Post-Match Report

Chelsea v Arsenal: How it happened

Chelsea -

Stamford Bridge
Premier League
Premier League
  Chelsea
   crest
Chelsea
0 - 0
  Arsenal
   crest
Arsenal

WHAT HAPPENED 



We took a deserved point from a breathless and eventful derby at Stamford Bridge.

 

The game was played at a hectic pace from the first whistle, and the Gunners might well have won it as the hosts had to see out the final few minutes with 10 men, after the late sending off of David Luiz.

 

Shkodran Mustafi had a goal disallowed, correctly, for offside in the second half, but the best of our chances came in the opening 45, culminating in Aaron Ramsey striking the post just before the interval.

 

The Gunners had to absorb plenty of pressure in the opening 15 minutes, with the hosts, and Alvaro Morata especially, looking dangerous in attack.

But once we settled the chances started to come.

 

The first fell to Danny Welbeck, who headed just wide after Hector Bellerin had worked a fantastic opening on the right wing with Alex Iwobi.

 

A moment later Bellerin carved out our next chance as well, using his pace again to get to the byline and pull back for Alexandre Lacazette. The Frenchman scuffed his shot somewhat though, and Thibaut Courtois grabbed it at the second attempt. 

 

Kolasinac also drew a save from the Chelsea keeper as we grew into the match.

 

Just as we looked to be getting on top though, out of nothing the hosts nearly took the lead.

 

Cesc Fabregas released Pedro through the middle, who was onside, but Cech came off his line quickly to snuff out the danger.

 

Granit Xhaka then struck a hot just wide as we continued to put the Chelsea defence under pressure.

 

With the half drawing to a close we wasted our most presentable chance of an entertaining match. Ramsey weaved his way though the defence, into the box before striking a right-footed shot against the upright.

 

The rebound fell to Lacazette, but his snap shot went over. The chance really should have been snaffled up, but the momentum was certainly with the Gunners as the first half ended.

 

There was little to separate the two teams in the second half, and the boss turned to Alexis and Olivier Giroud from the bench as we sought the breakthrough.

 

It looked like it had arrived on 70 minutes, when Shkodran Mustafi headed in a free-kick, only to see the offside flag raised - correctly - on the far side.

 

There was a flashpoint in the final few minutes, when David Luiz was shown a straight red card when lunging in dangerously on Sead Kolasinac.

 

Despite our numerical advantage though, we couldn't finad a late winner.

FIRST-HALF CHANCES

We racked up 10 shots in the first half, but we failed to make  any of them count. These were the best of them

 

16 - Welbeck heads over from Bellerin's cross

 

17 - Bellerin creates another chgances, but Lacazette shoots at Courtois

 

32 - Xhaka strikes just wide from 20 yards

 

41 - Ramsey hits the post after a great run, then Lacazette fires the rebound over

WHAT IT MEANS

Our first away point of the season keeps us in 12th place, in a very congested Premier League table.

WHAT'S NEXT

Most, if not all, of the players who started this game are likely to be rested on Wednesday as we take on Doncaster Rovers in the Carabao Cup third round.

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