By Boris Mellor
December 21 2005

For the first fifteen minutes Chelsea pushed Arsenal back, but eventually the Gunners midfield wrested control and began to create chances. On twenty minutes Henry’s shot beat Cech but not the bottom of the post, the ball went back into play.

 Chelsea scrambled the ball out, but within a minute Arsenal had the ball in the net. No doubt the finest move of the match; a flowing move had culminated in van Persie’s inch perfect shot. When the goal was disallowed van Persie could not believe it and he beat the ground in rage.

 

Later TV replays showed that van Persie was onside, and that Henry was not interfering with play. If the goal had been allowed it might have been a different game, but we will never know.

 

Arsenal continued to press and the defence began to keep a high line up the pitch. Chelsea responded by drawing back deep and lobbing the ball hopefully over the heads of the Gunners defence. Senderos was high up the pitch when he was nut megged and the advancing Robben had no problem beating Lehmann. It was a sucker punch efficiently delivered.

 

In the second half Arsenal continued to press, but without any real test for Cech. However the Gunners were still in the game, but on 72 minutes Cole took a miss-controlled ball of Lauren and once again Lehmann had no chance. The game was over, Arsenal kept trying but Chelsea’s defence, backed up by its midfield does not concede two goals away from home. Arsenal’s best attempt came from Bergkamp, a good shot well saved by Cech.

 

No Class at all

Afterwards Mourinho refused to shake Wenger’s hand, the reason he gave was that Arsenal had tried to get Essien sent off. I thought he did that well enough on his own He had hit both van Persie and Lauren in the face with his elbow, and only got a talking to after a nasty foul on RvP. That well known Arsenal lover Graham Le Saux was moved to say that he didn’t think Essien had deserved a red for any of these infringements, but  rather three yellows, or one and a half reds would have been just.

 

Meanwhile the Chelsea fans had sung that Wenger was a paedophile for at least half the match. One hilarious ditty being “have you ever seen Wenger with a bird?” Well with their pathetic eyesight I suspect not.

 

You can’t help wondering if such sick behaviour is not encouraged by a manager who described Wenger as a “voyeur”. Wenger should have sued him when he came out with it.