So, it seems the prevailing mood is one of satisfaction which I think is fair enough. I'm not disappointed with today's result. We have no divine right to beat the best team in the league. I am with the performance though.
Some have portrayed this as some heavyweight contest where both teams played themselves to a high quality stalemate. I think more realistically, Chelsea did just enough to avoid losing and didn't need to really move through the gears. Yes, Chelsea are an organized, tough team to break down, but like any other team which is far from invincible, if you put enough pressure on them, they WILL crack and are more than capable of being rattled. We simply didn't have (or rather didn't employ) the pace, width, dynamism and aggression required to really make them uncomfortable. None of our players could hold the width, or make runs through the channels. We were also very passive off the ball, failing to press Chelsea when they had possession. A Chelsea troll said they had far more difficult games against City, United, Liverpool and Spurs this season and it was actually a fact. We attempted to congest the midfield and met plenty of traffic there and Chelsea were very comfortable. We didn't really give it a go. Plucky would be my best description of our performance today. Similar to QPR against Chelsea 2 weeks ago, except Ospina didn't gift Fabregas a last-minute goal like Rob Green did for QPR.
We should have really offered a lot more.
Disappointing performance
posted on 26/4/15
I actually thought we played ok.
Ramsey to be fair did ok out wide but it just makes no sence him being there considering we have Welbeck and walcott
posted on 26/4/15
Well maybe Wenger was also happy with the draw? That was my impression at least in the second half. And how different would your article be if we would have won this game when Welbeck could have put that one chance in the net?
posted on 26/4/15
Said it before, if walcott is sold and Welbeck is kept at the club, it will be madness from Wenger
posted on 26/4/15
We didn't need to win the game today and we were always going to be cautious. Psychologically another defeat to Mourinho would be damaging, if not just for the rest of this season but next season, too.
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Thats a very defeatist attitude. So Wenger has never beaten Wenger and nothing has changed.
Did they show on TV how the Chelsea players were celebrating at the end of the game? Where is the psychological advantage in that?
Spurs actually showed us how to beat Chelsea. Cahill/Terry are slow. Theys it deep. So attack them with willing runners out wide and take advantage of them sitting deep. We have actually not been very creative this season because we lack a threat in behind. We have been more efficient at taking our chances but under pressure we know that part of the game that falls apart.
posted on 26/4/15
*mourniho.
posted on 26/4/15
Ramsey's out wide to balance out Santi and Ozil in the middle, I'd rather drop one of Ozil/Santi and play everyone in their right positions. I was pleased after the first half but disappointed we didn't create more in the 2nd. Any time we drop points at home is a bad result but Chelsea are ridiculously solid and hard to break down. Today just showed they're a better team than us and we need to improve to win the league next season.
posted on 26/4/15
Our only creative outlet has been playing with 4 playmakers behind a target-man. With no one to make the runs necessary to open up opposing defences, our remaining games will be dour 1-0 affairs.
Oh well. It's not so bad.
posted on 26/4/15
One thing I agree with though is that the team is unbalanced and we have no width. One of Ramsey, Cazorla or Ozil have to drop out of the team. Our 2 best chances came from Bellerin and Nacho getting in behind their back 4 and cutting the ball back. Every time we went through the middle they dealt with it.
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Spot on.
Giroud had to deal with two or three defenders when a cross came in his direction. We were too predictable here to defend. We did not put any pressure on them. They cant deal with pace as we could see against the freaky game against Spurs. We never troubled them from both flanks. The only chance in the second have we had came from our left flank (I think Monreal put the ball) infront of the goal and Welbs missed out. That is the regret I have. At that point I felt Wenger was happy with the point as well.
posted on 26/4/15
People complain about Ramsey on the wing, but he came back to help out Bellerin time and time again. If we played someone like Theo or Welbeck there Bellerin would be far more exposed.
Is I worth risking the loss for the better chance of a win?
posted on 26/4/15
I thought Chelsea should have won last 2 meetings at the emirates but have been wasteful in big chances. Anyway hope you draw another game and we win our remaining games and Man City lose=2nd for us.
Arsenal winning run had to end one day, why not in your worst attacking performance.