Arsenal Silence Their Critics in a 5-3 Win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge

Arsenal put on a tight collective defensive display at Stamford Bridge to turn around their 2011-12 Week 10 Premiership game against Chelsea after going 2-1 down at half time. Two quick goals on resumption from the break, the first by Andre Santo to even things up, and the second by Theo Walcott, had the visitors back in the game and in control.

It was a topsy-turvy game in the first half, with the defenses of both sides looking horrible early on. In the first five minutes alone, Chelsea’s attack managed to get behind the Arsenal defense, first, on the visitor’s right flank, where Djourou had been drafted in to man things, and then on the left, where Santos’ lack of pace and poor positioning proved costly, or nearly.  Arsenal were lucky not to fall behind on both occasions.

However, as though not to be undone on their part, Chelsea’s defense was breached in the early goings as well, when Theo Walcott put Gervinho through, only for the Ivory Coast international to skew his shot well wide of the gaping goal.

Within a minute Walcott put Robin Van Persie through with a cross, but Van Persie, like Gervinho, could only balloon his shot high over the cross bar  in a situation from which it looked easier to score than to miss.

Both sides continued their torrid defensive display in the first half, and each was lucky not to concede early goals.

Chelsea did take the lead, however, at the twilight of the first quarter of the game (the 14^th minute), through a Frank Lampard stooping header from a Juan Mata cross.

Per Metersacker was guilty of bad positioning in the buildup to the goal, when Mata’s searching and angling ball arched over him and found Lampard instead, who redirected it into the Arsenal goal, with Wojciech Szczesny, the Arsenal goalkeeper, well beaten.  

The horrible defending by both sides ensured Arsenal would draw level on the 36^th minute via a combined work by Gervinho and Van Persie—both atoning for their earlier misses—after a delicious slicing ball from Ramsey took out  Chelsea’s central defenders, Branislav Ivanovic and John Terry, and put through Gervinho.

When the onrushing Petr Cech managed to narrow the scoring angle for Gervinho, the latter took out the sprawling goalkeeper with an unselfish pass to Van Persie to the left, who slotted the ball into the empty goal.

But Arsenal’s wonted defensive fragility ensured they would go into the break a goal down. Per Metersacker was again the guilty party after allowing John Terry to bundle  the ball home from a Chelsea corner on the final minute of the half.

The only comfort Arsenal would have had returning to the dressing room for the break was the fact that Chelsea’s defending had been as equally pathetic as theirs.  For Arsenal fans watching the match, though,  the old symptoms looked to have returned with vengeance, and the corner that Arsenal were supposed to turn in this match still appeared very much far off.

At resumption from break, Arsenal showed a noticeable collective improvement, with the team compensating impressively for individual errors. Indeed, Arsenal were the better team in the entire half, and the two goals within six minutes were not the only proof of the visitors’ improvement.

Collective defending and overall superior passing and possession meant that Arsenal were relatively, if not firmly, in control of the match.  Indeed, their control of the midfield looked to put them on course to cruising to a 3-2 victory over their host.

There was a scare, though, at the 50^th minute, when Szczesny recklessly tackled Ashley Cole, who looked to be through on goal. The referee, however, deemed the offense worthy only of  a yellow card.  It was apparent Laurent Koscielny had the goal covered, with Szczesny therefore not the last line of defense—a fact that would have resulted in a red card.

On 80^th minute, though, referee Andre Marriner, failed to penalize Romelu Lukaku’s foul on Andre Santos.  This allowed Juan Mata to collect the resultant loose ball and fire into the top right corner of Arsenal goal; the diving Szczesny could only watch as it curled home.

With things back level, and with 10 minutes left on the clock, it looked like Arsenal were headed to another collapse at the dying minutes of another match.

But within five minutes of Chelsea’s equalizer, Arsenal took the lead again, when a terrible back pass from Florent Malouda and an equally horrible mistake from John Terry—who seemed to slip and fall—put Robin Van Persie through on goal.  Petr Cech remained the only obstacle between the striker and and goal. He quickly rounded helpless keeper, then coolly slotted the ball home.

Arsenal’s travelling fans went wild. The tonic, though, was yet to come.

Winning the ball off a Chelsea attack deep in their own half, Arsenal counter attacked through Tomas Rosicky, who had come on for the impressive Theo Walcott.

Having waited for the right moment to pick his pass, Rosicky sent the ball wide to Van Persie on the left. The latter took a few touches to narrow the angle then let loose a fierce shot towards the Chelsea goal, which Petr Cech could only redirect into the top right corner of his own net.

This was deep into added time, and there was no way back for Chelsea at that point. The upset was complete. The most impressive thing about this victory for Arsenal, though, was how they managed to turn a woeful first half  to a controlled and assured second. This, surely, can only mean that Arsenal’s season has finally turned around.

In terms of individual performances, Theo Walcott appeared to have recovered his form. Gervinho was as equally impressive this week as he was last week. Robin Van Persie’s hat trick meant he continued his remarkable goal-scoring form.

Arsenal attack, then, is alive and well.

In midfield, Arteta was tireless in  his role as the box to box midfielder. His dominance there contributed to Arsenal’s superiority in the second half. Song was solid as usual. He readjusted his positioning to a deeper sitting role in the second half. This appeared to steady the defense.

Ramsey was excellent as the creative midfielder. His passes led to the first and second Arsenal goals. He could have easily scored a goal himself.

Overall, Arsenal midfield look cohesive and decisive, and with a good bench in Rosicky—who gave a good account of himself when he came on for Walcott—Benayoun, Frimpong, Coquelin, and the injured duo of Diaby and Wiltshire in the wings, this can only meant that better things are yet to come.

In defense, Laurent Koscielny gave another assured performance.  For Per Metersacker, however, this was a  very poor display. He may soon be replaced by  Thomas Vermaelen. Kudos to Arsene Wenger, though, for keeping him on. Being yanked off after a mistake rarely helps the player’s confidence.

Andre Santos and Johan Djourou were terrible in the first half. Both improved in the second. The strength of Santos seems to lie in going forward. He did do some impressive defensive work in the second half. Djourou, too, did well in the second half.

Overall, a great deal of work is still needed in Arsenal’s defense. The return of Vermaelen should hopefully add some solidity to it.

Good win for Arsenal. Good feeling for the fans.