DIEGO again. Arsenal must be sick of the sight of him. The nagging, supremely irritating wasp that keeps buzzing around them and refuses to be swatted away.
 |
| Diego Costa's strike proved enough for Chelsea to beat Arsenal |
Diego Costa did for Arsene Wenger’s team back in September when he unhinged them with his sheer aggression, getting Gabriel sent off as Chelsea won 2-0 at Stamford Bridge.
And now this, a potential dagger to Arsenal’s title hopes. Per Mertesacker sent off early on as Costa broke through Arsenal’s defensive line, and then the man himself scoring the only goal of the game six minutes later.
The formbook stood on its head and Arsenal, who would have regained the lead in the title race had they beaten a Chelsea team struggling for any kind of shape, instead stand third this morning, three points behind Leicester.
After they meet Burnley at home in the FA Cup on Saturday, Wenger’s side face resurgent Southampton at home, a tricky trip to Bournemouth, and then Leicester at the Emirates on Valentine’s Day. The psychological damage from this defeat might be huge. It could be a broken heart on February 14 if this sloppy performance is repeated.
The hoary old statistic was that Wenger never beat Jose Mourinho while the Special One was in charge in his two spells at Chelsea. Mourinho has gone and it is cuddly old Guus Hiddink in charge – and still Arsenal struggle. It is now 572 minutes without a goal against Chelsea in the league over three years, nine games.
Wenger admitted beforehand that if his team had a mental block about playing Chelsea, they had to shrug it off. They manifestly failed to do so.
And it was not just the supremely bolshie Costa who was to blame. Chelsea produced their best league display of an admittedly wretched season, and the former Gunner Cesc Fabregas, booed at his every touch, was at the very heart of it.
Fabregas has had a poor campaign but he ran the game; his passing astute, his movement clever, his previously doubted determination right to the fore.
And of course, there was Diego. Recovered from a bruised shin injury in time to play, the Spaniard was at his best; tireless, aggressive, but more importantly, in the right place at the right time.
 |
| Fabregas was superb for Chelsea as they looked back to their best against Arsenal |
As befits a team who started the game just four points off the relegation places, Chelsea started nervously. But Arsenal simply handed them the match, their passing sloppy from the off.
Joel Campbell wasted a first-minute chance as he miskicked, and Chelsea were sharp on the break. Willian burst through the middle and released Costa. Mertesacker turned with the speed of an oil tanker, looking vainly for an offside flag, and then scythed down the Chelsea forward.
It was a clear red card – Arsenal’s fourth in five League games against their cross-capital rival – and at that moment the match began to slip away from Wenger.
It slipped further when Branislav Ivanovic crossed from the right and Costa got ahead of substitute Gabriel at the near post to slot home.
 |
| Per Mertesacker was sent off in the 17th minute |
Wenger had removed Olivier Giroud, much to the crowd’s fury, though the Frenchman was nursing an ankle injury. Often then it was only Mesut Ozil leading the line.
BBC pundit Alan Shearer tweeted during the game: “Looks like Chelsea have done the best bit of business in the window with 12 new signings.” It was a reference to the fact that this same set of players had barely lifted a leg for Mourinho towards the end of his tenure.
This Chelsea were often deadly on the break. Cech turned Willian’s shot around the post, but Arsenal’s best chance arrived on the stroke of half-time as Mathieu Flamini volleyed Aaron Ramsey’s cross over the bar.
Fabregas should have had a penalty as Laurent Koscielny barged him off the ball inside the area but Chelsea were by this stage being pinned back. A great block by Kurt Zouma denied Koscielny, and then goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois foiled Flamini again.
A battered Costa then limped off, taking an age, to Wenger’s anger. But as the Gunners threw themselves forward, that vulnerable defence once again threatened to undo them.
Chelsea wasted a golden chance when Eden Hazard could have put Loic Remy through but fluffed his pass, and then Willian dragged his shot wide.
The ghost of Mourinho is still haunting this fixture. And certainly Arsenal’s defence.
ARSENAL (4-2-3-1): Cech 6; Bellerin 6, Mertesacker 5, Koscielny 6, Monreal 6; Flamini 7, Ramsey 7; Campbell 6 (Sanchez 57, 6), Ozil 6, Walcott 6 (Oxlade-Chamberlain 75); Giroud 6 (Gabriel 22, 6). Booked: Flamini. Sent off: Mertesacker. NEXT UP: Burnley (h) Sat, FA Cup.
CHELSEA (4-2-3-1): Courtois 7; Ivanovic 7, Zouma 7, Terry 7, Azpilicueta 7; Mikel 7, Matic 6; Willian 8, Fabregas 7, Oscar 7 (Hazard 77); Costa 7 (Remy 63, 6). Booked: Oscar, Matic, Mikel. Goal: Costa 23. NEXT UP: MK Dons (a) Sun, FA Cup.
Referee: Mark Clattenburg.
Post a Comment Blogger Facebook Disqus