Premier League: Chelsea 3-2 Arsenal
Arsenal suffered a second defeat in as many games played against Chelsea. The London derby was very animated, especially the first half, with 4 goals in 45 minutes.
Chelsea took an early 2-0 lead but Arsenal came back to level at the break. However Arsenal’s poor defending was ultimately fatal for the visitors letting the Blues scores a victorious goal with only 10 minutes left.
Chelsea scored 6 goals and have 6 points while Arsenal have lost the first two games, their worst start since 1992.
Coach Arsenal, Emery on the defeat:
“We spoke before the match that we needed to improve and to do one process, to be competitive in each match and to know or learn in the match. At the moment, that can happen. I think today, the team already after 2-0, the reaction was very good.
In the first half, I think we created more chances to score and I think the 2-2 is a shock for us because we created more chances to score. In the second half, we had less moments in the match and we conceded more chances for Chelsea to score the third goal.
For that reason, we need the balance but the result is like that. Our process is to just continue to improve the things, doing more with the balance of the defensive moments and attacking moments and also with the younger players with their passing.
At the end of the match, we finished with two midfielders who were Lucas at 22 years old and Matteo at 19 years old. It’s clear, we need to win because we have a big responsibility to win the match and I think for continuing, in the next match in the Emirates against West Ham.”
Coach Chelsea, Sarri on the great back-to-back performances:
“We did very well for 75 minutes. Fifteen minutes, from 30 to 45 in the first half, was horrible! We lost distances, we were not able to recover immediately the lost ball, and we were not able to press in the other half as a team, only one or two players with the others too far away.
But the players were very good in the second half from a mental point of view to answer to the final part of the first half.
We did very well in the last 25 minutes today, but we have to work and improve in the defensive phase, and we are not only talking about the defenders.
If we want to defend by looking only at the ball, we need to stay very compact and press in the other half. In that 15 minutes, we were not able to do that, and so we were in trouble.
We need to continue, and press and press and press in the other half, otherwise for us there may be a problem. We will be in trouble in the defensive phase and not able to move the ball like we did in the first 25 minutes.
I hope in two months we will be able to play for 90 minutes like we did the first 25 minutes.”
