Match Reaction vs Chelsea

[Blink 1nce Quince 2wice]

I'm delighted Vermaelen deputised well and looked really up for it. I thought Gibbs and Sagna were sensible and I actually thought Arteta and Rosicky were very good last night. I think that is particularly pertinent as there is a school of people that would absolutely insist that this was the sort of game Flamini should play rather than Arteta. Rambo obviously didn't have one of his best games and Ozil managed to have nice touches without actually really threatening.

I was a little perplexed when Ozil played that ball to Giroud rather than shoot, I must admit. He does that quite often and I think Wenger needs to encourage him to evolve his game from Real. It might have worked when he had Cronaldo, a player without a limitation, but he just doesn't have a player with that same skill set around him now. He needs to take more responsibility and frankly he is talented enough to do so, but he will work it out in time. Yaya Toure also took on whole lot more when he came from Barca to City and look at what a good player most people now realise he is.

Walcott was poor and should have been playing higher up with someone coming in field to cover for him, when it was obvious that he was getting double teamed frequently. Cazorla is really the guy you want with the ball if anyone is to be double/triple teamed.

I thought it was right he didn't start but it was strange Podolski didn't come on. He has been behind the scenes training for quite some time now which should have at least sharpened his instruments for a short cameo...... especially with his shooting power and technique and his tendency to go wide. Wenger is well known to make subs based on fitness/energy levels, which is why not making a single sub is almost unheard of from any manger let alone him. The performance was not that of a well rested sprightly team, bursting with creative ideas, so it would seem strange in the context of the game.

The ball was slipping about the place and the conditions were quick, yet we were really reluctant to try and catch the keeper off guard or just chance it from distance to then follow up a potential rebound. Chelsea did try their chances but fortunately Szczesny's handling is amazing which is a point he will get little credit for but really should.

I didn't think the game was quite the 'will we take the league or not' match it was billed as, and we can take a few positives from getting a point.