Chelsea saw off Arsenal 2-0 on Saturday to record their first Premier League home win since May. The game was very finely balanced before the Gunners’ defender Gabriel was sent off late in the first half, allowing Kurt Zouma to net the game’s only goal early in the second. Despite a spirited attempt to equalize, the Gunners’ efforts were all in vain, and after Santi Cazorla was also sent off, a late Eden Hazard goal added insult to injury.
3 things we learned from Chelsea’s 2-0 win over Arsenal
Chelsea capitalized on two Arsenal red cards to record their first home win of the Premier League season on Saturday.
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The first half was broadly split into three segments: Arsenal saw the lion’s share of possession in the first, Chelsea began to dominate in the second, and it just about descended into chaos in the third. And yet, despite both sides kindly taking it turns to share the ball, there was barely a single goalscoring opportunity created at either end before the teams trudged off the field at the break.
Arsenal went closest to scoring through an early Aaron Ramsey effort blocked in the penalty area. The Gunners' only shot on target was a rather tame one from Theo Walcott just short of the half hour. At the other end, Chelsea were just as impotent, and only managed to test Petr Čech with overly ambitious efforts from Diego Costa and Pedro.
Instead, the real talking point of the opening period came in stoppage time, when a tussle between Costa and Arsenal defender Gabriel culminated in the latter being sent off. It was sparked by Costa, who caught his marker in the face when competing for a cross. An exchange of words were followed by a couple of yellow cards -- and a few more words for good measure. Alas, Gabriel couldn’t resist a slight kick out at Costa in revenge, and earned himself a red card in the process.
Unsurprisingly the decision handed Chelsea the initiative, and they could’ve broken the deadlock within a minute of the second half resuming. Fortunately for Arsène Wenger’s men, Pedro volleyed just over from inside a crowded penalty area. However, the Gunners’ stay of execution lasted just over five minutes, with Kurt Zouma soon leaping to head a Cesc Fàbregas free kick into the back of the net for 1-0.
Arsenal's task was very difficult, but while their deficit remained at just one, the Gunners must have maintained hope of getting back into the game. They very almost managed it from nowhere just short of the hour, though Alexis Sánchez merely fanned at a long pass arrowed into the Chelsea box, and the ball bounced behind for a goal kick.
Chelsea responded by almost killing the game off for good, though Eden Hazard's low drive flashed wide of the far post. Further half-chances came and went for the Blues, but without them being made to count. Fortunately for the hosts, it didn't matter: Arsenal picked up a second red card of the game (this time more obviously justified) with just over 10 minutes left, when Santi Cazorla's clumsy tackle on Fàbregas earned him an early bath.
After that, it was plains sailing for Mourinho’s men, who sealed the points with a heavily deflected Hazard strike in stoppage time.
Chelsea: Begović; Azpilicueta, Cahill, Zouma, Ivanović; Matić, Fàbregas (Mikel 90+2’); Hazard, Oscar (Ramires 69’), Pedro; Costa (Rémy 82’).
Goals: Zouma (53’), Hazard (90+1’).
Arsenal: Čech; Monreal, Koscielny, Gabriel, Bellerín; Cazorla, Coquelin (Chambers 46’); Sánchez (Oxlade-Chamberlain 75’), Özil (Giroud 75’), Ramsey; Walcott.
Goals: None.
Red cards: Gabriel (45’), Cazorla (79’).
3 Things
1. Until the (first) red card, Arsenal matched Chelsea at their own game
Arsenal are often seen as far too naive for their own good: a perspective for which the strongest evidence has often come against Mourinho's Chelsea. Their pretty passing has regularly been shown up by the Blues' deep defense, and their inadequate back line by Chelsea's brutal effectiveness on the counter-attack. However, in the first half of this match, they were matching Chelsea at their own game. Instead of playing pretty passing triangles, Theo Walcott was sniffing for space on the break. Instead of doing their best impression of wet paper, Arsenal's defense was organized and firm. They were just unlucky to have been on the receiving end of a seemingly harsh red card, which ultimately changed the game.
2. Diego Costa is the perfect Mourinho striker
We already knew Diego Costa is one of football’s biggest trolls, but this game only reinforced his credentials. He somehow managed to get an opponent sent off in the first half, despite obviously being the belligerent in their fracas. Costa managed to commit three possible red card offences of his own (twice raising his hand to Gabriel’s face and once knocking him to the ground with an aggressive chest bump) before managing to force the slightest of kicks from his Brazilian opponent, though it was Gabriel who was given the red and Costa just a yellow. If there’s a more perfect marriage of player and coach than Costa and Mourinho, we’re yet to see it.
3. Chelsea may be back
After a poor start to the season, Chelsea really needed a win in this match to kick-start their title defense. Not only have they picked up that win, but they’ve done it in the meanest, most Mourinho-esque manner possible. One win isn’t going to iron out their tactical or technical problems, but on a psychological level, it could prove huge.
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