A game of two halves saw Chelsea pull away 2-0 in the first half and sit back in the second half allowing Arsenal a chance to equalize and possibly win the match. Thankfully for Benitez, it ended 2-1 as a spirited comeback was just barely held off by Chelsea. A very entertaining match saw the Twitter react in many ways – some calling for better refereeing by Atkinson, some wanting Torres out and many thrilled to see such an action-packed match. One of the better London Derby’s in recent years.
Scorers :
Stats :
What We Learned :
1. Demba Ba over Torres.
2. Juan Mata is our best player.
3. Mazascar deserves a chance under Benitez.
4. Ashley Cole shows why we need to keep him.
5. Frank Lampard might be worth keeping.
1. Demba Ba over Torres :
It couldn’t be clearer, could it? A decent Torres performance that saw only 1 shot on target that came in the 76th minute. Torres had a pair of good runs, but couldn’t provide the finished product. Ba, on the other hand, should why he was worth every penny paid for him. A great run that saw him round the goalkeeper and a fantastic goal-line clearance by Vermaelen denied him an instant impact goal. He didn’t do much other than that, but his 15 minutes of play was better than Torres’ 80 minutes of play. Benitez might be more used to Torres, but the fans and the performances have made it clear – Demba Ba.
2. Juan Mata is our best player :
What else is there to say? He’s an absolute magician. His goal was world class – an unbelievably amazing first touch capped off with a blistering finish that put us 1-0 up after 6 minutes. Mata looked dangerous with or without the ball, slotting through a fantastic pass for Ramires in the build-up to the penalty. Had a few sloppy moments in the second half (just like every other CFC player), but his performance in the first 45 minutes was excellent.
3. Mazascar deserves a chance under Benitez :
Juan Mata, Eden Hazard and Oscar started for the first time together under Benitez (I believe) – they were simply great. Hazard and Oscar made Sagna look like a fool and Mata as mentioned above, destroyed Arsenal with his lethal passing and movement. With Moses away and Marin out of favour, Benitez could look at Mata, Hazard and Oscar as his chance to leap towards City and United as Chelsea look at an improbable title season, but it could just come true if Benitez can keep Terry healthy and get the front 3 clicking with Torres or Ba.
4. Ashley Cole shows why we need to keep him :
With reports saying that Cole has signed for Chelsea (for another year), it was proved today why we need him. Goal.com said “Coped well with Walcott and Sagna in the first half and got forward well to support Oscar, but fortunate not to concede a late penalty after fouling Sagna on the edge of the box. However, Cole has been Chelsea’s most consistent performer for some time, and looks set to be rightly rewarded with an extended contract.” Spot on.
5. Frank Lampard might be worth keeping :
A lot of Chelsea fans want Lampard to stay (I’m not of those fans), but regardless he’s been pretty good as of late and given a lot to the club. He has scored mostly penalties this season, but it seems like his presence has given fans more confidence that he will stay. His has been relatively quiet on the subject, but he seems to not be shaken by the rumours as he keeps his composure in front of goal and on the ball. A new article about whether Lamps should be resigned or not will be published later tonight here on ChelseaFC360.com, so be on the lookout for it.
Other Points :
1. Should Demba Ba and Torres start together?
2. With Pep at Bayern, should Benitez be a FT candidate?
What do you think?
