Arsenal's Frustrations Mask Another Failure at Chelsea

After Arsenal’s latest defeat to Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea, the Gunners have more right to recriminations than usual.

The relentless cheating of Diego Costa went largely unpunished by Mike Dean, whereas the transgressions of Arsene Wenger’s men resulted in his side finishing the game with just nine men. However, the fact remains that Wenger has yet to beat a Mourinho team in competitive action. For all their complaints, Arsenal’s greatest frustration will surely be that they remain in Chelsea’s thrall.

In some respects, this was a classic Chelsea-Arsenal encounter in that it was decided by those small intangible margins in which Mourinho’s teams tend to excel. The contribution of Costa is a key example: He may bend the rules, but he makes himself a menace to the opposition defence for the entire match. Even when he is not creating chances, he is still creating chaos. He is a whirlwind of controversy who unsettles defenders in a manner unlike almost any other Premier League striker.

There is no obvious way to quantify that capacity to disturb. There is no statistic for it on a video game. There’s no accurate measure for the manner in which the Spain international's skulduggery contributes to Chelsea’s success. However, it’s there, and Costa is now establishing a reputation as a proven winner, as well as a proficient wind-up merchant. Something about his cynicism seems to correlate with success.

Alastair Grant/Associated Press

In that respect, Costa is a reflection of his manager. This was Chelsea getting back to what they do best: frustrating their opposition, waiting for a moment of weakness and pouncing for the kill.

Arsenal, and Gabriel in particular, walked straight into the trap. Costa’s antics can’t have come as a surprise. While the referee made a serious oversight, Gabriel was every bit as remiss in his failure to extricate himself from the row with Costa. He ought to have known better than to retaliate, even as meekly as he did.

The slew of cards handed out at Stamford Bridge means Arsenal have suffered three red cards in four days. After Olivier Giroud showed such flagrant indiscipline to be dismissed in the Champions League tie in Zagreb on Wednesday, Wenger must have warned his players to tread carefully at Stamford Bridge. It appears Gabriel did not heed that warning.

Talking to the club's official site, Wenger said: 

"

We were good but we have to play now with 11 against 11. We lost the game in Zagreb with 10 against 11 and today we lost again. It’s always a mountain to climb and the regret I had today is that we conceded a goal from a set-piece when we were controlling them well. We conceded [from] a set piece and that’s difficult to accept.

"

The dismissal is bad news for the Brazilian, who was beginning to make a case for himself as a regular starter in the Premier League. Illness caused Per Mertesacker to miss four consecutive matches, and Gabriel had struck up an effective partnership with Laurent Koscielny at the heart of the defence. In the defeat in Zagreb, he was the Gunners’ outstanding player.

Alastair Grant/Associated Press

There are those among the Arsenal fans who believe Mertesacker’s crippling lack of pace will always be a barrier to success for the team. Gabriel’s speed assuaged that problem, and his aggression in the challenge had added a new proactive purposefulness to Arsenal’s defending.

Now, the brawny Brazilian will miss three domestic games, allowing Mertesacker to re-establish himself alongside Koscielny at the back. Once he is able to return, he will surely be forced to wait among the substitutes for another opportunity. It’s a hugely frustrating setback for a player who seemed on the verge of a breakout season.

Frustration was the key emotion for Arsene Wenger too. Speaking to the club website after the game, he said:

"

It was a very frustrating afternoon because we looked like we were in control. It’s frustrating to see Diego Costa staying on because it’s not understandable when you look at the whole situation. The fact that he doesn’t get a red card is unbelievable. That we got one on top of that, we have to look at ourselves because we are guilty. But Costa should have been off before Gabriel could respond to him.

"

Key to Wenger’s exasperation is that he must have sensed Chelsea were vulnerable. Heading into the game, they were not playing with the same kind of ruthless efficiency that typifies Mourinho teams. Wenger has never triumphed over the Portuguese manager in a league game and will have sensed an opportunity to break his duck at Stamford Bridge.

In the season-opening Community Shield, Arsenal achieved what felt like a landmark win over Mourinho’s side. That ought to have provided them with a platform to finally make a statement in a competitive game too. Victory would have been a huge shot in the arm for the Gunners and dealt a significant blow to Chelsea’s hopes of retaining their title.

Alastair Grant/Associated Press

Instead, the result has reversed the momentum of the two teams. Mourinho’s men are now within just three points of their London rivals, and Wenger will fear he has inadvertently kick-started his nemesis’ season. The only saving grace for Arsenal is that West Ham United won against Manchester City later in the day, preventing the league leaders from extending their advantage. 

Arsenal have now suffered defeat in three of their seven competitive fixtures this season. It’s not a particularly strong record, and hopes the Gunners would come out of the blocks flying are dissipating fast.  

It may get worse before it gets better. In their next three domestic games, Arsenal travel to Tottenham Hotspur in the Capital One Cup before a trip to high-flying Leicester and playing host to Manchester United. 

That north London derby has suddenly taken on greater significance. Initially, Wenger must have planned to field a weakened team in a competition that is not his priority. However, after two successive defeats, he surely can not entertain the thought of a third. It’d also be Arsenal’s third defeat in a London derby this season. The fans simply wouldn’t stand for it.

Wenger must now go all out for the win to stop a mini-crisis setting in at the Emirates Stadium. That may mean throwing some tired legs back into the fray.

Arsenal have the right to complain about the way their fixture with Chelsea was officiated. However, the record books will still show another victory for Mourinho over Wenger. Complaints and commiserations ultimately mean nothing, and there is no time for despondency now.

If Arsenal are serious about remaining part of the title race, their form must recover quickly. A victory at Spurs would be a great way to improve morale and momentum ahead of tricky league tests.

James McNicholas is Bleacher Report's lead Arsenal correspondent and is following the club from a London base throughout 2015/16. Follow him on Twitter here.