Chelsea: Four Key Matches That Defined Their Season
1. December 29, 2020, Chelsea stuns Arsenal in the North-West London derby
Headed into the first matchup of the season between the two London rivals, Chelsea and Arsenal found themselves in precarious positions. Chelsea’s pattern of boom and bust matches had caused their lead over the pack of Champions League contenders to dwindle to just two points.
Arsenal had ended the Unai Emery experiment just before the festive season as they had fallen to a hugely disappointing mid-table position, as the Spanish manager had lost the dressing room and supporters.
The Gunners hired Pep Guardiola protegé Mikel Arteta to try to revive a season that was quickly becoming a lost cause. Like Lampard, this was his first job as a first-team manager and was hoping to grab his first win over a struggling Blues side.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang opened the scoring at the Emirates in the 12th minute with a header assisted by Calum Chambers. Leading 1-0, the Gunners did an excellent job of holding Chelsea to little goal opportunities for the next 60 minutes. The Blues had thirteen total shots, but they did not have a chance until the 74th minute.
Chelsea had begun slowly, however, as the match progressed, their speed, technical ability, and patience took over. The Blues were able to find gaps in the Arsenal defense as the clock reached the 74th-minute mark when.
On a set-piece instigated by Mason Mount, Jorginho was able to get a foot on the ball at point-blank range of the goal after Leno completed missed his attempt to clear it.
Chelsea 1 – Arsenal 1
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Channeling the mental intensity of their manager’s playing days, Chelsea was not done. They were not going to settle for a draw in a match they desperately needed to win.
The Blues struck on the break after clearing the ball deep in their defensive zone. They quickly pushed numbers forward as Arsenal defenders struggled to keep up with the pace. The ball ended up on the foot of the player in front of the goal they wanted most, Tammy Abraham, who calmly turned it around and rolled it between Leno’s legs.
Chelsea 2 – Arsenal 1
The victory was significant in many ways. First, Chelsea secured a victory coming from behind against a London rival. Second, their hold on fourth place was maintained and even strengthened. Lastly, it showed that if they remained steadfast and stuck to their plan without panicking, they could still pull out a win.
It is this last point that made this match so important.
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Chelsea is a young club. They have the fifth-youngest team in the Premier League. Younger teams get frustrated easily amid adversity, which leads to errors. Lampard’s club showed against the Gunners a maturity and patience that led them to victory, which had yet to be seen.
The Blues are physical and extremely talented, but now, they possess the mentality necessary for future success on the pitch. Thanks to a club legend turned club manager.