The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)
Unhappy Ron subbed as Real held by Las Palmas
FOR ONCE, a landmark game for Arsene Wenger wasn't spoiled by Chelsea, and this time it was Arsenal humiliating its London rival. Wenger's 500th and 1,000th games in charge of Arsenal both ended in losses to Chelsea but his fortunes finally changed on the 20th anniversary of his appointment.
Arsenal turned on the style with a 3-0 victory in the Premier League on Saturday that exposed Chelsea’s defensive frailties and showcased the north London side’s attacking prowess. Alexis Sanchez, Theo Walcott and Mesut Ozil provided the goals in the first half that gave Arsenal its first win over Chelsea in five years. Chelsea hadn’t even allowed a league goal to Arsenal since January 2013 before this capitulation. “It’s one of the best performances in recent years,” Wenger said.
“We have had to deal with some inconvenient facts ... we couldn’t beat Chelsea for years. To get that out of the system was at stake today.”
But the result will matter little to Wenger, the league’s longest-serving manager, unless Arsenal has the trophy in its possession again when the season ends in eight months. “I’m hungrier (to deliver trophies) because I know I don’t have 20 years in front of me,” Wenger said. “The weight of keeping people happy and making people happier is heavier than when I arrived.”
The 66-year-old Wenger has survived in the Arsenal dugout despite last winning the league in 2004, and lifting only the FA Cup twice in intervening years. No Chelsea boss would enjoy the same security without providing regular flow of silverware.
Chelsea manager Antonio Conte will already be feeling the pressure after two months. After opening the league campaign with three successive wins, Chelsea has collected only one point from the last three, and is already eight points behind leader Manchester City. Arsenal is five points off the pace. “We must work a lot to improve the situation, because now we are a great team only on paper, not on the pitch,” Conte said.
The former Juventus and Italy coach is the 12th Chelsea manager Wenger has faced since he was plucked from near-obscurity in Japan by Arsenal in September 1996. Conte arrived at Chelsea in the offseason with a typically-italian reputation for sending out welldrilled, solid defenses. But the Blues have conceded nine in their last four games in all competitions. Just one clean sheet in eight games has underscored the underlying weaknesses in a defense shorn of injured veteran center back John Terry. Chelsea looked rattled from kickoff.
Gary Cahill’s dithering didn’t help. The Chelsea center back conceded possession in the 11th minute around the halfway line to Sanchez, who was able to run through on goal unchallenged before chipping goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
Within three minutes, the Gunners had another. Once again, Chelsea’s defense was ripped apart with ease with a slick passing move the visitors could find no way of disrupting. It ended with Hector Bellerin receiving the ball on the right flank from Alex Iwobi before crossing to the unmarked Walcott, who tapped into the net.
The only surprise was Chelsea’s rearguard lasted until the 40th without crumbling again. The counterattack started deep inside Arsenal’s own half when N’golo Kante lost possession. Ozil faced no resistance as he charged down the pitch before sending the ball to Sanchez on the right flank.
With the central defensive duo of Cahill and David Luiz posing little resistance, Sanchez crossed the ball back to Ozil, whose first-time volley bounced beyond Courtois. “The first half was nearly perfect,” Wenger said. Chelsea was humiliated, and couldn’t even manage a shot on target until the 84th from Michy Batshuayi. “It was one of these moments in your life as a manager when you think ‘OK, today is a great day,’” Wenger said.
Austin roars
Southampton won 3-0 at West Ham United in the Premier League on Sunday to record their fourth successive victory in all competitions and increase the concerns of home supporters about their dismal record at their new stadium.
Defeat was the Hammers’ second successive league setback at the London Stadium and led to boos at halftime and the final whistle. The key goals came either side of the break from Charlie Austin and Dusan Tadic. James Ward-prowse added a third in injury time. Austin struck from the visitors’ first shot on target on 40 minutes, the striker finishing first time from a Ryan Bertrand cross for his fourth goal in five games. The 27-year-old then set up Tadic to slot home the second in the 62nd minute.
Aguero gets Pep’s backing
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has backed Sergio Aguero to turn into an even better player after the striker guided his side to a 3-1 away victory against Swansea in their Premier League clash. The 28-yearold, who missed the side’s previous three games due to suspension, scored twice as City clinched their tenth straight victory in league and cup football this season.
Despite Aguero scoring 11 times in six games he played this season, Guardiola believes the striker still has a lot more to offer.
“I am so happy for him. But I think he can play better and I will try to tell him. He has great ability and in the box, there is nothing I can do to help him,” the Spanish manager was quoted as saying by Sport24. A SUBSTITUTED Cristiano Ronaldo cut a disconsolate figure as Real Madrid conceded a late equaliser to draw 2-2 at Las Palmas. Earlier, Barcelona shrugged off the absence of the injured Lionel Messi to move to within a point of Madrid at the top of the table as Luis Suarez and Neymar were on target in a 5-0 thrashing of Sporting Gijon.
On Saturday, Ronaldo was replaced moments after helping Madrid go 2-1 in front when Karim Benzema slotted home the rebound after the Portuguese’s initial effort was saved.
However, he watched on as Sergio Araujo took advantage of some soft Madrid defending to level as the European champions dropped points for the second time in four days. Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane insisted that, despite a sub-par display, Ronaldo had been replaced to keep him fresh for Tuesday’s Champions League trip to Borussia Dortmund.
“We have another game on Tuesday and he has to rest too now and again,” Zidane told Spanish TV station Movistar. “It is obvious he always wants to stay on the field, but I have to think about my players and particularly Cristiano. I have to take him off sometimes and tonight we did it.”
Stung by a poor first-half performance in a 1-1 draw with Villarreal in midweek that snapped a 16-game La Liga winning streak, Madrid pressed high from the off and had 17 shots in a wide open first 45 minutes.
Real made the breakthrough just after the half-hour mark when Javi Varas made a fine save from Nacho’s low effort, but Marco Asensio followed up to head into an empty net. The lead lasted just five minutes, though, as Raphael Varane’s poor defensive header fell at the feet of Tana, who slotted past the helpless Kiko Casilla.
Varas denied Ronaldo midway through the second half, but substitute Benzema was on hand to turn home the loose ball.
Ronaldo was then replaced by Lucas Vazquez, but didn't acknowledge Zidane as he sulked off the field. The three-time World Player of the Year has now completed the 90 minutes just once in Madrid's six La Liga games so far this season. And Ronaldo's mood worsened when Araujo bundled his way past Casilla and Sergio Ramos to slot home the equaliser five minutes from time.
Suarez magic
Earlier, Barca overcame a difficult opening half hour to hit five past 10-man Sporting. Yet, Barca coach Luis Enrique was far from satisfied with his side's display, particularly early in the second half.
“It is a result that doesn’t tell the true story of the game — 5-0 makes it seem easy and simple and that couldn’t be further from the truth,” he said. “We were poor at the start of the second half, we didn’t kill the game off and Sporting could have got back into the game.”
One moment of Suarez magic turned the game in Barca’s favour as he raced onto Arda Turan’s through ball and flicked the ball past the onrushing Ivan Cuellar before slotting into an empty net. A fine team goal put the game beyond Sporting moments later as Neymar freed Sergi Roberto down the right and Rafinha met his cross with a powerful near-post header.
More goals flowed in the final 10 minutes after Alberto Lora dived in on Roberto to leave his side a man light. Paco Alcacer was denied his first Barca goal when he smashed the ball off the underside of the bar, but Neymar mopped up the rebound to make it 3-0.