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Gunners, Blues serve up bleak midwinter draw
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A FIXTURE billed as a pre-Christmas cracker was more ‘In the Bleak Midwinter’ than ‘Jingle Bell Rock’ as Arsenal’s hopes of regaining top spot in the English Premier League fizzled out in a turgid 0-0 draw with Chelsea.
Nine days after losing 3-6 at Manchester City and having seen its title rivals steal a march on it at the weekend, Arsenal found itself stifled by a defensive Chelsea side and hardly managed a shot on target.
The home fans chanted “Boring, Boring Chelsea” on a rain-lashed night in north London but the visitors actually had the better of what few chances there were and will take greater satisfaction from a spirit-dampening encounter.
Both sides moved up a place in the table, Arsenal to second with 36 points, behind leader Liverpool on goal difference, while Chelsea returned to the top four on 34 points, above Everton also on goal difference.
It could have been even better for Chelsea had Frank Lampard’s first-half volley hit the back of the net rather than the underside of the crossbar.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, who has never lost to Arsene Wenger in 10 meetings after Monday’s draw, appeared quite content to maintain his hold over the Frenchman.
“We controlled the game very well. There was one big chance for us and lots of half chances and for them one big chance and no half chances,” Mourinho told reporters.
“The (Chelsea) goalkeeper (Petr Cech) was not in the game, we controlled the game defensively. We let (Arsenal midfielder) Mikel Arteta play the ball from side to side, we were completely under control.”
Fans who braved a howling gale and driving rain might have wished they had stayed at home to wrap up the Christmas presents.
Many home fans booed at the final whistle and their frustrations were shared by Wenger, who felt his side should have been awarded a first-half penalty when Theo Walcott was caught on the ankle by Brazilian midfielder Willian.
“I think it was a penalty, honestly. If I am wrong I apologize but from outside it looked a penalty,” he said.
“Chelsea defended well, they were well-organized and we didn’t find our zippy movements to play through the lines as we can do.”
Despite a cast list featuring the likes of internationals Mesut Ozil, Eden Hazard and Walcott, it was a night for the defenders’ union to re-establish their authority after a flurry of high-scoring matches in recent weeks.
Chelsea had the better chances in a tepid first half, the best of which saw Lampard crash a volley against the bar after being beautifully teed up by Hazard’s chipped pass.
It took Arsenal nearly 80 minutes to engineer its best chance of the game but Olivier Giroud sliced a left-foot shot horribly wide from inside the box, the cue for many fans to head for the exits on a cold and night.
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