Well, given the circumstances, that was an exceptional result for Chelsea.
Sure, Enzo Maresca’s side would have gone out there looking for a win, but considering Arsenal are the Premier League leaders, a point is not bad and has kept them within touching distance.
Moreover, when Moises Caicedo got himself sent off in the first half, it felt like only a matter of when, not if, the Gunners would take the lead.
There were sensational displays across the pitch for the hosts, including one monster that saved the Ecuadorian international from becoming the talking point.
Chelsea’s standout stars
One of Chelsea’s best players this evening, and all season for that matter, was Robert Sanchez.
The Spanish shot-stopper has come in for some harsh criticism over recent years, but against the Gunners, he was superb.
On top of his passing generally being on point and his collection of crosses being efficient, he also made several top-quality stops, like the one from Gabriel Martinelli’s shot in the first half.
Another hugely important player for the Blues was captain fantastic, Reece James.
The Englishman once again started the game in the middle of the park and was, in the words of presenter Olivia Buzaglo, “gargantuan.”
In his 94 minutes of action, he provided an assist, played two key passes, won 100% of his tackles, won 11 of 12 duels, didn’t get dribbled past at all, recovered the ball twice, and completed 100% of his dribbles.
It was just the sort of performance the team needed from their captain after Caicedo was sent off in the first half.
However, there was another starter who was just as vital to the win, and truly saved the Ecuadorian’s blushes.
The Chelsea player who saved Caicedo
Once Caicedo was sent off, there was an expectation that Arsenal would eventually wrestle control back from Chelsea and stamp their authority over proceedings.
However, the Blues clearly had other ideas.
Just three minutes into the second 45, James delivered an incredible corner into the Gunners’ penalty area, and Trevoh Chalobah rose to meet it and head it home.
It was a well-worked set-piece and a brilliant header that seemed to shock the visitors and gave the Stamford Bridge faithful something to cheer about and take their minds off the red card.
However, while that was the most memorable moment of his game, Chalobah did far more than just score, as he was superb at the back and showed some great on-the-ball skill, coming out from the back on multiple occasions.
He unsurprisingly made quite the impression on the watching press as well, with the Standard’s Dom Smith awarding him an 8/10 match rating at full-time.
The 26-year-old’s statistics more than justify such a rating as well.
Chalobah’s game v Arsenal | |
|---|---|
Minutes | 94′ |
Goals | 1 |
Tackles (Won) | 1 (1) |
Clearances | 6 |
Recoveries | 4 |
Ground Duels (Won) | 2 (1) |
Aerial Duels (Won) | 5 (4) |
Dribbled Past | 0 |
Touches | 52 |
Shots | 1 |
Fouls Won | 1 |
In his 94 minutes of hard-fought action, the academy graduate won 100% of his tackles, made six clearances, recovered the ball four times, won five of seven duels, didn’t get dribbled past, took 52 touches and won one foul.
It was another performance from the Englishman that proves he’s more than just a stopgap until the club splashes the cash on a new defender.
Or, as Gary Cahill said in an interview that came out a few hours before the game, he is “the most underappreciated player at Chelsea.”
Ultimately, they might not have won, but Chelsea put in a sensational performance to claim a point against Arsenal, and alongside the likes of Sanchez and James, Chalobah saved Caicedo from becoming the talking point.
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