Three Things We Learned: Arsenal 2-2 Chelsea

Arsenal played out a thrilling 2-2 draw versus Chelsea in the Premier League on Wednesday night. The London derby was played with intensity from the off, but poor finishing from either side kept the scores respectable.

Jack Wilshere opened the scoring for the Gunners in the 63rd-minute with a well-timed shot past Thibaut Courtois, and it was the Englishman’s first goal in more than two-and-a-half year in the English top-flight.

However, celebrations were short-lived for the hosts after Eden Hazard equalised from the penalty spot after a slightly mistimed challenge from Hector Bellerin which the Belgium international made the most of.

Both sides continued to press for the winning goal, and Marcos Alonso appeared to have won for the Blues in the 84th minute before Bellerin notched a scorcher of a shot in injury-time to pull things level for Arsene Wenger’s side.

Three Things We Learned:

Alvaro Morata’s finishing: The former Real Madrid man had a horror show in front of goal as he missed three clear-cut chances. The Spaniard missed one-on-one’s with Petr Cech, something which former marksman Diego Costa rarely missed in the Blues’ shirt. Morata has been missing chances far too often in the striking department, and he seriously requires to buckle up to stay with the demands of the Premier League.

Arsenal’s defending: With the likes of Laurent Koscielny and Nacho Monreal injured, the Gunners backline looked vulnerable than usual, especially with Calum Chambers. The Englishman was at fault for the West Brom penalty last weekend, and he appeared to carry his nerves in the derby. The ex-Southampton graduate was substituted in the dying stages for Theo Walcott, but his positioning often saw Eden Hazard get a head start running towards the Arsenal goal.

Chelsea winless streak versus Arsenal: With the draw, the Gunners have managed to avoid defeat in the last four matches with the Blues in all competitions. Three of them have resulted in stalemates, but the north London side have managed to cope with the opposition, either by virtue of good defending or chances missed on goal. The pair face-off in a two-legged League Cup tie later this month.

Image – Getty