Arsenal's quest for a trophy goes on as the Blues dismantled the Premier League leaders 2-0 in their own backyard tonight in the Capital One Cup.
This may not be a priority trophy for either side, but it’s never anything other than a hard-fought and bitter rivalry when Arsenal face Chelsea, and 9,000 Chelsea fans were sure to provoke a boisterous atmosphere.
The relationship between Mourinho and Wenger may have mellowed as a result of Mourinho’s absence from the English game, but it was always going to be a game that would reignite some of the past tension between the two.
Chelsea controlled the early stages of the game, but there was an obvious lack of cohesion in both teams – symptomatic of integrating both regulars and squad players into a starting line up.
For Arsenal, the most notable aspect of the opening exchanges was just how important the rested Giroud is to the team’s forward play. Nicklas Bendtner – lacking intense match practice – was unable to provide the same quality of hold up play as the now indispensible Frenchman, despite putting in a commendable shift early on.
As Arsenal fought their way back into control midway through the first half, there was a sense that their midfield was starting to click, but Chelsea drew first blood. The Blues broke with pace and seemingly lost possession before Carl Jenkinson’s header back to Fabianski lacked sufficient power and Azpilicueta – unfamiliarly high up the pitch – snuck in to poke the ball past the Arsenal ‘keeper.
Arsenal’s immediate response was promising and their play was sharper, but Chelsea stood firm with relative ease.
Neither side really created any significant chance as the game drifted lazily to half time. At the break, Chelsea looked comfortable, Arsenal looked disjointed, and a typically efficient Mourinho victory seemed the most likely option.
The second half was a continuation of the first; Chelsea looked utterly unflappable (quite a feat with Luiz at the heart of their defense), while Arsenal’s game never really sparked into anything threatening.
Five minutes on, a string of corners and good possession followed as Arsenal became the dominant force in the game, with the home crowd’s mood lifting accordingly; Giroud and Ozil started to warm up with intent, suggesting Arsene Wenger was about to play his trump cards in an effort to win the game.
Despite Arsenal’s growing influence, the crowd’s brutal treatment of Bendtner stuck out as irrational and distasteful. Yes he is a divisive figure who occasionally looks disinterested, but to heap such vitriolic pressure on criticism on a player during a game helps absolutely no one.
Wenger decided to introduce Ozil in the 63rd minute for the anonymous, albeit raw, talent, Ryo. The hope amongst the home fans was quickly extinguished in the 66th minute by Juan Mata’s ruthless right-footed strike from the edge of the box, giving Chelsea a cushion that wasn’t wholly deserved.
Unsurprisingly, the Arsenal manager refused to let the game go without a fight, replacing Bendtner with Giroud. Giroud did get a chance to pull one back but his shot was well blocked by Schwarzer after Wilshere’s mazy run.
As the clock ticked over the 75-minute mark, there was a feeling that if Arsenal could get one goal, Chelsea would be under real pressure to hold out for a win, but the Blues never seemed genuinely troubled and were happy to soak up Arsenal’s pressure.
The last ten minutes petered out with a mix of tame attempts at a comeback from Arsenal and multiple Chelsea players suffering from cramp simultaneously.
Somewhat predictably, the score remained unchanged until the final whistle. Mourinho had made great use of his superb squad to overcome a tricky obstacle with some ease. A loss is never ideal, but for Arsenal, you feel they have bigger fish to fry this season – particularly in the league. Their squad cannot stretch to compete in four competitions, or even three in my opinion.
Wenger will be encouraged by Cazorla’s return to form and the fluidity of his team’s game after the introduction of Ozil and Giroud, but Chelsea were the rightful winners on the night.
Statistics
Arsenal
Possession – 53%
Shot(s) (on target) – 12 (1)
Corner(s) – 5
Foul(s) – 8
Yellow card(s): None.
Red card(s): None.
Chelsea
Possession – 47%
Shot(s) (on target) – 14 (3)
Corner(s) – 4
Foul(s) – 10
Yellow card(s): Mikel, Essien
Red card(s): None.
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