Chelsea grinds out draw at Arsenal
Source: Agencies |
April 22, 2012, Sunday
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CHELSEA held out for a 0-0 draw against Arsenal at the Emirates yesterday as neither London club enhanced their prospects of finishing in the English Premier League's top four.
Sandwiched between Chelsea's Champions League semifinal against Barcelona, the derby proved a listless affair which left Chelsea in sixth place and Arsenal in the driving seat for a top three finish in third.
With three matches remaining Arsenal has 65 points, six ahead of Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United who both have played two games fewer. Newcastle was hosting Stoke City and Tottenham travels to Queens Park Rangers later.
Chelsea, which will try to defend a 1-0 lead at the Nou Camp on Tuesday, is sixth, a point behind Newcastle and Tottenham, with four games left.
Robert Di Matteo's Chelsea, playing its third game in less than six days, made eight changes to the side which beat Barcelona last Wednesday with Didier Drogba, scorer against Barcelona, not included because of a knee injury.
The Blues were resolute at the back though with John Terry and Gary Cahill, who repelled everything Barcelona could throw at them in midweek again impressive, restricting Arsenal to few chances, the best of which was a Laurent Koscielny header that smacked the crossbar in the opening period.
"It was a brilliant team performance," Di Matteo told Sky Sports. "The organization, team spirit, effort and commitment was great. It was a magnificent point.
"This was our third game in six days which personally I feel is crazy but we showed there is a great quality in this team."
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said he was surprised the game had not been more open as the Emirates witnessed a first goalless draw this season, following his side's 1-2 defeat by Wigan Athletic in midweek.
"It was a strange game, they decided to lock it up and catch us on the break," Wenger, who saw Theo Walcott limp off with a hamstring injury, said. "They waited for us in their half of the pitch and we were not sharp enough to open them up."
Arsenal created most of the game's best chances, several of them falling to top scorer Robin van Persie who for once was guilty of profligate finishing.
The Dutchman's best chance to add to his 27 league goals arrived after the break when he sliced a right-footed effort horribly wide.
The battle for the league title continues today when leader Manchester United hosts Everton and second-placed Manchester City is at bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers
Sandwiched between Chelsea's Champions League semifinal against Barcelona, the derby proved a listless affair which left Chelsea in sixth place and Arsenal in the driving seat for a top three finish in third.
With three matches remaining Arsenal has 65 points, six ahead of Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United who both have played two games fewer. Newcastle was hosting Stoke City and Tottenham travels to Queens Park Rangers later.
Chelsea, which will try to defend a 1-0 lead at the Nou Camp on Tuesday, is sixth, a point behind Newcastle and Tottenham, with four games left.
Robert Di Matteo's Chelsea, playing its third game in less than six days, made eight changes to the side which beat Barcelona last Wednesday with Didier Drogba, scorer against Barcelona, not included because of a knee injury.
The Blues were resolute at the back though with John Terry and Gary Cahill, who repelled everything Barcelona could throw at them in midweek again impressive, restricting Arsenal to few chances, the best of which was a Laurent Koscielny header that smacked the crossbar in the opening period.
"It was a brilliant team performance," Di Matteo told Sky Sports. "The organization, team spirit, effort and commitment was great. It was a magnificent point.
"This was our third game in six days which personally I feel is crazy but we showed there is a great quality in this team."
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said he was surprised the game had not been more open as the Emirates witnessed a first goalless draw this season, following his side's 1-2 defeat by Wigan Athletic in midweek.
"It was a strange game, they decided to lock it up and catch us on the break," Wenger, who saw Theo Walcott limp off with a hamstring injury, said. "They waited for us in their half of the pitch and we were not sharp enough to open them up."
Arsenal created most of the game's best chances, several of them falling to top scorer Robin van Persie who for once was guilty of profligate finishing.
The Dutchman's best chance to add to his 27 league goals arrived after the break when he sliced a right-footed effort horribly wide.
The battle for the league title continues today when leader Manchester United hosts Everton and second-placed Manchester City is at bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers
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