Chelsea drew 0-0 with Arsenal in a tense game at Stamford Bridge that promised much but delivered little.
The Blues were on the back foot in the first half but battled their way back in the second half as Arsenal sat deep and looked to play on the break.
The game got quieter and quieter as 0-0 looked the most likely outcome, despite a disallowed Arsenal goal. David Luiz’s late red card added an extra level of disappointment for Blues fans.
Here are our ratings from today’s featured Chelsea players…
Starting Eleven:
Thibaut Courtois – 7 – Made two important early saves to deny Arsenal in the first half.
Cesar Azpilicueta – 7 – Very defensively solid. Never looked shaken even as Arsenal pushed forward strongly in the first period.
David Luiz – 6 – Remained calm despite early Arsenal pressure. Put his foot through it when necessary and played sharp passes into the front men. Played well in the second period but let himself down with a horrible late tackle that saw him get a straight red which was fully deserved.
Gary Cahill – 7 – Played well early but an ill-judged skill towards the end of the first half put the Blues under pressure. Calmer in the second period as the pressure on the back line eased.
Marcos Alonso – 7 – Was heavily tested defensively and couldn’t keep up with Hector Bellerin. Played better as the game went on but couldn’t give the Blues the attacking impetus they needed.
Victor Moses – 8 – Chelsea’s best attacking threat in the first half, continually getting forward to threaten the Gunners and defending well. Solid second period.
Cesc Fabregas – 7 – A mixed start to the game, playing some nice passes but also giving the ball away a couple of times as he looked to find his feet. The second half introduction of Bakayoko allowed him to push further forward and create more in attack.
N’Golo Kante – 7 – Consistent in midfield even when exposed alongside Cesc in the first half.
Willian -6 – Had some bright early moments but then faded as Arsenal’s defensive prowess surprised everyone.
Pedro – 6 – Should have scored in the 20th minute when put clean through on goal. Removed at half time for Tiemoue Bakayoko as Chelsea looked to regain some control of the game, and possibly due to a bad knock he took in the first half.
Alvaro Morata – 6 – Nice early interplay but headed a good chance wide and had a couple of loose touches in the first half and struggled in the physical battle with Arsenal’s defenders. Once again showed his ability on defensive set pieces.
Substitutes:
Eden Hazard – 7 – Introduced with 20 minutes to go and tried his best against an increasingly defensive Arsenal team. His best chance came as he wriggled into the box but he hit the ball straight at Cech.
Tiemoue Bakayoko – 7 – His introduction changed the game tactically, and his superb trademark forward burst in the 53rd minute roused the crowd. Added a lot of control but at the cost of Pedro’s pace and attacking threat.
