Chelsea came from behind to beat Liverpool and boost their title hopes, but Arsenal will go into the New Year as Premier League leaders. Elsewhere, Tottenham hammered Stoke 3-0 and Everton kept up their push for Europe with a 2-1 win over Southampton.
Olivier Giroud's second-half goal handed Arsenal a 2-1 win against Newcastle at St James' Park.
Giroud glanced in Theo Walcott's free kick on 65 minutes to end a personal drought of 499 minutes without a Premier League goal, a run dating back to Nov. 23.
Arsenal nearly doubled their lead in a matter of minutes, but Walcott's attempted lob was headed onto the bar by a backtracking Mathieu Debuchy, with Giroud then putting the rebound wide.
Newcastle almost equalised in fortunate fashion with nine minutes to go when Wojciech Szczesny cannoned a clearance straight into Loic Remy's face, but the ball rolled wide of the goalmouth.
Arsene Wenger then withdrew Walcott for Carl Jenkinson to shore up his defence as Newcastle pushed late on, but the hosts could not find the breakthrough.
The victory saw the Gunners move a point clear of Manchester City at the top, but Chelsea are just two points behind the league leaders after they came from behind to see off Liverpool 2-1 at Stamford Bridge.
Liverpool were ahead after just four minutes when Martin Skrtel tapped home from close range after Luis Suarez had helped Philippe Coutinho's free kick into his path.
However, Chelsea were soon back on level terms with Eden Hazard arrowing the ball into the top corner from 20 yards when Oscar's shot deflected off Mamadou Sakho into his path.
Samuel Eto'o then put the hosts in front just past the half-hour mark when his scuffed six-yard shot from Oscar's cutback somehow squirmed under Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet and into the net.
Liverpool felt aggrieved when Luis Suarez was denied what looked to be a clear penalty in the second half when he was kicked off the ball by Eto'o, with referee Howard Webb waving away the striker's appeals.
Everton beat Southampton 2-1 at Goodison Park as they overtook Liverpool to end the year in fourth.
Coleman struck in the ninth minute after cutting inside James Ward-Prowse and firing his shot into the top corner.
Gaston Ramirez equalised for Southampton in the 71st minute with a fine strike, but the Saints were not level for long as three minutes later Lukaku pounced onto James McCarthy's pass to put Everton back in front.
Tottenham, meanwhile, are just three points behind the Champions League places as they beat Stoke 3-0.
Tim Sherwood, who was appointed on an 18-month deal after guiding Spurs to a victory at Southampton last weekend, followed Boxing Day’s 1-1 draw against West Brom with a dominant win.
The deadlock was broken when Emmanuel Adebayor's acrobatic effort was handled in the box by Ryan Shawcross, and Roberto Soldado stepped up to convert the penalty in the 37th minute, sending goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen in the wrong direction.
Spurs doubled their lead 20 minutes into the second half, with Mousa Dembele firing a low shot beyond the hapless Sorensen. Aaron Lennon then grabbed a third just four minutes later, after Adebayor miscontrolled Soldado's pass and Lennon finished off with a volley.
Sunday, December 29, 2013
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Chelsea Frustrate Gunners
Chelsea drew 0-0 against Arsenal at a windswept and soggy Emirates Stadium to earn a valuable point, but also left with thoughts of what might have been.
No doubt Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho will be pleased with his team's endeavours, though having seen them play the game at their own tempo and create the better attacking opportunities, he could be forgiven for being a tad disappointed not to take all the spoils.
It would stretch the imagination to claim that the Blues were dominant in that they didn't create a wealth of clear-cut chances. However, they always looked like the more dangerous side and favourites to break the deadlock. With a little more finesse with the final ball, Chelsea could have scythed open the Arsenal defence several times. The decision-making and movement were good, but too often the pass was not delivered into the ideal place for the receiving player.Willian had a busy and effective game yet was culpable of that particular transgression on a few occasions. In the players' defence, the appalling weather had its say all evening as any ball played in the air was subjected to the buffeting of the squally conditions and wrong-footed those moving towards goal.
The most pleasing factor of the night was the solidity that Chelsea showed throughout the team. The standard was set by the midfield that was set up with three players and included the vital defensive shield supplied by John Obi Mikel. It congested the field and denied Arsenal space to operate, forcing the hosts to spread the ball wide, where Willian andEden Hazard diligently assisted their full-backs.
Much of the buildup was spent praising the merits of Mesut Ozil, and, clearly, Mourinho had the German in mind when selecting his lineup. The efficiency of the system meant that Ozil was reduced to being a bystander unable to pull the strings, with Arsenal's threat nullified as a result. Equally,Aaron Ramsey, who has enjoyed a golden campaign, was practically anonymous as a creative source or in front of goal.
The setup also allowed Frank Lampard greater license to roam around the midfield and snap into challenges without having to worry about leaving any space behind him for the Gunners to exploit. He revelled in the freedom to get forward and join the attack with the veteran desperately unlucky to see his exquisitely controlled volley from Hazard's chipped pass thump off the crossbar. This was one of Lampard's best performances of the season, along with the one against West Ham, and it is no coincidence that Chelsea started both those games with a three-man midfield.
Just as impressive as the midfield was the back four. Despite the added complication provided by the elements, John Terrywas commanding in the aerial battle, while Gary Cahill showed exceptional timing in several moments to snuff out any developing sorties from the home side. At right-back,Branislav Ivanovic was solid and did not fall prone to the occasional lapse of concentration, of which he has been guilty in recent weeks. Similarly, on the other side, Cesar Azpilicuetahad the measure of his opponent, whether it was Theo Walcottor Tomas Rosicky, and has ensured that Ashley Cole might have to rely on squad rotation rather than form during the hectic Christmas schedule in order to reclaim his place in the side.
That Mourinho opted for pragmatism for this fixture was understandable despite his recent comments that he was looking to instill a more expansive approach in their play. This was a match that Chelsea simply could not afford to lose if they were to stay right in the middle of the title race, even if a victory would have made a significant statement to their rivals. Clean sheets have been as rare as a Fernando Torres goal of late, so to see organisation married to application was refreshing to witness.
With this tough fixture now out of the way, the Blues must now build on that with a win over Swansea on Boxing Day. The team is likely to be more ambitious in that game, though, hopefully, will keep the cohesion that served them so well in North London.
Courtesy: espnsoccernet.
No doubt Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho will be pleased with his team's endeavours, though having seen them play the game at their own tempo and create the better attacking opportunities, he could be forgiven for being a tad disappointed not to take all the spoils.
It would stretch the imagination to claim that the Blues were dominant in that they didn't create a wealth of clear-cut chances. However, they always looked like the more dangerous side and favourites to break the deadlock. With a little more finesse with the final ball, Chelsea could have scythed open the Arsenal defence several times. The decision-making and movement were good, but too often the pass was not delivered into the ideal place for the receiving player.Willian had a busy and effective game yet was culpable of that particular transgression on a few occasions. In the players' defence, the appalling weather had its say all evening as any ball played in the air was subjected to the buffeting of the squally conditions and wrong-footed those moving towards goal.
The most pleasing factor of the night was the solidity that Chelsea showed throughout the team. The standard was set by the midfield that was set up with three players and included the vital defensive shield supplied by John Obi Mikel. It congested the field and denied Arsenal space to operate, forcing the hosts to spread the ball wide, where Willian andEden Hazard diligently assisted their full-backs.
Much of the buildup was spent praising the merits of Mesut Ozil, and, clearly, Mourinho had the German in mind when selecting his lineup. The efficiency of the system meant that Ozil was reduced to being a bystander unable to pull the strings, with Arsenal's threat nullified as a result. Equally,Aaron Ramsey, who has enjoyed a golden campaign, was practically anonymous as a creative source or in front of goal.
The setup also allowed Frank Lampard greater license to roam around the midfield and snap into challenges without having to worry about leaving any space behind him for the Gunners to exploit. He revelled in the freedom to get forward and join the attack with the veteran desperately unlucky to see his exquisitely controlled volley from Hazard's chipped pass thump off the crossbar. This was one of Lampard's best performances of the season, along with the one against West Ham, and it is no coincidence that Chelsea started both those games with a three-man midfield.
Just as impressive as the midfield was the back four. Despite the added complication provided by the elements, John Terrywas commanding in the aerial battle, while Gary Cahill showed exceptional timing in several moments to snuff out any developing sorties from the home side. At right-back,Branislav Ivanovic was solid and did not fall prone to the occasional lapse of concentration, of which he has been guilty in recent weeks. Similarly, on the other side, Cesar Azpilicuetahad the measure of his opponent, whether it was Theo Walcottor Tomas Rosicky, and has ensured that Ashley Cole might have to rely on squad rotation rather than form during the hectic Christmas schedule in order to reclaim his place in the side.
That Mourinho opted for pragmatism for this fixture was understandable despite his recent comments that he was looking to instill a more expansive approach in their play. This was a match that Chelsea simply could not afford to lose if they were to stay right in the middle of the title race, even if a victory would have made a significant statement to their rivals. Clean sheets have been as rare as a Fernando Torres goal of late, so to see organisation married to application was refreshing to witness.
With this tough fixture now out of the way, the Blues must now build on that with a win over Swansea on Boxing Day. The team is likely to be more ambitious in that game, though, hopefully, will keep the cohesion that served them so well in North London.
Courtesy: espnsoccernet.
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