Arsenal endured a torrid afternoon at home against Chelsea after Per Mertesacker was sent off just 18 minutes in. The Gunners fought with 10 men but were unable to find an answer to Diego Costa’s winning goal.
Theo Walcott led the team out as captain; a gesture for his decade at Arsenal. Olivier Giroud recovered from an ankle problem to lead the attack, whilst Mesut Ozil also returned to the starting line-up after a short period out with a foot injury.
The Gunners had a shaky start as Chelsea pressed them hard in the opening moments of the match. Yet things went from bad to worse in just five game-changing minutes.
Per Mertesacker, one of Arsenal’s most experienced players, was sent off in the 18th minute after scything down Diego Costa. It was a poor tackle and bemusing decision-making from the German defender, leaving Mark Clattenburg with no choice but to show him a red card.
Wenger chose to remove Giroud from the pitch and replace him with Gabriel, much to the irritation of the Emirates crowd, leaving Ozil and Walcott to hold the fort up front.
A couple of minutes later, Diego Costa took advantage of the chaos with an emphatic near post flick over Petr Cech. Chelsea had total control of the midfield and the match, with Aaron Ramsey and Mathieu Flamini giving Willian, Fabregas and co. all the time and space in the world.
Arsenal bounced back at the end of the half by managing to find the gaps in a weak Chelsea defence but were unable to convert promise into a goal. Walcott was twice narrowly called offside but at the other end of the pitch, Nacho Monreal cleared a ball off the line. An unrecognisable Costa was a constant menace to Arsenal’s back line.
In the dying seconds of the first half, Mathieu Flamini flicked a golden opportunity to equalise over the bar. It was a torrid first half for the Gunners, who did not manage a single shot on target.
The second half did not begin much better. Koscielny was lucky not to concede a penalty with a push on Fabregas, which would have almost certainly put the game to bed.
However, the tempo of the game was brightened by the introduction of Alexis Sanchez. The Chilean, who has missed nearly two months of action, came on in the 55th minute. He injected some much-needed power and pace into the game but was unable to deliver that all-important equalising goal.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain replaced Walcott, and Arsenal pushed on, looking genuinely close to an equaliser. However, the final touch always seemed to evade the Gunners.
Unfortunately, Walcott remains seemingly unable to turn his form around, and it looks like Alexis will take his place on the left wing back, whilst the impressive Joel Campbell has done enough to secure the right wing starting berth.
It has been a terrible last three matches for Arsenal, who have gained just two points from a possible nine and won just once in the last four matches. A serious upturn in form is necessary to revive hopes of a title win.
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