Closed Arsenal 0-0 Chelsea

[Cosmin 2,484]

I guess Jose's counting on us beating United, Spuds and le Arse at the Bridge just like we did with City. If that happens, the 'playing for the draw' strategy was an inspired one and the sacrifice of watching boring games was worth it.

Anyway, after tonight I'm pretty sure that City are favourites to win the title this season.

[Mouri_Matic 560]

If we had gone for it and lost (which was entirely possible because Arsenal are a good team) then people like you would have been the first ones moaning.

The fact is that we negated Arsenal's threat and created more chances than them. That's how you win leagues.

No I would actually be happy if we lost because we tried to play good football, I would never complain. Yes but this strategy rely on others as well, not taking the initiative. Do you really see us shifting from this for our game against Swansea and Liverpool? Or is this the approach that is gonna be retained as soon as we scored a goal or two from now on?

[The only place to be 11,313]

No I would actually be happy if we lost because we tried to play good football,

We played some good football today.

[CHOULO19 24,332]

Agreed. Willian, who is a diligent worker and a very good player, doesn't seem to have the final ball in his locker. I counted at least 3 occasions when a pass was on and he either didn't see it or played a poor ball. I like him though and he put in another quality shift.

I think Jose likes him very much as well that he is preferring him to Oscar who was one of our best players. His movement and runs off the ball are sublime, not to mention his great defensive work-rate. But his delivery in the final third has been far from great and not just today. If he can improve on that he can be one of the best players in the league, imo.

[zolayes 14,489]

I guess Jose's counting on us beating United, Spuds and le Arse at the Bridge just like we did with City. If that happens, the 'playing for the draw' strategy was an inspired one and the sacrifice of watching boring games was worth it.

Anyway, after tonight I'm pretty sure that City are favourites to win the title this season.

in my view City were the favourites from the start ,, they have Strikers

[Mouri_Matic 560]

We played some good football today.

At times indeed, the lightning quick counter attacking and pacey movement were good from us in that 1st half, but then Jose just decided to end any chance of us winning probably from the 70th min onward. Maybe this is a bit of a overreaction from me today for this match, but I just hope we improve offensively in the future games. Now lets look forward to that Swansea game and hope we play some proper real good football and everyone can be happy for real.

[_007M_ 26]

MOT is HAZARD no doubt in that i think

regarding the performance ,, balanced to far extend but i have many question markes !

Why mou insists of benching MATA in inportant game like that and he sure knows that MATA has soultions !

Why changing hazard in last 15 minutes as he was p,laying in top form and presents best indiviual solutions and tallest period of controlling ball

Why joining OSCAR and appears that he isn't in the best form to play !

Really angry for losing expensive points easily because of manager's understood strategy !

GOOD LUCK IN WHAT'S NEXT & KTBFFH

[Vybz Kartel 1,613]

tonight's 4-3-3 is the way to go. if playing (solid) like this week in, week out means benching mata, oscar and other fans favourites so be it, i don't care as long as we're winning or taking a point (w/o conceding!!!) away at one of the best teams in epl this season. ffs sunderland and stoke have scored for fun against us and now, when we're rock solid at the back, people are still moaning... two games at the bridge now, hopefully two wins and let the title battle begin!

People forget remember we lost to Basle playin 433??

[Vybz Kartel 1,613]

Mata should start against Swansea

[Stats 6,980]

I am a bit puzzled here tonight. To win, to play more offensively against Arsenal made no sense. just a small reminder here, the weather conditions weren´t ideal to do it anyway. Nothing was lost tonight. The team is still at the top, two home games coming up, if won, who knows Chelsea could be leading the pack in early January.

As soon as I saw your name I thought it would be a criticism of Mourinho. For you to compliment him seems like a once in a lifetime thing

Guess it is because I am so used to seeing you rip into him

[laeth 527]

Why are people complaining about this result? Everyone was saying we were going to get hammered before the match.

Think people need to be realistic. If we win the league this season; it ain't because we have the best team or squad...

[The Skipper 20,593]

Decent result but I'm really annoyed at our negative tactics in the last 30 minutes.

Personally I think we could've nicked it if we took a little bit more of an initiative.

[BlueLion. 21,491]

Can't say I'm "delighted" with the result - though a draw at Arsenal is a credible result, and many of us (myself included) were fearing the worst considering our defensive woes) - but I am chuffed to bits with our performance. Defensively miserly, and we were by far the more threatening attacking side. Almost makes you wonder what might have happened if we'd have gone for it tonight, but one thing is for sure if we'd have been more attacking, then Arsenal would have had many more chances than the couple Giroud spurned.

Terry and Willian were particularly brilliant tonight, but a good performance all round. We shaded it tonight - just - but a draw is a very fair result. I also think Mike Dean got all three major controversies absolutely spot on - the challenge by Mikel was never a yellow, let alone a red as Jamie Carragher thought; it was a brilliant 50-50 were both players wanted the ball and naturally one would lose out; the challenge by Ramires was a yellow and nothing more; and as for Arsenal complaints about Walcott being fouled in the box for a penalty? Laughable. Shows how desperate they were.

There's only one team in London with a European Cup, and tonight we showed why. Excellent defensive performance - and a fucking clean sheet for Christmas!

[Mouri_Matic 560]

Decent result but I'm really annoyed at our negative tactics in the last 30 minutes.

Personally I think we could've nicked it if we took a little bit more of an initiative.

Perfectly summed it up in 2 sentences.

[chelseathebest 150]

One thing's sure - Jose got what he wanted from this game.

I think that better solution was to attack them, but I'll leave calculations to Jose for now.

[Weckerz 3,781]

To those who feel this is a bad result, go to any Arsenal forum have a pint and a laugh

[manpe 10,855]

Previously people were so sure we'd lose to the point that they were just hoping not to get mauled. We drew, got a point. I'd call this a good result. In truth it could have gone either way had the teams taken their chances, but draw felt just.

[Barbara 15,149]

Why are people complaining about this result? Everyone was saying we were going to get hammered before the match.

Think people need to be realistic. If we win the league this season; it ain't because we have the best team or squad...

and that's the borderline behavior I don't get. It seems like Chelsea never win with some people.

So many people saying we were going to be hammered, then we aren't and it's bad too. So damned if we do it, damned we don't?

Or maybe their problem isn't Chelsea, is Mourinho.Whatever it is I don't get it.

Based on pre-match posts you'd think people would be very happy 1) we draw away against the league's leader (who've been there for a long while btw) 2) we outplayed them for most of the match. You don't outplay only when you create more chances (which we did), but also when you don't allow them to create anything (which we also did) 3) our players were mentally tired by the mark 70 (give or take a few minutes), Mourinho made changes that would ensure the players efforts to win wouldn't end with a defeat because they were tired.

Isn't all that progress from the spanking they predicted we would face? Not only the spanking never happened, but we were the best side, still there are only complaints.

Someone (don't remember who) said or implied the half time conversation changed the players' mentality... I disagree. We started 2nd half with the same mind we've finished the first. We even created some very good counter-attacks - only we didn't create a chance as clear as the one Lamps missed and Willian messed up in the first. We carried on the philosophy we finished. It was only when Mourinho noticed the team's gas dying out quickly after the 60 mark. Once you don't have anything else to give (and some players didn't) you just deal with it. Willian and Hazard when taken out weren't on the same pace as they were in the first half and starting the second. It's just that simple imo. But even if we complain about the last few minutes... I don't get how we go from definitely being raped by them, to outplaying them and the tone is still moaning and complaining. I'd get it if Arsenal fans had such reaction as they were also sure they'd slam us.