Lampard lifts the Blues as Gunners slump
Source: Agencies |
January 4, 2012, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
LATE goals provided a fresh twist to the tussle for fourth place in the Premier League on Monday, as Chelsea surged to victory at Wolverhampton Wanderers and 10-man Arsenal slumped to defeat at Fulham.
After the title itself, fourth place is the most hotly contested prize in English football, bringing with it the prospect of qualifying for the lucrative Champions League.
For Chelsea to be occupying that place at Arsenal's expense as it prepares for the second half of the season, can only be good news for Blues coach Andre Villas-Boas. That said, his sights are set even higher.
Chelsea appeared set to drop points when Stephen Ward canceled out Ramires' goal in the 84th minute, but Frank Lampard produced a late goal to secure a 2-1 win at Wolves and end a four-match run without a win.
Arsenal showed no such powers of recovery, though, losing by the same scoreline at Fulham after Steve Sidwell canceled out Laurent Koscielny's first-half header in the 85th minute.
Already down to 10 men following Johan Djourou's sending off in the 78th, Arsenal's defense was breached again in stoppage time when Bobby Zamora produced the winner.
Chelsea now has a one-point advantage over fifth-place Arsenal, but is eight points behind the pacesetters, Manchester rivals City and United. "If we go on a winning streak of five or six games, which we are capable of, we can be fighting for this league," Villas-Boas said.
The focus turns back to the title race with City, leaders on goal difference, taking on Liverpool late last night, and third-place Tottenham hosting West Bromwich Albion.
For Arsenal just capturing one of the four Champions League places is the priority for a club that used to be a regular Premier League title contender.
Despite an injury crisis, the Gunners had looked like building on its victory over Queens Park Rangers when Koscielny headed in his first goal in almost a year at Craven Cottage.
Fulham had squandered several chances to equalize when the game turned in the hosts' favor with Djourou's second yellow card. Having already been booked for catching Sidwell in the 63rd, he went for pulling back Zamora on the edge of the penalty area.
"The first yellow (for Djourou), I felt the referee got all wrong," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said.
Compounding Wenger's misery was two former Arsenal players combining to produce the equalizer. Wojciech Szczesny pushed a corner out to Philippe Senderos, who nodded the ball forward to Sidwell to head home. And in stoppage time, Zamora buried the ball in the bottom corner of the net after Sebastien Squillaci failed to fully clear Stephen Kelly's cross.
After the title itself, fourth place is the most hotly contested prize in English football, bringing with it the prospect of qualifying for the lucrative Champions League.
For Chelsea to be occupying that place at Arsenal's expense as it prepares for the second half of the season, can only be good news for Blues coach Andre Villas-Boas. That said, his sights are set even higher.
Chelsea appeared set to drop points when Stephen Ward canceled out Ramires' goal in the 84th minute, but Frank Lampard produced a late goal to secure a 2-1 win at Wolves and end a four-match run without a win.
Arsenal showed no such powers of recovery, though, losing by the same scoreline at Fulham after Steve Sidwell canceled out Laurent Koscielny's first-half header in the 85th minute.
Already down to 10 men following Johan Djourou's sending off in the 78th, Arsenal's defense was breached again in stoppage time when Bobby Zamora produced the winner.
Chelsea now has a one-point advantage over fifth-place Arsenal, but is eight points behind the pacesetters, Manchester rivals City and United. "If we go on a winning streak of five or six games, which we are capable of, we can be fighting for this league," Villas-Boas said.
The focus turns back to the title race with City, leaders on goal difference, taking on Liverpool late last night, and third-place Tottenham hosting West Bromwich Albion.
For Arsenal just capturing one of the four Champions League places is the priority for a club that used to be a regular Premier League title contender.
Despite an injury crisis, the Gunners had looked like building on its victory over Queens Park Rangers when Koscielny headed in his first goal in almost a year at Craven Cottage.
Fulham had squandered several chances to equalize when the game turned in the hosts' favor with Djourou's second yellow card. Having already been booked for catching Sidwell in the 63rd, he went for pulling back Zamora on the edge of the penalty area.
"The first yellow (for Djourou), I felt the referee got all wrong," Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said.
Compounding Wenger's misery was two former Arsenal players combining to produce the equalizer. Wojciech Szczesny pushed a corner out to Philippe Senderos, who nodded the ball forward to Sidwell to head home. And in stoppage time, Zamora buried the ball in the bottom corner of the net after Sebastien Squillaci failed to fully clear Stephen Kelly's cross.
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