In the corresponding fixture last season, The Gunners beat The Blues by a comprehensive 3-0 scoreline. The teams then met four times in 2017, with Arsenal winning two, Chelsea one with the final game finishing 0-0.

While recent history was slightly in the favor of the home team, given the recent (and on-going) troubles at the club, the visitors were tipped for victory.

However, when the dust finally settled, it was Arsenal 2-2 Chelsea, the second draw between the two in the league this season. The scoreline, however, does not do enough to mask club weaknesses.

The Build-Up

Arsenal was on the cusp of being embroiled in another injury crisis before the match. Koscielny, Monreal, Kolasinac, Ramsey, Giroud and Ozil were all thought to be unavailable.

So, it was with great surprise, that Gooners saw their German talisman starting alongside the lethal Lacazette and silky-smooth Sanchez. Youngster Ainsley Maitland-Niles took the place of the Bosnian Hulk, and Rob Holding deputized with Koscielny and Monreal both out.

There was plenty of experience on the field for the Arsenal, but with the majority of it playing far upfield.

Antonio Conte also named a veteran starting XI, which included star Eden Hazard, as well as former Arsenal man Cesc Fabregas. With both Alvaro Morata and his Belgian attacking partner on the field, there was plenty of firepower for the visitors.

One might have thought the game would have turned into another end-to-end thriller, much like the 3-3 draw with Liverpool.

First Half

The match opened with plenty of forays into the offensive third for the Gunners, but they couldn’t quite find their scoring touch.

However, in spite of Arsenal giving away a few golden chances, the visitors could not take advantage of their opportunities either.

The first great chance went to Chelsea’s newest striker, Alvaro Morata. After a long ball was played from deep in the Blues’ half, the Spaniard got away from Calum Chambers, who thought Shkodran Mustafi would pick up the attacker.

However, the German defender was not on the same page as his partner, and Morata screamed towards goal with the ball on his boots. Fortunately for the Gunners, his shot sailed just wide of the woodwork.

The home side responded almost immediately. Mesut Ozil danced through a forest of bodies to get into the Chelsea penalty box before playing a one-two ball with Alexis Sanchez.

The Chilean, now with the ball, saw a slim opening and fired at goal. Courtois did well to get a hand on it, and the ball deflected off one post and rolled dangerously until it struck the other. Ozil tried to clean up and bag the goal, but the Belgian keeper was first to it.

Arsenal then had, what they thought was, a legitimate penalty shout when Ainsley Maitland-Niles went down in the area. Replays show the decision to play on was correct, but the controversy only added to the frantic feeling of the game.

The Blues had two other notable chances in the opening half. Gary Cahill sent his header over the bar from a corner, but match official Anthony Taylor blew for a foul on Wilshere during the play.

Morata then combined with his countryman, Fabregas, when he laid off the ball just inside the box. Fabregas, however, hit his unbalanced shot high and wide.

As the first 45 wound down, both sides had more chances to open the scoring.

Granit Xhaka foolishly took down Bakayoko just outside his penalty area, resulting in a free-kick. Marcos Alonso stepped up for his team but saw his effort float well over the bar.

Meanwhile, Mesut Ozil, who had a great first half, tried his luck from a long way out just moments later. His strike couldn’t force a save as the Chelsea keeper watched the ball drift just wide of the post.

The score could have easily been 2-2, or maybe even 3-1, but we were still level at the half.

Second Half

The action didn’t slow down in the final 45. Hazard got his side’s first shot on goal, but Cech managed to get his right foot in front of it. From the deflection, however, he gave up the second scoring opportunity of the second half.

Bakayoko collected the rebound and sent a dangerous cross towards Alonso at the other end of the box. The wing-back, despite the great position, was unable to snag a goal, and Petr Cech saved the header.

The Gunner’s first chance of the half was not far off, however, and it was Mesut Ozil again who was the creator. He played a pass to Lacazette, who wanted to give it right back, but the Blues defense blocked it.

The deflection dropped back to the French striker, who then had to take a few touches to control the ball. This little bit of time allowed Courtois to close the angle and, when the shot came, send it out for a corner.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles then played a lethal-looking cross towards the back post, where he saw Alexis lurking. The Chilean stud barely got his forehead to the ball, however, and saw it sail listlessly wide.

Conte made the first substitution of the game, bringing on Davide Zappacosta for Victor Moses.

The game had been an almost non-stop joyride for the fans, despite the dearth of scoring. That soon changed.

From a deep position following a corner, Ozil collected the ball and looked for the cross. He sent a pass to Rob Holding in the middle, who tried to find Jack Wilshere with his first touch, although the ball was deflected by a defender.

The pass did make it through the Chelsea defense, and even found its intended target. Wilshere was close in and didn’t hesitate with a frozen rope of a shot, which found just enough room to Courtois’ right.

Arsenal 1-0 Chelsea

The play had been back and forth, so the lead really didn’t seem so secure for Arsenal. In fact, it lasted just 4 minutes.

Chelsea had fought their way back into their opponent’s penalty area, through the deadly Eden Hazard. The play-maker danced around both Chambers and Bellerin, which tempted the latter to try for the ball.

The Spaniard’s boot caught Hazard’s foot instead of the ball, and Anthony Taylor pointed to the spot. Despite the arguments made by the Arsenal defense, the referee stood firm in his decision. Hazard promptly took the penalty, which Cech couldn’t stop.

Arsenal 1-1 Chelsea

The two teams then settled into a temporary rhythm. The hosts would keep the ball and probe for weakness, while the visitors absorbed pressure and broke on the counter.

Probably the best chance of this period of the game went to Morata, who had beaten Holding to get onto a long ball. Chambers was covering, however, and barely forced the striker into missing the target.

Both managers made changes in this lull. Drinkwater and Willian came on for Fabregas and Hazard, while Welbeck was subbed on in place of Lacazette.

It wasn’t until the 84th minute that the next goal was struck. The Blues were breaking, and found Zappacosta on the right, who out-witted Maitland-Niles to create some space for a cross.

With the Arsenal defense concentrating on Morata, the crafty Alonso came off of the left flank to drive into space in the six-yard box. No one picked his run up, and he easily side-footed the ball past Petr Cech.

Arsenal 1-2 Chelsea

With the attacking onus now on Arsenal, Wenger chose to make another change, taking Chambers off in favor of Theo Walcott. Naturally, with the loss of a CB, the team also switched to a back four, announcing the decision to chase the game.

Antonio Conte’s men settled into their defensive shape to try and weather the four minutes of stoppage time. At first, it looked as though such a tactic would work.

The Gunners probed and probed, looking and hoping for some small opening to exploit and salvage one point. It was Hector Bellerin, who gave away the penalty, who eventually found it.

In the 92nd minute a deflected cross fell to the Spaniard’s feet, and he whipped a stinging shot past a diving and helpless Courtois.

Arsenal 2-2 Chelsea

With mere seconds to go, the crowd at the Emirates thought they had seen the last of this drama, however Morata had one more trick up his sleeve. After breaking through the Arsenal defense yet again, all he had to do was beat the keeper, but made a terrible decision.

The striker attempted a chip over Cech, but the Czech shot-stopper stood tall and kept the ball out, and preserved the draw for his team. Zappacosta followed in behind and fired the rebound back off the bar with the game’s final chance.

Final Thoughts

Just like against Liverpool in late December, this game exposed, yet again, the weaknesses of Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal. It doesn’t matter which formation they play, the team keeps making silly mistakes at the back.

Thus far in the Premier League campaign, the Gunners have shipped 28 goals, compared to 23 at the same point last season.

Both goals today were, to a certain extent, avoidable. Bellerin didn’t have to make a challenge for the ball on Hazard, which lead to the penalty decision.

The entire back line could easily be called out for the second goal; they were simply ball-watching and didn’t pick up the late run from Alonso.

For this Arsenal team to get back into the fight for fourth, they will simply need better defenders. Or, perhaps more accurately, they will need defenders who will make the right decisions at the crucial point.

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