Match date: 23 December 2013

Both managers set out their sides in a 4-2-3-1, but as formations do, it hardly told the story. Mourinho’s side include Willian and Hazard as the wingers, with Ramires supporting Torres. Mikel and Lampard played as the two holding midfielders as Chelsea looked to defend in a low block and counter.

Arsene Wenger’s side had four changes compared to the side that lost 6-3 against Manchester City in their last match, with Vermaelen coming in for the injured Koscielny. Arteta, Gibbs, and Rosicky all came back into the side.

Arsenal Dominate Possession, Lack Penetration

At the end of the match, Arsenal had recorded 61% possession, but only managed to get two shots on goal, both of which came in the last ten minutes of the match when Arsenal played a bit more direct than they had been for majority of the game.

Despite being pressured early on in the match (and in loose ball situations), Mikel Arteta was largely left by Chelsea to dictate the match and pick out his passes. Chelsea, however, cut off his forward outlets meaning that Arteta’s passing was as expansive as Arsenal would have wanted. He relied upon moving the ball to Ramsey and Rosicky for the majority of the match, as well as both Arsenal full backs, which Mourinho highlighted in his post match interview. While he completed 33 passes to Ramsey and Rosicky, he was only able to pick out Arsenal’s two furthest forward players, Giroud and Walcott, four times combined.

Arsenal’s inability to penetrate was primarily down to their inability to get a player in between the lines of Chelsea’s defense. Without that presence, it allowed Chelsea to remain compact and organised throughout the match. Below, you can see about a 10-12 yard space between Chelsea’s midfield and defense, with no Arsenal player in it. You can also see Özil, who is on the ball, in a deep position which he found himself in a number of times in the opening stages of the match as Arsenal looked to establish the tempo.

That gap between Chelsea’s lines was certainly a deciding factor in the match as Arsenal had a hard time working the ball into that area while Chelsea were defending in a low block. Özil had to repeatedly come deep to receive the ball rather than support Giroud through the middle of the pitch. Below, you can see where Özil received the ball and where Arsenal’s passes were played. If you took at the screen capture above and then the passing images below, you can see that Arsenal struggled to work the ball into that area vacant in the screen capture.

Giroud had just two chances in the match, a sliding effort that was somehow saved over the bar by Cech and a half volley that he hit wide after Ramsey chipped the ball behind the Chelsea back four from the edge of the area. Both were certainly Arsenal’s best chances, however, and came only after they began to play a bit more tempo to their play in Chelsea’s half.

Arsenal’s Full Backs

Gibbs and Sagna could have had a lot of influence on the turnout of this match. With Hazard and Willian playing as Chelsea’s wingers in a 4-2-3-1, Arsenal’s full backs were always going to have space to run into as neither Hazard or Willian are too keen on tracking back to support their full backs. Despite the amount of space they had, Gibbs and Sagna did not take full advantage as we’ve seen in other matches when they have the opportunity to do so. Against Dortmund in the group stage of the Champions League earlier this year, Sagna and Gibbs both failed to effective use of the space they had.

Sagna delivered one decent cross early on in the match, but it was cut out by a Chelsea defender. With Giroud an isolated figure due to Arsenal’s inability to play between the lines, it looked as though Arsenal’s best opportunities would come from a cross and their best chance did as Gibbs slid a ball across the six yard box for Giroud.

Chelsea Control Space, Counter

This certainly goes along with Arsenal’s lack of penetration. The post match interview from Mourinho perfectly summed up his thoughts on his side’s tactics, saying that if they couldn’t win, they mustn’t lose. From the beginning of the match, his side set up to control the space and limit Arsenal’s opportunities while the trio of Hazard, Willian, and Ramires possessed the abilities to counter attack quick when they could.

With Mikel, Lampard, and Ramires, Chelsea’s midfield kept a compact midfield and only began to pressure the ball once Arsenal got around the top of the centre circle in Chelsea’s half, which meant that the likes of Arteta had a good amount of time on the ball, which Mourinho talked about in his post match interview saying that they planned to allow Arteta to have the ball as much as he liked and forced him to pass to Arsenal’s full backs throughout the match. Below, you can see Arteta in possession of the ball near the halfway line with no pressure.

Aside from Ramires standing off and Lampard recovering, you can also see Willian and Hazard in wide positions, but as Arsenal came forward more, Chelsea’s midfield became much more compact and the defenders behind them made sure that Arsenal players couldn’t get in between the lines, which Mourinho has always said is the most important space in a match. Cahill’s position on Giroud highlights that idea.

Once Chelsea won possession of the ball, they were able to counter quickly, but failed to take any of their chances. Some of the best chances fell to Lampard, who rattled the crossbar, and Willian who had a tame effort saved by Szczesny. Chelsea, however, created more chances than Arsenal by playing counter attacking football. As Arsenal pushed players forward, they were too easily caught out, perhaps due to the lack of Flamini in the side.

 (Lack of) Changes

Mourinho made like for like changes for his wingers, bringing on Schurrle for Hazard and then Oscar for Willian. He then withdrew Torres for David Luiz meaning that Ramires would play on the right, Schurrle on the left, and Oscar up top. Mikel and Luiz were the two holding midfielders with Lampard the furthest forward. His changes showed his intentions to keep a tight midfield when Arsenal had possession around the halfway line and compact defense as they were pushed deeper into a low block.

Arsene Wenger, however, opted to not make any substitutions, in some ways it makes sense. He wouldn’t bring on Flamini as Arsenal were largely pushing for a win despite Chelsea getting chances on counter attacks. Podolski is only just fit and would have been a risk because of his lack of minutes in a match against another top side with the score 0-0.

A move he could have possibly made was bringing on Cazorla for Walcott, which could have seen Özil play on the right, where he has had a good amount of success this year, and Cazorla on the left. With Chelsea defending so deep, Walcott’s pace was largely voided. Even when Arsenal had chances to counter, Walcott was rarely the outlet. With the introduction of Cazorla, Arsenal may have been able to play a bit quicker, one-touch football around Chelsea’s penalty area. Based on how Chelsea were looking to counter attack, however, it would have been risky to bring on Cazorla, who finds himself caught out on counter attacks frequently.

Conclusion

Mike Dean had a poor game and while he may have been right to not call a penalty when Walcott went down due to the Arsenal attacker bringing his legs together to give Willian more area to make contact with, Mikel’s tackle on Arteta should have been a red card and would have increased the pressure on Chelsea’s defense.

Arsenal dominated possession of the ball, but their penetration was lacking and it allowed Chelsea to play quickly on the break. Mourinho maintains his unbeaten record against Wenger as Arsenal begin to show signs of struggling in the last few matches, but have an easier run of matches in this festive period compared to Chelsea who have to play Liverpool and Southampton.