Arsenal 1 – Chelsea 2…but there were some positives

A cool Sunday afternoon in north London started on a positive note, but unfortunately ended on a negative one as the Gunners lost to derby rival Chelsea, 2-1.

The first half saw Arsenal play some good football considering it was a makeshift duo of fullbacks assembled by Mikel Arteta to cover injuries. All in all, the team moved the ball quickly, their passing was sharp, and they even defended with some passion. It was fun to watch this Arsenal side on TV, and you could hear the Arsenal faithful at the Emirates enjoying it as well.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang got his 13th Premier League goal of the season in the 13th minute when he headed home the first goal of the game. At that point the Gunners had Chelsea on their heals.

Then, Chelsea manager Frank Lampard made some game changing decisions which brought the Blues back into the game. We held the lead until the 83rd minute when Bernd Leno’s goalkeeping blunder brought Chelsea back to even. Then a Chelsea breakaway, and some sloppy Arsenal defending produced the winning goal for Chelsea just four minutes later. Game over….blah, blah, blah…

So, that leaves Arsenal in 12th place in the Premiere League, 11 points adrift of the top 4. Next up, Manchester United comes to town on Wednesday to ring in the new year. Oh boy…

Okay, Arsenal got beat, but, there are some positives to speak about.
Overall, the team looked more cohesive, more spirited, more organized…and the defense did play better. Aubameyang was all over the field playing hard at both ends. Ozil put in a decent performance, plus, Torriera and Guendouzi held their own in midfield and had good games. I really believe with time, Arteta might be able to whip this squad into shape. (Of course, he needs to make a few January signings as well.) Arteta and his staff also need to find some solutions that provide our strikers more chances at goal. They don’t get enough chances, and definitely not enough goals to be successful at any level.

It’s great to be home from the holiday and back on the keyboard, so let’s hope the 2nd half of Arsenal’s season brings more joy and good wishes to Gooners everywhere!

Cheers. Gunner1953