK THE BOARD.
February 7th, 2010 at 11:32 pm
what a bunch of moaning aunts.
how can anybody call for a change of manager,
idiots. two poor results against the best teams in the league.
i hate arsenal fans. who do you want in charge steve bruce.
next time your in the garden grow a pair, sick of arsenal having fans without nuts.
February 8th, 2010 at 12:11 am
DKNY Gooner “this is our worst season ever” just goes to show how little you know about the club doesn’t it.
February 8th, 2010 at 12:46 am
How about a response to my post Merse? Or can’t you reply to it?
Laz, I guess you believe that Arsene is untouchable then? I can’t believe people like you can’t see obvious problems with the current side. And I’m not talking about spending loads of money, I’m talking about basic defending. Even Lee Dixon said we couldn’t even do basic defending and that was our biggest problem over the last two weeks. Is that a valid point or is Lee Dixon some kind of ‘bitter ex player’ since you know, he said something negative?
Can you honestly say you are perfectly happy with how Arsenal play defensively? I’d be interested in your answer.