In the absence of a game… the ‘blackboard’ is good. He Arsenal defeated the Chelsea (2-1) in it ‘set-piece derby -the three goals came in strategic plays- to keep the Premier League leadership safe: leads Manchester City by five pointswhich has one less game, with nine games remaining.
Nobody wanted to risk too much. A slip by Robert Sánchez that Gyökeres almost took advantage of in the 5th minute and A shot by Eze from midfield that the Spanish goalkeeper intercepted with his chest in the 15th minute was the highlight of Mikel Arteta’s charges.who could not count on Odegaard, before the 1-0.
Chelsea warned, however, in the 19th minute with a corner from Reece James that almost became an Olympic goal: ended up on the side of the net. From one dead ball action to another. Saka takes a corner, Gabriel Magalhaes extends at the far post and the William Saliba’s header ended up in the net in the 21st minute after touching Mamadou Sarr.
Every corner was synonymous with a goal. Especially if Reece James threw them. Rice He deflected towards his goal, with his hand, a sent touch from Chelsea’s ‘2’ in the 45th minute and Raya flew to take her over the line. Paradon.
He could do nothing, however, on the following corner kick.. James served the area and Piero Hincapie, in his attempt to clear, ended up putting the ball into his goal in added time. The derby was tied at half-time.
Chelsea improved after passing through the locker room. Raya excelled from Enzo’s shot in the 51st minute and He ‘flew’ again to take a shot from Joao Pedro after a corner, of course, in the 53rd minute.
But if there is a ‘king’ of the set piece in the Premier… that is Arsenal. In the 66th minute it was evident again. Rice took a corner and Jurriën Timber, among countless blocks, headed into the net. Arteta’s men equaled, in this way, the record of goals (16) in strategy plays in the same season.
The expulsion of Pedro Neto in the 70th minute for trying to intercept a Martinelli counterattack ‘made things easier’ for Arsenal. Even so, Chelsea knew how to survive. Robert Sánchez excelled with a good save against Eze in the 80th minute. What’s more, it was close to a tie: Moisés Caicedo he looked for it with a shot from the front that went just past the corner in the 87th minute and Raya, once again, avoided it in the 93rd minute by deflecting ‘in extremis’ a centerchut of Garnacho.
He had another one to show off in the 95th minute. Luckily, it didn’t work. Arsenal’s ‘number 1’ He saved a bicycle kick from close range by Joao Pedro and had time to retrace his steps and get the ball (again) over the line. The subsequent rejection sent him to the net Liam Delap. It would have been 2-2, but it didn’t work. Joao Pedro was offside.
The Gunners keep Raya, never better said, at Chelsea. They have now gone eleven games without losing against the ‘blues’… and maintain a five-point advantage over City. Winning the Premier 22 years later is one step closer.
