Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
CRASHED AND BERND
Arteta’s tough baptism continued as Leno’s mistakes gifted win to Blues
players on their knees at the final whistle, while match winner Tammy Abraham sank to the floor and prayed to the
WELCOME to the harsh heavens.
and brutal realities of The margins were incredibly
management. fine but, ultimately, the result This was as tough was all that mattered and as it can get for new undid so much of the Gunners’ Arsenal boss Mikel good work, as Arteta at least Arteta, who saw restored some much needed glory turn to energy and passion in his first despair in home game in charge. the space of Arteta will count the hard four heartbreaking luck stories given Jorginho should not have even been on minutes the pitch to score the equaliser, at the Emirates. referee Craig Pawson losing Chelsea’s last-gasp his nerve when it came to comeback was showing the most obvious inspired by manager second yellow card you are Frank Lampard and ever likely to see. started by a howler But that should not from Gunners keeper disguise the fact that Lampard Bernd Leno. also pulled off a managerial The reversal of masterstroke as he showed his fortune left Arsenal’s ruthless streak by making substitutions ahead of the interval to stem the tide, before leaving Arsenal hanging on for dear life. Chelsea strengthened their position in the top four, the Gunners are stuck in the bottom half of the table.
Lampard looks upwardly mobile again while Arteta has a huge task on his hand with huge holes in a squad that needs fixing. There is no time
to lick any wounds because Arsenal face Manchester United on New Year’s Day with positives to cling to – Mesut Ozil’s excellent display and Lucas Torreira shining in his proper position anchoring midfield. But they need some points and quickly.
You did at least get a reaction as Arsenal started brilliantly with Ozil’s corner headed on by Calum Chambers and there was Pierre-emerick Aubameyang diving in to glance home the 13th-minute opener.
Suddenly the energy returned to the Emirates.
Arsenal bossed it, Chelsea were picking up yellow cards as if they were going out of fashion and Lampard was bold enough to change it after 34 minutes, taking off Emerson for Jorginho and switching to a back four. It worked and it pushed Arsenal back with Chelsea now in command.
Chambers going off injured was a big blow and only added to the sense of the Gunners creeping further back into retreat even before half-time.
The Blues were looking increasingly dangerous as Willian led every attack while Arsenal were relying on the odd breakaway.
The Gunners went close when sub Joe Willock – on for Ozil, who left to a standing ovation – fired a shot inches wide on the turn. Then Arsenal’s luck disappeared.
Jorginho, who had already been booked for a foul on Alexandre Lacazette, pulled back Matteo Guendouzi in the centre circle. It was a blatant booking even in the heat of a full-bloodied London derby. But ref Pawson just showed Lacazette a yellow card for complaining that Jorginho was not booked. Sure enough, Chelsea levelled soon after – and it had to be Jorginho.
Mason Mount floated in a free-kick, Leno misjudged the flight of the ball and there was Jorginho unmarked to tap in seven minutes from time.
Arsenal’s heartbreak got even worse four minutes later.
Willian led the Chelsea charge from his own box and then Abraham turned sweetly inside the penalty area and buried a shot through Leno’s legs.
It was a feisty, brutal and painful London derby.
A harsh defeat for Arsenal, but a result to give Lampard and his Blues new impetus as they enter 2020 in the top four and showing that they have the fight to stay there.