Chelsea vs Arsenal: The One without a goal

It won't be the last ... 

Literally the worst time that any team can face Arsenal is the moment when they appear to be just your type on paper. Disarray in the dressing room. Having their ground taken over by a bunch of Germans. Failing to get even a single goal past Liverpool's dodgy back line. Everyone has written them off and expects them to concede another 4. Everyone gets lulled into this false sense of security and then bam. Their balls drop. They pull together and put in a performance. While on balance of play a draw was fair, Arsenal probably had the better chances. Thankfully the posts and offside flag were in full effect.

What did we learn (or already know) Sunday's 0-0 draw between Chelsea and Arsenal?

Petr Cech is still a great goalkeeper

For fans of social media, you will have seen the stat do the rounds that Big Pete has already conceded more goals for North London in a couple of seasons than he did in his entire Chelsea career. While amusing, it's simply not true. It's not even close to being true. People will persist with it. And people will believe it - but it's wrong. Of course he isn't quite the goalkeeper he once was, he faces a hell of a lot more shots than he did before and often comes up with the goods. Case in point - Sunday. Ultimately he was the difference between Chelsea's single point and taking all three from Arsenal at Stamford Bridge once again. His save on Pedro's incredible effort seemed to swing momentum - and not in the right way.

Hector Bellerin is faaaasssttt

Bellerin had a shocker last season. But it didn't slow him down any. He was a complete nuisance throughout the first half. Marcos Alonso is no slouch but struggled to keep up with Bellerin for pace, which allowed him to get a few too many decent crosses into the box. While little blame can be placed on anyone who isn't able to match him in a foot race, I do hold a little judgement for players not finding their man to mark in the box. If a cross comes into the box and there's no one there to take the shot - does it even matter? Focus on the things that are in your control and let Aria Stark Bellerin tire himself out running up and down the wing into oblivion.

Eden Hazard is good at football

While I might think he's perfection in a tiny Belgian package - he probably needed more than 20 minutes to really work his magic. He created a bit of panic in a well organised Arsenal side. Likely even the psychological pressure of his presence after *that* goal last season would have created enough doubt and Arsenal players second guessing themselves that the result could have been much different. While it's good long term thinking to ease Hazard back into action after a serious injury - bringing him on at half time would have been optimal to get the very best out of him. Instead he'll get all his extra minutes against Nottingham Forest ....

Victor Moses is not

I quipped that the King of Throw-Ins was a dead man walking after Davide Zappacosta's rocket against the might Qarabag. Well played Antonio Conte. Made me look like a right mug. It's safe to say I'm not Moses' biggest fan but he's just taking the p*ss now with his performances. The ONLY thing he managed to do on Sunday was flop over in another embarrassing dive to win an free-kick and not get caught. Actual stealing a living. Zappacosta will likely start tonight against Forest - but based on the 100+ minutes we've seen so far - he should be starting week in and week out.

David Luiz is box office

David Luiz is often under appreciated for his defensive nous and over-scrutinised for just about anything else. Sunday's game against Arsenal encapsulated the full breadth of what David Luiz brings to a game. He was key to Chelsea keeping a clean sheet and looked to be on a one man mission to stop them - and anyone who gets in his way - in their tracks. Including the cameraman. At the end of the first half Luiz toppled over a cameraman who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Obviously the cameraman went unscathed while the coiffured warrior was down for ages after landing badly on his wrist. Thankfully Carlo Cudicini was on hand to attend to him. He's not a physio - but I'm pretty confident he managed to handsome the hurt out of Luiz's wrist.

Not content with merely toppling a cameraman, Luiz also got in a bit of a tangle with man mountain Sead Kolasinac. It's been a while since he's done something that reckless. he could have done some serious damage to himself trying to tackle Kolasinac. It also ensure that no poorly tempered Argentinian's will try and end his career in a couple of weeks. Never a bad idea to plan ahead! Unagi.

People celebrating a goal that is not a goal is never not funny

It is always funny when fans and players celebrate like maniacs for ages before realising the offside flag has gone up. Fair play to Arsenal who took it to the next level. One of their little scamps thought they'd get amongst it and do a little pitch invasion. Because a pitch invasion to celebrate the winning goal at one of your rivals, albeit being the beginning of the season, is worth the fine and potential banning orders. But ask your little flat capped self this - was it worth being banned to celebrate an offside goal like a lunatic?

Something worse than half and half scarves ...

What is an exciting famous person for one, may not be for another. That's cool. It's not for anyone to say who you should think is kind of a big deal. Steph Curry was at the game on Sunday. And if you don't watch basketball you might not realise he's one of the biggest athletes in the world. Not a comment on the height of actual basketball players. But he likely could have walked out of the stadium to the underground without most realising he was an actual celebrity.  Which, to be fair, he probably loved. There's no way he'd get that sort of anonymity in the US.

Cut to scenes across the road from the stadium were there were mass groups surrounding someone. Was it Curry, Woody Harrelson, Channing Tatum or even John Terry who were all at the game? No. It was f*cking Arsenal FanTV. Mobbed by hangers on. I'll accept the away fans. But the people in actual Chelsea shirts chasing Ty down to get selfies .... get out. Like actual get out of the house. If you're spending so much time on social that you are chasing down high profile loud mouths you need to step away from your computer. Your mobile. Whatever. Ty is not a celebrity. Ty is someone who has too much money to spend in the club shop. Ty is someone who picks fights with old men for 'fame'. I've seen actual Andriy Shevchenko leave the ground without people blinking twice and Ty is getting mobbed for selfies?! Honestly have a look at yourselves.

jb xx