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Arsenal vs Chelsea a few quick thoughts

  • Watching the Premier League can be a bit of a slog at times, but when it is good it is really good
  • Last night it is fair to say was a perfect example of that as Arsenal and Chelsea played out a pulsating encounter at the Emirates
  • It was honours even in the end, arguably a result that suits neither but with the way the game played out both managers will at least be happy they did not go home empty handed
  • Arsene Wenger was less than happy after the game though as he once again felt there was something of an injustice against his team with another suspicious penalty call going against Arsenal
  • Sunday saw Mike Dean in the firing line and this time around it was Anthony Taylor after his decision to award Chelsea a penalty minutes after Arsenal had gone ahead through Jack Wilshere
  • Alvaro Morata obviously misunderstood the phrase ‘night out with the missus’ as he missed three one on ones
  • But that measure alone Chelsea should have not only won the game but put it out of sight
  • Antonio Conte’s Chelsea have now failed to beat Arsenal in their last five attempts and the Italian has only got the better of the Gunners once in the seven meetings he has had since taking charge of the West London outfit
  • With the amount of chances that were created in the first half it was a surprise that the two teams went into the break both goalless
  • Arsene Wenger felt that his side should have had a penalty when Ainsley Maitland-Niles went down in the box
  • While seconds later Alexis Sanchez saw an effort agonisingly hit both posts and somehow not manage to trigger to the goal decision system
  • While Alvaro Morata missed the first of his three one on ones when after a neatly timed run he tried to bend his effort past Petr Cech only to send it well wide of the goal
  • He would then have a second crack at proceedings after the restart only for the outcome this time around seeing Cech managing to smother the shot
  • It would however be Arsenal that took the lead through Jack Wilshere, Chelsea fans may well have felt him lucky to still be on the pitch but the England international would finally get the better of Thibault Courtois just after the hour with a rasping shot from the edge of the box
  • That lead would only last a few minutes though as Chelsea found themselves level thanks to that suspect penalty award by Anthony Taylor
  • Eden Hazard and Hector Bellerin had the slightest of comings together in the box and although the Belgian international was holding his shin it was more the top of his foot that took the minimal contact
  • Hazard himself stepped up and slotted home
  • Chelsea level
  • Wenger furious
  • And with seven minutes to go it looked as if the game would be turned on its head as Marcos Alonso stabbed home from close range after Davide Zappacosta’s low cross
  • The champions now ahead and looking to close the game out, only there would be one final sting in the tail
  • Hector Bellerin managed to get some redemption for both he and his teammates in injury time when he hit a well executed half-volley from the edge of the area to level proceedings
  • However that was not the end of the drama as Morata missed his third guilt edged one on one
  • And from the resulting ball breaking lose, Zappacosta smashed the top of the bar
  • A breathless game that if it was not for two world class goalkeeping performances it could have been a cricket score
  • Once again Arsenal were electric in front of their own fans but they again perhaps did not get the points that their performance merited as they had to settle for another point in what was a highly entertaining fixture.

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