Own goal

By Boris Mellor
November 30 2009

As I watched the players warming up I was surprised that the Emirates pitch was not being watered, after all it was only a torrential downpour. It was cold and damp and no doubt memories of last season's 4-1 defeat played on a few minds. Would we do better this time round?

Fabregas had also given it some thought but he tried to raise spirits in his Captain's notes by writing that although Arsenal had been beaten 4-1 they could have been 3-0 up in the first twenty minutes, "we had so many chances but we didn't take them". He won't have to change his notes that much for next season's fixture, apart from the bit about being 3-0 up.

This time Arsenal managed only 3 chances all game, yes there was lots of pretty football but none of it came to anything. There were too many diddy men watching the ball go over their head. There were no options, low crosses were cut out, and high crosses headed out by tall Chelsea defenders.

Arsenal won possession and the midfield, that's why Wenger could afford to take Song off, he wasn't needed. The Chelsea play came from long balls down the wings. Increasingly Anelka and Cole were cutting in at the byline. Sagna had a mare, he lost Cole for the first goal, and backed off for the second. On both occasions Cole's crosses led to goals. By the end of the first half Arsenal were out of the game, and out of the championship.

It did appear that Arsenal might make a comeback at the beginning of the second half, from where I was sitting Arshavin's goal looked ok. Wenger insisted it should be allowed, but I have watched the replay and Eduardo's boot was above waist height on Cech as he kicked the ball out of his hands; these days no referee would allow such an infringement.

 Unfortunately although a correct decision it probably convinced the Gunners there was nothing they could do. As Arsenal began to stretch themselves to get a goal Chelsea attacked all the more. It finally came from a Drogba free kick as a result of more lousy defending.

It was men against boys, and unfortunately Arsenal without RvP and Bendtner seem even weaker than the team that wore the colours last year. The team is no longer pressing, and too many short men are upsetting the balance of the team. There is no leader of the line, indeed there is no line. For the moment the goals have dried up.

At some stage they will adapt, but it will not be enough against teams as good as Chelsea. Walcott and Vela are not, at the moment, match winners, in footballing terms they are still boys.

Arsene you set the test as being Chelsea, so you can't blame the press, the team sat your test and failed miserably. Would RvP have changed things? Possibly, there would have been more spirit up front, and goals change games. Perhaps Bendtner could have unsettled defenders, either way it demonstrates that the squad lacks depth.

After all it was the failure of Arsenal to score that saw Chelsea's confidence grow as the match progressed. Well we know Arsenal will not win the league, can they stay in the top four? Stoke now will be a big test, I suggest Arsene make sure they prepare well for it as they failed to wing this one.

As they crowd made its way home in the cold and the damp the consensus around me was that nothing had improved since last year.