EPL Liveblog: Chelsea v. Arsenal

Such a Cuddly, Close Fixture

Couple of Programming Notes: We finally added our blogroll back at the right-hand side, along with a widget with our upcoming liveblogs schedule.

Another round of EPL fixtures, and another difficult test for Arsene Wenger and his precocious squad. We all knew that this murderer’s row of games would ultimately decide their fate — who else gets a run of back-to-back meetings with Aston Villa, Manchester United, Chelsea, and Liverpool? — but we didn’t know how much they’d struggle.

A dour draw at Villa Park and a comprehensive beating at home by Sir Alex Ferguson has heaped even more pressure on today’s game. If they lose, it’s likely too much to overcome (even with some 14-15 games remaining). If they win, well, the effects are obvious.

Wenger has smartly begun to spin the positive nature of finishing third, though hardcore Gunners fans are tired of this delicate media game. Put up or shut up time, folks. Enough talk. Enough PR. Enough excuses.

It’s no secret that Arsenal and Chelsea hate one another — just look at what they write about each other (Arsenal on CFC, and CFC on Arsenal) — so I expect some fire and fight much like Liverpool and Everton displayed yesterday.

Can Arsenal overcome the odds and get right back in the title hunt, or will this be business as usual for the boys in blue?

Lineups and commentary after the jump.
Morning all. Everyone ready for this?

LINEUPS:
Arsenal: Almunia; Sagna, Gallas, Vermaelen, Clichy, Fabregas, Song, Diaby, Walcott, Arshavin, Nasri.
Subs: Fabianski, Campbell, Eboue, Denilson, Ramsey, Rosicky, Bendtner

Chelsea: Cech; Ivanovic, Terry, Carvalho, A. Cole, Ballack, Mikel, Lampard, Malouda, Anelka, Drogba.
Subs: Hilario, Paulo Ferreira, Alex, Zhirkov, Deco, J. Cole, Kalou.

10.59am – Lineups to be expected, really. Arsenal didn’t think to switch up their approach from the United game, in which they didn’t really have a striker on the pitch. Chelsea show no surprises either.

Prediction? Sorry Arsenal, I’m thinking a 2-1 home win. Nevermind though as you’ll almost certainly beat Liverpool on Wednesday.

Almost ready for off! Thanks, FSC, for being two or three minutes behind the game action so as to accommodate your commercials!

We’re off!

1 min: Michael Ballack says “Wilkommen” to Fabregas in midfield, halting the first attacking move by the visitors. The free-kick is wasted, and Chelsea try their first attack via the long ball. Arsenal have numbers back and clear.

Nervy times as Drogba gets goalside of Gallas, but despite an error by the Frenchman, Drogba can’t control the ball and shoot. Arsenal attack, Diaby has a long-range crack at goal that’s deflected away, and Clichy’s cross that ensues drifts over the top of Cech in goal.

4 mins: A nice run of play by Arsenal ends when Samir Nasri shoots wide of the near post from a narrow angle. The visitors strung together 10 or so passes before finding the open man wide left, and though the shot was poor, it was a promising passage of play.

6 mins: Clichy leaps in a little too eagerly to challenge Anelka for a high crossfield pass. Free-kick Chelsea, 20+ out toward the right touchline. Drogba whips it in quickly, but it finds an Arsenal head and goes behind for a corner.

GOAL – Chelsea 1, Arsenal 0 (Drogba 7)
Dear, oh dear. Malouda’s corner is swung in short, Terry flicked it towards the back post and Drogba was lurking to toe-poke it home uncontested. Dreadful marking in the area, and Alex Song was to blame for not manning the post and giving the Ivorian all the time in the world to tap it in.

Gut-check time already, then. Arshavin shoots ambitiously from range but drags it a mile wide of goal. The home crowd jeers loudly. Arsenal’s confidence just took a beating.

10 mins: Fractured play all over the middle third of the pitch as Arsenal look for an immediate response. Based on how these scripts are usually written, you need to answer quickly against a team like Chelsea else they will be content to grind the game out. As yet, I’m not sure how Arsenal are planning on breaking that tightly-packed midfield.

13 mins: Anelka is just caught offside as the Arsenal trap steps up in the nick of time. Arsenal attack down the left and win a corner off Ivanovic. Diaby pings it near post but Cech collects it uncontested.

14 mins: The best way for Arsenal to get back in the game is to use their speed. Ivanovic, Carvalho and Terry aren’t the swiftest defenders in the world, and Diaby tries it out by floating a deep cross-field pass for Arshavin to chase down the left wing. Carvalho struggles to keep up but slides in at the last second and gives away a throw-in. Arsenal work it and win a corner though it’s near-post and Ballack clears.

16 mins: Another squeaky moment at the Arsenal end as Drogba looked to be a shade onside, though the flag went up. Fabregas cues a nice attack at the other end with a long ball. Nasri beats his man to the ball and drags Cech off his line in pursuit, though the Frenchman can’t get it over the keeper with his cross. Corner to Arsenal, though Fabregas again botches the delivery and the home side clear.

So close for Arsenal! Another long ball over Carvalho is met forcefully by Arshavin at the back post, but his low shot is drilled against Cech’s legs and away. Anywhere else, and it’s in. Cech made a fine save but he didn’t know much about that.

Nice work by Arshavin to drift away from Carvalho and create some space. Both backlines look equally fallible — Arsenal with their offside trap, and Chelsea’s marking.

19 mins: Another promising Arsenal attack around the area earns them a corner as Arshavin’s shot is deflected behind. Cech scrambles off his line to punch clear.

20 mins: It’s all action down at the Blues’ end at the moment. Arsenal’s movement is causing marking problems and Arshavin’s shot is blocked off Carvalho’s legs.

GOAL – Chelsea 2, Arsenal 0 (Drogba 23)
Unbelievable. What are the visitors playing at? Caught on the break like they were so many times last weekend, Chelsea win possession from Fabregas on the edge of their box and burst down the middle. It’s passed wide right to Drogba, and while Anelka’s run to the back post drags most of the defenders with him, the Ivorian does brilliantly to cut back onto his left foot, dribble across the edge of the box and fire a shot right through Almunia from the edge of the area. Wenger will be furious, and rightly so. None of the midfield tracked back, and Drogba’s run wasn’t met with any tackles whatsoever.

26 mins: There’s no way this two-goal lead is getting overturned, is there? Heads dropped after a soft second goal that came after a good ten-minute spell of pressure at the other end. Killed on the counterattack, and more shoddy play by Gael Clichy.

That second goal reminded me a lot of the Rooney/Nani move last weekend. Fool me once, shame on you…

28 mins: Arsenal are giving it a go, battling for possession in the Chelsea half and harassing their passing game. Nasri swings a cross in from the left wing with his right foot, but Carvalho’s alone to nod it away.

30 mins: Stress at the Arsenal end as Drogba relieves Gallas of possession and cuts infield, but his angle through-ball doesn’t reach Anelka.

Diaby and Song both take a bite at Drogba’s legs as the striker romps inside the Arsenal half, flooring the Ivorian.

32 mins: Lampard cuts the Arsenal backline apart, playing Ashley Cole round the back while Walcott didn’t really seem to know the full-back was behind him. Almunia does well enough to disupt a shot attempt and it comes off the keeper for a corner. It looks like some fans down that left wing (where the Arsenal fans are, the commentator reckons) have been throwing a few coins on the pitch? The 4th referee brings a few over to the touchline. Game continues.

34 mins: Arshavin cuts infield and chips over the top for Fabregas to chase. It runs long toward the corner but the Spaniard does well to keep it in and win a corner. Nevermind; the corner’s hit near post and easily nodded clear.

36 mins: Arshavin is certainly buzzing around the box, trying to cue some energy up front. The camera cuts to Nicklas Bendtner on the sidelines, inviting the question as to why he’s not on the pitch or in the starting lineup. I think we’re all wondering the same thing. Maybe sub off Gael Clichy?

38 mins: Clichy reminds us that yes, he’s still playing and yes, he can still atone for the awful defending that yielded Drogba’s second goal. He steps up on the left side of midfield and rifles a shot from an absurd distance, but the only palms his shot stings belong to a fan in Row E somewhat near the corner flag. Bravo, Gael.

39 mins: Arsenal’s backline conspires to ruin the scoreline further. Walcott takes out his own player, Alex Song, as the midfielder shapes up to dispossess Michael Ballack on the left wing. Without a defender to pursue, the German nips to the byline and cuts it back sharply toward the top of the box. Drogba manages to control the ball and pass on for Anelka, but Vermaelen is there to slice it away. The bulk of the action is now back down Arsenal’s end.

41 mins: Ivanovic slips and gives the ball to Nasri, but by the time he’s figured out which beautiful, artful pass to make upfield, Chelsea are back in numbers to defend and clear. Commentator David Pleat is spot on: the big difference between these sides is that the Chelsea midfield bothers to track back when possession is lost.

Fabregas lumps a long-range effort well wide of goal.

44 mins: Fabregas puts in a good tackle to stop Ivanovic advancing down the right after Terry’s long ball cross-field to Anelka was held up on the wing. Chelsea win it back sharply, but Ivanovic body-checks Fabregas coming across to tackle Carvalho and it’s a free-kick to Arsenal.

44 mins: Nasri does well down the left and whips in a decent cross, though Ashley Cole is there to clear.

45 mins + 1: Malouda is bleeding and Vermaelen is down as the pair went for a bouncing ball. On replay, the Frenchman came in a touch late on the Arsenal defender, but it seemed unintentional enough. Vermaelen takes a walk off for a breather.

HALF TIME: Chelsea 2, Arsenal 0

I’m sensing a pattern here. Despite spells of good pressure by the visitors, two brainless mistakes at the back yielded two simple goals for Didier Drogba. What will Wenger do at half-time? Exterminate Theo Walcott? Take a taser to Gael Clichy? Dare to bring on the only natural frontman on the matchday squad, Mr. Nicklas Bendtner?

Back in 10 minutes.

A polite suggestion to FSC: Stop publicizing/gloating about FSC HD until at least 10% of people watching FSC actually have access to the HD channel.

We’re off again! I don’t believe any substitutions have been made by Arsene Wenger. Rant at will.

47 mins: Clichy gives Nasri a long pass to chase, but Ivanovic is there to muscle the Arsenal winger off the ball and it runs out for a goal kick.

49 mins: Lazy play at the moment. No urgency needed for Chelsea, no urgency shown by Arsenal. Ashley Cole concedes a corner thanks to his botched clearance. Not to worry, Blues fans; Fabregas dinks it far too short once again and Cech steps out to collect. I don’t get it – there wasn’t even an Arsenal player within 10 yards of that.

52 mins: Drogba is hobbled a little after getting crunched while taking his shot. Gunners fans better hope he’s really injured. Drogba is on the sideline struggling to walk on his right leg, and the physios are prepping the magic spray. Uh oh, Chelsea.

Nasri dances infield from the left and gives it flat to Song, who has no room to work, but it ends up out wide with Clichy and he’s able to win a corner off Carvalho. It’s taken short intentionally this time, though Diaby’s knocked as he’s taking his shot and it fires wide for a goal kick.

54 mins: Drogba’s back on and feeling no ill effect; he muscles his way to the touchline on the right and floats one back post for Malouda. His first-time volley is hit straight at Lampard, and it deflects through the England midfielder’s legs for a mercifully easy save for Almunia. Coulda gone anywhere.

56 mins: Chelsea break again with Lampard cutting in from the right side. It’s deflected but falls for Anelka, who can’t make his mind up which foot to shoot with and giving Clichy enough time to intervene.

The camera cuts to Matt Damon and an excited-looking Billy Connolly in the stands. Well done, camera guy. You’ve been searching for celebs for a while, I bet.

58 mins: Drogba escorts two Arsenal defenders with him down the left wing. His cut-back reaches Malouda, but Gallas steps in at just the right moment to take it off Malouda’s foot. Moments later, Ballack cameos at the edge of the area and has a shot, but it’s cutting the grass and always going wide.

60 mins: Nasri looks surprised that he’s been gifted the ball inside the box with just Ashley Cole between him and goal, but he can’t corral the bouncing ball and it’s scrambled away. John Terry looks like he’s picked up a knock too. It’s raining heavily. Walcott just had a touch and lost possession, but Diaby won it back.

Vermaelen recovers well to take the ball off Drogba as the Ivorian had turned him and set off for goal.

63 mins: Fabregas lobs it on looking for Arshavin, but Carvalho’s at least a foot taller than the Russian and comfortably wins the header. Yet, Bendtner remains on the bench. Riddle me that.

64 mins: Pass-pass-pass-pass-pass-turn-pass-pass-have a look for someone to pass to-pass-pass-lose possession.

ARSENAL SUBSTITUTION: Walcott off, Bendtner on. Theo looks for a little applause as he exits, and receives a smattering of clapping though it’s probably from gleeful Chelsea fans who were glad to see his weakness in the starting XI.

66 mins: John Terry has a dead leg. Probably from f**king someone who wasn’t his wife all night! Woo!

67 mins: Anelka comes well back into the Chelsea half to dispossess Abou Diaby. See, Arsenal? Tracking back is helpful.

68 mins: Nice play by Bendtner to hustle possession off Ballack and hold his ground long enough to win a free-kick via Ivanovic’s hip-check. That’s what Arsenal have been missing all day – some physicality – but you all knew that already.

Free-kick right outside the Chelsea box. Fabregas is over it…

… and Cech somehow keeps it out! Cesc drills it low through the Chelsea wall and despite a nice bit of interference by Gallas cutting across his field of vision from the back post, Cech gets down low to his left and punches it out. A wonderful save.

70 mins: Arsenal cap a nice spell of pressure by conceding a silly free-kick inside their own half as Alex Song steps in a little late. Anelka chases a long ball down the right side but his trickery can’t get him by Clichy and eventually the striker wins a throw-in.

73 mins: Arshavin tries to weave his way through the Blues’ defense, but Mikel nips in and takes the ball off the Russian’s foot. Mikel’s been quietly effective today.

ARSENAL SUBSTITUTION: Diaby off, Rosicky on

ARSENAL SUBSTITUTION: Sagna off, Eboue on

There’s your final roll of the dice, Gunners fans. Another fast guy for a defensive midfielder, and a midfielder/full-back for a full-back.

76 mins: Chelsea win a corner. Malouda puts it on Ballack’s forehead at the near post but the German can’t keep his header down.

77 mins: See Bendtner get the ball on the left side of the box. See Bendtner dribble with two Chelsea defenders in front of him. See Bendtner shoot weakly off his awful left foot. See Cech comfortably save.

Nasri’s played alright today. This time he pops up on the right and floats a cross in, but it gets no further than Carvalho. Eboue then takes a run down the right and manages to get the ball in, though Terry intercepts and clears.

79 mins: Good play on the right for Arsenal and the ball in from Fabregas is decent, but Bendtner just cannot quite reach the ball and Chelsea whip it out for a throw-in. Cech was right there to disrupt the shooting chance. From that, another gentle cross from the right that Cech falls on. The final ball has been disappointing for Arsenal today.

CHELSEA SUBSTITUTION: Ballack off, Zhirkov on

The German gets a breather after a competent performance. The midfield for Chelsea has bowed on occasion but never came close to breaking. Mikel, Ballack and Lampard have been disciplined, to say the least.

YELLOW CARD, ARSENAL – Song, 82
The Cameroonian midfielder takes Lampard out from behind as the ball is being played, and he’s in the book. As easy as they come, really. More worrying is the free-kick for Chelsea, 25 yards out and dead center. You can hear Almunia s**tting himself from here.

Drogba steps up and strikes… and it rattles off the bar! Almunia did his best statue impression, camped as he was on the absolute other side of the goal.

YELLOW CARD, ARSENAL – Fabregas, 84
Silly from the Spaniard. He hauls down Drogba on the right after tracking him for a good 15 yards, though he goes in the book for some backchat after questioning the referee’s decision a little too strongly.

85 mins: The free-kick is played short to the penalty spot and Anelka fires way over the bar. Wenger is furious, and rightly so; his defenders were all parked on the edge of the six-yard-box and let the French striker get all alone 12 yards out. Woeful marking.

86 mins: Arshavin has a lazy run up the middle and looks for Fabregas on the edge of the box, but the pass is soft and easily intercepted. Chelsea break, and Song commits a foul in midfield.

CHELSEA SUBSTITUTION: Anelka off, Joe Cole on

Time to clog that midfield a bit more, eh?

YELLOW CARD, CHELSEA – Zhirkov, 87
The Russian climbs upon Fabregas in midfield (at least I think it was Fabregas) and the pair fall to the floor right in front of the referee. Another easy call.

Vermaelen decides to shoot from distance, but it was never even close.

89 mins: A decent cross from the right that finds Fabregas, but his glancing header goes wide of the far post. Replays show that Ivanovic came in hard and late and looked to have headed Fabregas’ head, but the referee didn’t see it. The Spaniard is slow to get up.

CHELSEA SUBSTITUTION: Drogba off, Kalou on

The Ivorian gets his ego massaged with the stoppage time standing ovation.

90 mins + 1: Arshavin works up the middle and finds Bendtner wide, but Carvalho and Ivanovic defend together and Carvalho lumps it downfield.

90 mins + 2: Clever play by Arshavin to play Rosicky in on goal, but Ashley Cole is there to execute a neat tackle and dispossess.

90 mins + 5: Some passing, some more passing, and not much else.

FULL TIME: Chelsea 2, Arsenal 0
It was never really a game, was it? Drogba scored early, and Arsenal looked rather short of ideas from there. The shoddy defending didn’t help either. This is a team with serious problems, and they’ve got four days or so to figure it out before Liverpool turn up on Wednesday evening.

On the other hand, Chelsea go back to the top of the league after a comfortable, polished display in which they only really generated four real scoring chances. Still, they got their goals and were content to let the visitors pass it around aimlessly for the rest of the game. Just 1 point from 9 down this crucial run for the Gunners.

Thanks for following along, folks. Go drown your sorrows/joys with the Super Bowl this afternoon (I can’t believe I’m saying that).