I am open to banter, be it aggressive or good-natured, but nothing can be taken away from Chelsea FC after defeating nine-man Arsenal at Stamford Bridge. The positive result means that they once again claim the bragging rights of London and in the process have hopefully got their season back on track.
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As expected the match did not disappoint in terms of providing controversial moments, but this time we didn’t have to look at the sidelines for the action as there was plenty to enjoy on the pitch itself. Diego Costa and Arsenal defender Gabriel squared off with the latter eventually dismissed for a silly kick out at the Blues striker. In a bid to combat common sense, Gabriel lashed out right in front of the referee too.
Yes Costa might have heightened the intensity of the situation by intimidating the referee but Gabriel’s reaction nowadays is more than enough to merit a red card.
This is the second consecutive game where the Gunners were reduced to 10 men (eventually to 9). Chelsea made them pay with a brilliant set piece from Cesc Fabregas leading to a header from Kurt Zouma while Eden Hazard wrapped it all up at the end, making it 2-0 with minutes left to play.
Many may say that the sending off was the moment which changed the fate of the match, but in the balance of play, Chelsea did deserve to win the game as they had more of the possession and more of the shots on target.
Here are 5 lessons learned from the intriguing fixture at the Bridge.
Next: You Can't Ignore Costa
1. Diego Costa: You can hate him, but you can’t ignore him
I think Costa should have been named the man of the match. Even though he did little except get Gabriel sent off, it was that moment which tilted the game in the favor of Chelsea. He was a constant irritation to the Arsenal defenders and he did what he does best (apart from scoring goals) getting on the nerves of the opponents and making them unsettled.
Yes, he receives a huge amount of hate for his actions (which he is getting now from disgruntled Gooners!), but this is one of the major reasons he has become a darling of the fans at the Bridge. He is fearless, he is raw and somehow embodies the siege mentality which Mourinho has instilled in the club.
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It would have been the icing on the cake for Costa personally if he could have scored a goal, and hopefully he should and will find the back of the net in the next couple of games.
One of the best things about Costa being on the pitch is that, even if he isn’t scoring goals, he keeps the Chelsea machine running in high spirits through his own personality. He never stops working for the team even if they are losing miserably which is one of the best characteristics to have on a roster.
Should he have stayed on the pitch or should he have been sent off? That is a debate best left for now, but the point to be noted is that while you can loathe him all you want, he will stare right back at you. And you just can’t ignore that. We are lucky to have him on our squad, a fact further supported after today’s game.
Next: Cesc Back To His Best?
2. Cesc Fabregas, back to his best?
I had a gut feeling that after that confidence-boosting performance against Maccabi Tel Aviv, Fabregas may turn up to play a crucial role in this fixture. I’m pleased that my instincts were confirmed.
In the second half, it was one of his classic dead ball passes that met the head of Kurt Zouma resulting in Chelsea’s first goal. It came at a crucial point in the contest and helped settle the match with Arsenal a man down.
Again, he looked more confident and fluid on ball, making those quick one-twos with his teammates in the middle and upper end of the pitch. These encouraging signs indicate that we might be on the verge of seeing the Spaniard return to the form that made him one of the league’s best players last season.
With some close analysis, it can be said that he isn’t moving the ball forward as fast as he should from the middle of the park, illustrated by the fact that he was caught in possession at certain times, but this will improve as the season progresses.
The only stat we need to think about right now is that Fabregas has a goal and two assists in his last two matches, which will definitely be a huge motivator for the games to come. With him and the others like Matic and Hazard finding their lost conviction, it finally seems like a new beginning for Chelsea this season.
Next: Zouma Proving His Worth
3. Kurt Zouma justifying his selection
What an asset Kurt Zouma is turning out to be for Chelsea. From being a future prospect, he has gone on become a vital cog in the Chelsea wheel and after his performance in this derby, John Terry might face a fight to regain his first team spot.
He has a brilliant balance of pace and strength while he has improved his interceptions and tackling to a great extent. His vital tackle to get the ball from Theo Walcott to foil an Arsenal counter-attack is an example of how far he has come as a player at the club.
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Apart from his defensive abilities, much like Terry the Frenchman is a big threat from corners and dead ball situations, a trait he showed today with an absolute peach of a header from a precise Fabregas free kick.
He has the awareness to create space for himself in the box and also has the power and accuracy to put the ball in the right area where the keeper is less likely to make a save.
At such a young age, he is already cementing his place in the starting lineup for a huge club like Chelsea. One can only imagine what the future holds for the youngster. Hell, we might have found Terry’s successor right within our very own ranks (via St Etienne, of course…).
Next: Walcott Is Not Arsenal's Answer
4. Theo Walcott is not the solution to Arsenal’s attacking dilemma
To exploit a relatively slow Chelsea defense, Arsene Wenger deployed Theo Walcott as the lone striker up front. But unfortunately, this decision now seems to be a failure as the Englishman failed to create any sort of impact for the Gunners.
Walcott is blessed with tremendous pace and balance where he can make direct and purposeful runs from the midfield, tearing apart defenses. But what he lacks is that sharpness and composure which a striker should have in front of goal.
Also, if seen tactically, leaving Walcott as the lone striker against Chelsea defenders who are greatly superior to him physically was a naive move to make.
His relative size means that he can’t hold up the play for his other team mates, while he is not able to chest those long air balls either because he can’t beat Gary Cahill in an aerial contest even if he jumps on a trampoline. Furthermore, Jose Mourinho was genius in deploying Zouma to counter the threat of Walcott’s pace.
On the other hand, Wenger has the perfect center forward in Olivier Giroud who has the physicality that can compete with that of the Chelsea defenders. He has the upper body strength to hold the ball and link up play, and also the brawn to compete for those air balls and even win them at times.
It is about time Wenger understood this and changed his team accordingly, otherwise Arsenal will continuously suffer under circumstances similar to those that they faced at the Bridge.
Next: Embrace The Realities
5. Embrace the realities of the contemporary game
The journalists don’t need to go to another Premier League game this weekend because they already have their major story from the London Derby. The incidences leading to Gabriel’s dismissal is a classic example of a contemporary top flight football game.
Costa might be getting a lot of stick from the Arsenal fans and also from the papers tomorrow for his theatrics, but what we need to understand is that such antics are a part of the game. Costa’s behavior, the biting of Luis Suarez or even diving in general are features that have unfortunately become vital pieces of the modern football puzzle.
The game has progressed a lot in terms of technological advancements like the introduction of goal line technology which have definitely helped fairness. But there are always two sides to a coin. With such advantages come many disadvantages too.
The need and hunger to win is so important nowadays in this cut-throat competition that the managers and players are willing to do anything for it.
Costa’s behavior where he influenced the referee which led to Gabriel’s sending off, for me, is not a surprise because if the tables had been turned, we all know how hell-bent the Arsenal players would have been on sending off the Brazilian.
What we can do, or should I say we have to do, is to accept such changes and reforms in the modern game and get along with it. There is always an unattractive side to the beautiful game and we as avid followers will have to accept the change or risk getting left behind.
Maybe in the future we will see developments such as TV match officials. Should that happen, players’ behaviours will evolve and the fans would have to adapt as well. However, this is where we currently stand and there are no two ways about it.
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