Arsenal – Chelsea special: Three reasons why Chelsea lost the game
The reigning Barclays Premier League champions started their title defence in supreme form. Chelsea dropped only four points from their opening 10 games and raced to a lead in the rankings. Carlo Ancelotti’s men scored a mighty 27 goals in that period while
conceding a miserly 3.
However, Blues’ defeat to http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Liverpool-c39809 on 7th of November derailed Ancelotti’s season. The reigning English champions have now gone on playing without a victory in their last six league games, conceding 10 while scoring just 4.
Chelsea have been Arsenal’s Achilles’ heel for quite some time now and many tipped this fixture to be the ‘return-to-form’ game for Ancelotti’s men, but it wasn’t to be The Blues day – Wenger’s men gave Chelsea the blues.
Bettor.com analysed the game and explains the reasons which led to Chelsea’s demise.
Chelsea defence not playing to its strengths
A centre back pairing of http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Branislav-Ivanovic-c7994 can be an impenetrable wall if played to the players’ strengths. Terry and Ivanovic are no-non sense defenders blessed with beastly strength but passing is clearly not one of their strengths. While
Gunners’ first goal was Arsenal at its best; tiki-taka football, the next two goals were horrendous defending on Chelsea’s part.
Chelsea defenders tried to pass the ball out of defence – like Barcelona does week-in and week-out- and needless to say, they failed miserably. Such passing mentality cannot be adopted in a single season; players need to play with that passing mentality
for many years before such practices can be applied on the pitch. Furthermore, a defender needs excellent technical ability to play such a game. Terry and Ivanovic clearly do not fit the bill.
Poor tactics
Carlo Ancelotti was spot on with his tactics last season but he has lost the plot this time around. Arsenal inflicted most of the damage through their wings where http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Samir-Nasri-c32360 and Theo Walcott were in inspired form. Where Theo Walcott is overly reliant on
his pace, Nasri is one gem of a player blessed with a supreme footballing brain. The way Nasri drew Chelsea midfielders towards the left wing before releasing his players into space in the centre of the park was delightful to watch.
Gunner’s scored their first with a similar move. Starting with http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Ramires-c30523
on the right would have been a better option.
On the opposite flank, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Theo-Walcott-c34873. While Cole will have to shoulder blame for the second and third Arsenal goal, he was left exposed by his midfielders on both occasions. Ancelotti will have to come under fire
for the way he laid out his troops against young, energetic and hungry Gunners.
Stagnant forward line
Chelsea midfield had a torrid time in possession as they failed to conjure any magic, any chance of note, throughout the 90 minutes. However, Lampard and co’s job was made all the more difficult by a slow and cumbersome http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Chelsea-c38786 forward line that was desperately
wanting in movement.
If the forwards don’t make an effort, lack the movement and will to make an impact, there is little the midfielders can do. Apart from Drogba, who looked the most dangerous Chelsea player on the pitch, Chelsea attackers; http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Salomon-Kalou-c32266 and Flourent Malouda
were disappointing to say the least. These players need to wake up, just like Carlo Ancelotti demanded in his post match press conference.
"We have to continue to work. We worked well these last two weeks. We didn't have a good performance today but we'll try in the next game. The table is not good but this is the reality. We have to wake up. Now we are sleeping."
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