Better than Barca and Bayern - Chelsea 0 Arsenal 0

Valhalla
By Boris Mellor
April 27 2005

Chelsea are still eleven points ahead after this game, and the table doesn’t lie, they have been more consistent than us. Arsene has conceded the Premiership to them, although I suspect he had already done so weeks ago.

 It’s his job to motivate Arsenal, not to be the jolly hockey sticks sporting type,  and how the title is conceded is important to how it is won or lost next season. Hence the mind games from Wenger. Also Wenger covets second place so as to avoid extra matches next season.

One of the criticisms levelled at Arsenal is that they have underachieved in Europe, and therefore it is argued that their record in the Premiership doesn’t count. Forty-nine unbeaten is mocked by some fans because they lost 3-2 on aggregate to Bayern. On the other hand Chelsea are greater because they beat Bayern 6-5 on aggregate. Therefore Chelsea are the greater team in the Champions League – which cannot be denied this season (although they are yet to win it).

Never mind we can console ourselves with being the best team in London, 34 matches unbeaten by any London team. And for Chelsea that is 18 games since they beat the Arsenal, but nobody ever asks why they underachieve in London. So we are unbeaten by Europe’s finest, does that make us better than Barca or Bayern?

 

Anyhow these are tongue in cheek musings, the important thing is that yesterday’s match shows that Wenger is back on track. The defence has found its confidence again, and some of our passing was at its silkiest best. Chelsea might have intended to let us have the first two thirds of the pitch, but I am sure they did not intend to give Pires two clear chances on goal in the first 20 minutes. The first clipped the underneath of the bar, the second sent uncharacteristically wide by the Frenchman. Pires miss hit his shot from where Freddy would normally be, in that sense we really missed the Premiership’s most ruthless chance taker. If either of these chance’s were taken perhaps the game would have been very different,

However Chelsea were content to play the waiting game and strike back with devastating breakaways. They were highly dangerous with their long ball game, but fortunately for Arsenal Duff and Drogba showed little ruthlessness in front of goal. Chelsea had more chances than the Gunners, but the latter had more possession, pushing up at every opportunity. This of course did leave the back exposed at times, but all the defence, including Lehmann defended magnificently. Cole even had time to keep his namesake under control and go on a few attacking runs.

Considering Arsenal had a hard game on Saturday the game was played at breakneck pace. Not a classic, but more a cup tie, it was pulsating with plenty of action to keep both sets of fans, and neutrals entertained. Neither side made concessions, but it was played in a sporting spirit with none of the spite you expect from Man U or Blackburn.

Cole who was booed throughout the match for the crime of being tapped up by Kenyon was deservedly Man of the Match. Are you sure you want to mix with such cretinous fans Ash?

In the last ten minutes Wenger went for broke putting on Aliadiere and van Persie, but Chelsea were coming to the conclusion that a draw was good enough. It was too late for Arsenal to step up a gear. The final chance went to Drogba with a free kick on the edge of the area. No doubt many Gooners could not bear to look, they needn’t have worried, it cleared the defenders wall and the bar.

So Arsenal could not stop Chelsea’s advance to the title, but they have delayed it, and it could mean that Chelsea will have to try and win it at Bolton. But more importantly the performance shows that Chelski’s millions have not yet raised the bar beyond Arsene’s grasp.