After a taxing week with three massive games, the final one at Stamford Bridge felt like the moment the energy finally ran out.
The opening exchanges were physically scrappy, challenges flying in, and by the fourth minute Anthony Taylor had his usual moment, a yellow card for Zubimendi on his very first challenge. Slightly unfortunate, I thought, as Reece James was breaking on the halfway line, moving away from goal to the left, and the Spaniard just clipped him. From that moment, the tone was set or should I say, lack of it.
For both sides, the game lost rhythm. A succession of cards meant every challenge was punished, resulting in no flow and stop-start football. Arsenal fashioned a chance in the twelfth minute, Saka adjusting well on his right but Sanchez saved smartly.
Chelsea dominated possession in the first half and looked lively on the break, with pace in abundance. We struggled to build momentum from the back, perhaps a symptom of missing Saliba, who usually gets us up the pitch and finds passes between the lines.
The flashpoint came when Caicedo saw red after VAR intervention. His challenge on Mikel Merino, just above the ankle, was a mix of flying in and mistiming the tackle.
Level at the break, and with so many players on yellows, a defensive change was understandable. Calafiori for Skelly. Yet almost immediately we were behind. From kick-off, a long ball saw Hincapie adjudged to have caught Pedro on the head, leading to a free kick. The delivery to the back post looked like it was drifting out, but Pedro stretched to force Raya into an acrobatic save, the ball perhaps going wide, but Raya took no chances.
From the resulting corner, a wicked delivery reminiscent of Timber’s glancing header against Bayern, Chalobah rose to put Chelsea in front flicking the ball backwards into the opposite corner. Just a minute into the second half, and once again we were chasing in an away league game for the second one in a row.
We recycled possession around the edge of the box, mostly down the right, but the game needed someone with craft to take control. Enter Odegaard.
The equaliser came after Chelsea failed to look after the ball properly, trying instead to counter on the break. Delap’s ball down the channel was picked up by Hincapie, who calmly rolled it back to Raya before pushing forward again. This time our right wing threat was decisive. Saka, up against Cucurella already on a yellow, drove at him, cut back, chopped, and delivered brilliantly. Two players waited at the back post, Merino leaping high to direct his header into the top corner.
Frustration lingered, though. We didn’t make the most of the man advantage. Yes, the cliché says it can be harder against ten men, but too often we moved the ball slowly, missing overloads. Half chances came, Saka flashing shots goal ward but little real threat in testing Sanchez. Chelsea adapted well, pulling wingers back to double up with full-backs. Timber was open a few times, but we delayed, allowing Chelsea to settle into a solid shape.
Not risking Zubimendi, already on a yellow, hindered us too. His progressive passing and link with Rice might have been crucial late on but we couldn’t risk it. Chelsea still carried some threat on the break, but both sides’ physical levels dropped — Chelsea with ten men, Arsenal after the blistering midweek showing against Bayern looked leggy as the minutes ticked by.
It was a welcome sight to see Gyökeres back, replacing Eze late on. The Swede was involved in two late chances to steal it. First, after Merino forced a low save from Sanchez, the rebound fell loose and Gyökeres collided with the keeper going for it, another yellow in the game and his second of the season.
Then, deep into stoppage time, Hincapie overlapped, Madueke rolled the ball down the left, and the Ecuadorian clipped a superb cross just before it went out. Timber leapt high, seemingly taking it off Gyökeres’ head, and the chance for 2–1 slipped away. A miscommunication, agonisingly the closest we came to a winner.
So we leave with a five-point gap to City in second, Chelsea still six behind in third. Mixed emotions was the immediate thought after the game at Stamford Bridge, which is always tough, especially with an under-par performance against ten men. Regrets, yes, but in the bigger picture we’re still in a healthy position. The fixtures now come thick and fast with the Christmas schedule. Brentford at home on Wednesday, with attacking options returning, Jesus back after nearly a year out. Saliba, nursing a slight knock, would be a welcome addition, though Mosquera and Hincapie did little wrong. Depth at centre-half will be vital with Villa away next Saturday.
After a testing week, the emotionally charged North London derby and the tactical battle with Bayern. Two wins and a draw and now time for a refresh. Rotation may be key over the coming weeks, Odegaard starting, Madueke on the wing, Timber rested with White coming in a potential for Brentford at home Wednesday. This is where the summer’s work pays dividends, keeping freshness in the side and navigating this period while aiming to stay top in both league and Europe.
Merino deserves special mention again. Excellent in the false nine role I thought, dropping in when needed, keeping the ball, and arriving at the right time to score another potentially crucial goal. With all options available, it will be fascinating to see how we set up, competition for places is exactly what we need to both keep the levels up and mitigating fatigue as we head into the winter months.
Until the next one, after Brentford and Villa, up the Arsenal.
The View From Block 107 