- Aubameyang leads the line
- Ramsey, Guendouzi and Elneny start in midfield
- Sokratis partners Mustafi at the back
Leno, Chambers, Mavropanos, Holding, Maitland-Niles, Iwobi, E. Smith Rowe, Nketiah, Nelson
That’s the confirmed line up. Chelsea’s team
Substitutes
M. Bulka, R. Green, D. Drinkwater, R. Loftus-Cheek, T. Bakayoko, V. Moses, C. Musonda, T. Abraham, Zappacosta, A. Christensen, Lucas Piazon, Emerson, E. Ampadu
Highlights of the match will be on Arsenal.com from 10am UK time. Meanwhile the big question is, will Ron Manager be back to do the “expert summariser” thing. He did the first game, was notably absent for the second game, but will he be back tonight?
Interesting that in Chelsea’s last game in the series they played in a stadium only a quarter full. The upper tier was closed off, the lower tier only half occupied. Not full yet.
Interesting display of Arsenal’s signings. They have the names written in white on a green background. If they cared to ask anyone who has studied and written on the psychology of perception, he might tell you that on TV this is an impossible combination to read. But they didn’t ask. Or at least they didn’t ask me.
Aarson Ramsey injured himself in warmup and isn’t playing. Smith Rowe is playing.
A fast attacking game from both sides. First serious chance a shot from Fabregas, palmed over by Cech. From the corner a free header from just off the penalty spot. Chelsea one up in five minutes.
From the kick off Arsenal attacking and get a corner and then its back down to the Arsenal end with the defenders by passed. Guendouzi is playing quite far forward, then another Chelsea break and for the second time in the first nine minutes a Chelsea player is offside.
Chelsea are doing the high pressing game as predicted, everyone forward when Arsenal have the ball in their own half looking to launch an attack. It is working very well at the moment.
When Arsenal have the ball in their own half several Chelsea players pressure them, and Arsenal are not moving.
Bellerin gives away a foul in the box and it is a penalty on 14 minutes and… would you believe Cech does a perfect save and it is still 1-0.
15 minutes and another chance for Chelsea which goes wide for a corner but the corne rgoes across the whole area and out.
17 mins another Chelsea attack with a long ball over the top, ready for the massed troops to rush forward. But Arsenal clear the lines and on 19 mins have a corner.
The number of fouls from Chelsea is extraordinarily high for a friendly match. Arsenal still playing it out from the back slowly which is not working against the high number of players pressing. Morata gets a chance which Cech saves by sticking a leg out.
22 mins yet another Arsenal free kick half way inside the Chelsea half on the left wing. Ends with a good cross from Mkhitaryan but no one there to take it.
23 mins another Chelsea attack in numbers nearly results in another goal. Arsenal now attack but it is much slower.
25 mins Arsenal once again playing it slowly upfield and being pressured all the time and eventually losing it on the half way line. To show how this is working, on 27 mins we have Arsenal sttill trying play the ball out of the area with six Chelsea players around them. Although this still Ozil got the ball and we did move forward and have a shot from Smith Rowe but it was high. Very interesting that the manager is not trying to change the format.
29 mins the first prolonged spell of Arsenal pressure and holding possession. 30 mins first really good Arsenal attack with the build up working. A better period of pressure, and interesting that on the Chelsea counter attack the two forwards were alone – there wasn’t a whole crowd heading on the Arsenal goal. Arsenal the counter, Mkhitaryan gets it on the right and puts in the utterly perfect pass to Auba who misses the book by a fraction of an inch. Had he touched it, it would have been a goal.
Now as Chelsea attack the movement is much slower and the passes not so accurate. Attacks are still coming but they are breaking down. Arsenal’s defence suddenly know how to handle this.
35 mins Arsenal are now playing the ball across the back 3 and Chelsea are not harassing them. Eventually they break through and Guendouzi takes a shot from 20 yards. It goes wide but a good try.
Arsenal knocking it about in their own half and Chelsea far far slower to pressure. So the tactic looks like it is intended to last for 15 to 20 mins to get a goal – and of course it worked. This time Arsenal get away and for about the fifth time Bellerin is through on the right and puts a cross in, just slightly too high. Now this looks like an Arsenal team and we are getting attacks. But Kolasinac is down and staying down he is tackled hard by the Chelsea keeper. He’s up but walking carefully off the pitch.
And here’s something I didn’t know – Zola is working at Chelsea as an assistant to the manager. At the moment – 40 mins – it is all Arsenal with occasional Chelsea breaks. They look knackered. Pedro was caught by Kolasinac but gets up.
41 mins Chelsea break through Arsenal lines near the half way line and make a dash for goal with just Cech to beat, but he saves the ball and it is finally headed off the line. Arsenal counter, and Arsenal within an inch of scoring. Finally goes for a corner. Totally different game. Arsenal doing a lot of attacking.
44 mins Arsenal corner. but it is poor and doesn’t clear the first defender. Half time.
The big difference that I see on TV is Aubamayang who is playing a different sort of game. When we have him on the wing and Lacazette in the middle the whole thing works completely differently. Be interesting to see if Chelsea come out with the high pressing game again for the start of the second half and then pull back.
Second half
Starting off as before: Aubameyang doesn’t look his normal self. Mustafi, who has had so much said against him this summer, doing very well and playing out of defence. Chelsea not returning to the pressing game. Auba really doesn’t seem to be able to get things right. Now this looks more like a regular football match.
Now the Chelsea team are en masse around the centre line rather than pushing forward. An unusual tactic. Arsenal probing trying to find the way through. Patient carefully planning and waiting. Picture of Ramsey shown in the stand – we don’t know what happened to him in the warm up.
52 mins great through ball to Smith Rowe but the keeper gets there. Now with Chelsea not pressing this looks much better. Chelsea look knackered. That may be an illusion but Aresnal look like they are taking their time, getting ready. But they are still 1-0 down.
55 mins Ozil through into the box nearly makes it happen. Chelsea coming away with the ball but at about 20% of the speed they had in the first 10 minutes of the match. It really is an odd tactic.
56 mins Chelsea corner and Arsenal defence stand still. But it goes wide – Arsenal lucky. All the assertiveness that Arsenal had in the PSG game has gone. Arsenal are getting attacks but the ten man wall that is now Chelsea’s defence is not moving with Auba doesn’t seem to have the gt up and go. But then the last Chelsea attack broke down about 10 yards into the Arsenal defensive half. This is a very odd game.
61 mins Chelsea attacking and the commentator says “the intensity has not dropped” but that is the opposite of what I am seeing. It’s probably me that is wrong. But it does look so different from how it started.
Smith Rowe is coming off and Iwobi is on. A multiplicity of Chelsea changes – and yes they did look dead beat having played that first 15 minutes at something approaching the speed of light.
63 mins Mkhit through and has a shot but it is saved but now Chelsea can’t gt the ball out of their own half … until they do and they have another player about 2.5 miles off side. (I may have exaggerated there slightly).
64 mins solid Arsenal attack ending with a shot from Iwobi straight at the keeper, but Arsenal quickly win the ball back. Bellerin hasn’t stopped running up and down the wing. But Arsenal are being pulled and Chelsea are trying to hit on the counter. However the pressing game has gone.
Iwobi, Arsenal’s only sub, is bringing a lot of life to the show. The midfield looks more assured. 67 mins another Arsenal attack breaks down on the edge of the area. Chelsea when they have the ball are not breaking, they are going back as much as forward. Kolasinac is down yet again and looks like he can’t go on. Not sure the Arsenal management and physio agree. But he’s determined to come off. Very slowly.
Maitland Niles is coming on in his place. He looks like he is playing with the sort of shoulder padding that American footballers have. A chelsea attack, Arsenal break it up, and the Chelsea pushing and thumping is getting stronger. Aubam has a change to shoot but seems to take twice as long as necessary and it is easily blocked.
David OLeary sitting next to Ivan Gazidis in the stand we see.
71 mins Abua and Mk coming off Nelson and Lacazette on.
72 mins the game has slowed right down. Arsenal being a bit lax in the area but it all now looks a lot more like an ordinary pre-season game. Chelsea holding the ball and not showing that much enthusiasm for going forward… they are playing the game either side of the half way line.
Then Lacazette gets a perfect pass from Ozil but shoots slightly wide of the goal. An excellent chance – Laca seems to be much more in tune with the way the game is going than Auba was. First time I have seen Abua so out of touch. Chambers is about to come on. Arsenal have a free kick about 10 yards outside the area. Chelsea going to change their keeper. Lots more Chelsea subs too
78 mins… Chambers on for Bellerin
Chelsea suddenly have a break but Mustafi clears the ball. Now Chelsea coming back into the game.
80min, lots of sloppy passes. Guendouzi does an amazing elbow and shoulder charge which takes out a Chelsea player with ginger hair. Chelsea free kick, Iwobi clears the line.
81 mins it is now more spread out. A chelsea goal kick goes right through to Cech; there seems to be a lot of open space now. But Arsenal on the counter. Nelson gets it and away it goes but Iwobi comes rushing in with a good shot but Chelsea just gt it away. Closest Arsenal have come.
85 mins. Arsenal throw, Chelsea won’t give the ball back. When Arsenal get it Chelsea try to push back for a quick counter. Very spaced out now, and many players tired. Iwobi has done well since he came on. Nelson with a good chance in the box on the right but couldn’t find his way through and it goes behind.
87 mins. Period of Chelsea possession with a very spaced out team. Chelsea still pushing but then take the ball back. And suddenly I have lost the picture on my TV. Totallly black screen. Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
Don’t know if it is my TV or the feed.
Got it back. Arsenal counter attack.
91 mins Chelsea goal kick. Arsenal pick it up in midfield. Chelsea fouling like mad on Ozil. Ozil looks dead but he gets up. Sokratis in the area. Superb shot from Lacazette but keeper saves and Laca has scored with a sensational pass from Nelson
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSs
It was a fantastic pass from Ozil to Nelson, I think, and Laca was just there in the right place. It hit his boot. But his boot was in the right place.
1-1 at full time. Time for penalties. Chelsea take the first one. 1-0 to Chelsea although Cech got both hands to it.
1-1 on penalties Lacazette lets the keeper go down and rolls it in the corner.
2-1 Chelsea and now it is Nelson for Arsenal. And he scores 2-2
3-2 to Chelsea – Moses waits for Cech to fall down and it is in.
3-3 Guendouzi scores.
4=3 to Chelsea. Straight down the middle. Now it is Maitland Niles. He’s got taller in the summer
4-4 brilliant brilliant.
5-4 to Chelsea.
5-5. Ozil, who as the commentators say, was terrific in the second half, and he walks back with a great smile.
5-5 Loftus Cheek shot to his left and Cech does a fake dive left and then goes the right way. Iwobi steps up.
YES YES YES We win on penalties. We were much much better in the second half, and the one problem we had was not knowing how to deal with that pressing game of Chelsea. But Chelsea could not keep it up beyond 20 mins and so Arsenal came back. The penalties were excellent by both sides, but great to see the youngsters get to take some as well.
Hope you found something here that was of interest. Quite an interesting night for me.
Tony
LiveScore has no commentary, but does have lineup/bench.
Cech
Bellerin Mustafi Sokratis Kolasinac
Matteo Ramsey Elneny
Mhiki PEA Ozil
Beach: Lacazette, Mailtand-Niles, Holding, Iwobi, Leno, Chambers, Mavropanos, Nelson, Nketiah, Smith-Rowe
One of the other medja outlets, thought Perez might also be on the beach.
COYG!
Is this game being broadcast in uk or Eire?
Supposedly on Premier Sports (part of Virgin?).
I’m not having luck finding commentary.
COYG!
Evening Standard are reporting nearly a full house.
The host website might have something, if you “register” (to get spam for the rest of your life).
Apparently Chelsea scored in the 5th minute.
COYG!
Bellerin gives Chelsea a penalty in 13th minute.
COYG!
Cech Saved it.
Apparently Ramsey didn’t start the game? Smith-Rowe is on in his place?
COYG!
COYG!
I see that someone (TOny) is writing commentary at the top of the page, which I hadn’t been reading. Sorry for the noise.
COYG!
Half time, no more scoring. Chances both ways I gather right at the end.
COYG!
Arsenal with 61% of passes/possession Chelsea 9shots (5 on target) to our two and ahead by the only goal so far. Not over yet. COYG
Chelsea made 2 substitutions with the restart. Arsenal haven’t made any.
COYG!
From Arsenal.com
“HALF-TIME: Rudiger’s header gives Chelsea the lead at the break, but following a slow start, we’ve worked our way into the game and created a number of golden chances”
Conceding 5 shots on target is not great.
Missing ‘Golden chances’ is not good.
Sound familiar?
I know, it’s only a friendly. It means nothing really. All I’m doing is highlighting the dangers of drawing too many conclusions from so little information.
It’s getting close to full time Arsenal, tie that game to get to penalties.
COYG!
How to go Lacazette!!
COYG!
Not sure if you realise guys but we did have a commentary here through the game. The match is on Premier Sports 1, which charges £9.99 per month. I just bought one month.
Who is officiating this game? 😈 Mike Riley? Why no cards to Chelsea?
COYG!
Five penalties aside, 5 scored by each side. On to sudden-death penalties.
COYG!
We won 6 – 5 on pens.
Well donelads.
Well, it was an interesting try at this ICC “tournament”. We will finish behind the spuds.
Good work by the penalty takers. Evening Standard is anti-Arsenal.
I managed to get spurts of the game but settled for the text commentary on Arsenal.com. Eventually I got the penalty shoot out after knowing the result. Great job Tony.
I love our dozi midfielder who has an eye for a long pass like a sniper.
Guendouzi – what an awesome young footballer. Lets just pray he doesn’t fall prey to the evil ones.
Gord
After what you said I went over to the ES to see what they had to say, and while I was there I noticed the following article:
“Arsenal make more use of homegrown talent than any Premier League rival, study shows.
Arsenal cemented their position as the Premier League side offering most opportunities to their youngsters as Arsene Wenger left a long-term legacy in his final season in charge.
For the second season running, Press Association Sport research showed that the Gunners relied on their own academy graduates for more playing time than any other team – 7,933 minutes in all.
And this time around, they also used the most individual players developed in-house, an honour previously held by Manchester United.”
As I will be watching the highlights on ‘Freesports’ again I thought i’d just show this because the last time I had the pleasure of tuning in to them their commentator was at pains to suggest this ‘giving youngsters a chance’ lark was something new at Arsenal, and hadn’t really been tried since George Grahams time.
He did not mention Wenger once.
At least the ES had the decency to suggest at least these young lads that are looking so promicing are a Wenger ‘legacy’.
As I say, this ‘Freesports’ lot failed to mention Wenger once.
Apparently according to them, Emery should try it as a way of ‘reconnecting with the Arsenal public’.
It seems it’s not only certain posters on here that are trying to write Wenger out of history.
Look, I know it’s a new era, Wenger has gone and Emery is here. The king is dead, long live the king and all that.
But trying to write Wenger out of our history.
Trying to suggest any mention of him is obsessional.
Trying to suggest any admiration for him is ‘cultish’.
Is ridiculous.
Yes, we have to support the new manager and get behind the team. We have to look forward. But that doesn’t mean ignoring the past.
Yes, Wenger made mistakes, but he did much much more right than he did wrong, and he has left a legacy to be proud of.
A legacy that I am sure Emery will build on, and lead us to even more successes.
As I said yesterday, I cant wait.
Good performance, all in all.
For me there were two takeaways
1. I like what I see from our new boys offensively…defensively – there’s some work to be done. e.g. Smith Rowe let his man get free headers off of corners, twice – one of them ended up in the back of the net,and;
2. Until we get our pressing down pat, our defenders are going to be running for their lives chasing through balls.
OT: Flamini headed Down Under?
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/former-arsenal-star-linked-with-a-league-move-20180802-p4zv2s.html
Best of luck Mathieu!
OT2: If you want to understand more about one of the Arsenal shirt sponsor, Visit Rwanda? Watch this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFGtGfLUP4o Just thought I’d try to dismantle another anti-Arsenal press argument used to bash the club.
Nitram, it looks as if Arsenal will not write Wenger out of our history books. I have been told that even the banners that are about him will remain in the stadium in the next season. So that should include our own Untold banner also. As my contact person said: he is part of our history so he deserves to be there.
And good effort Tony! 🙂
And I would not envy even an iota ,whomsoever is given the onus task of attempting in writing AW out of Arsenal history !
The stadium itself is like the proverbial stand out elephant in the room(area )!
Not to mention the two doubles and the unbeaten season , as well as those recent 3 FA Cups in 4 years !
And don’t get me started on the players that he introduced to the EPL.
So best of luck !
https://wronghands1.com/2018/01/12/parts-of-the-elephant-in-the-room/
Nitram what do you think of Arsene Wenger??Just thought id ask as you havent mentioned him much..
nick
I like the guy so I would, wouldn’t I.
I am also on a site that openly admits to admireing him, so it seems I’m in the right place to do so doesn’t it.
On the other hand you don’t have a decent word to say about him, and not only that you seem to be suggesting that nobody else should have either, which suggests you aren’t.
If you don’t like reading nice things about Wenger why don’t you visit one of the numourous sites that actually DON’T have a nice thing to say about him?
Just asking.
Because if I don’t like something: Ie the Sun, talksport, soccer saturday, guess what? I dont read it, listen to it or watch it.
On the other hand you cant keepaway from a site you openly have absolutely nothing in common with.
All very odd.
nick – I suggest you go back and count how many of your previous posts are about Wenger.
nick
Once upon a time you could be stupid in your own home and only family and friends would know you were stupid.
Now with computers and social media you can show the whole world how stupid you are.
Best shut up mate.
Here comes Mick and the other handful of Untolds cult followers.All 4 of you..Some of you arent interested in Arsenal Fc.All you care about is Wenger.
Once upon a time in a bar far far away……..
The “Pessimist” saw the cups as half EMPTY
The “Optimist” saw the cups as half FULL
The woman slapped them both for staring !
And back comes nick with his latest nonsense which just reinforces his stupidity.
The height of stupidity Hazel is someone who blames our last 2 seasons woefull league position on the Fans and referees and wanted to give the mananger another contract..Now that is dumb.
nick
And just how do you know who,if anyone,I blame for our disappointing (but not woeful) league position, and how do you know whether I wanted to give Wenger another contract, and how do you know that I blamed our last two seasons shortcomings on the fans and referees?
Are you a mind reader.
Presumably you can show me any comments I have made on Untold which support your claims.
Yes, it is truly woeful for a team which has been finishing in the top group, to again finish in the top group. That the top group has gotten larger is ignored.
Lots of the tree seeds I’ve been working with, suggest I “nick” them in order to get them to germinate. Judging by this “nick”, I doubt that would help.