Chelsea vs Arsenal. 05/04/97

Chelsea (0) 0 - 3 (1) Arsenal

Stamford Bridge, Saturday 5th April 1997

FA Carling Premiership

scorers:
                   Wright Platt Bergkamp
Arsenal:
                Seaman   
    Dixon Bould Keown Garde Winterburn
   Platt   Vieira (Selley) Hughes (Parlour)
        Wright (Anelka)   Bergkamp

We had some early scares, with Chelsea's Italians looking particularly dangerous. Seaman had to make good saves from Zola and Vialli, and some other chances went wide for them.

But once Wright had scored on the break after 20 or so minutes things always looked like going our way, and this was confirmed with 2 more goals in the second half. Platt's came also on the break, a tap in from Wright's pass (when he might have taken a shot - full credit for not record-chasing). One of those goals that's so well made and taken it looked incredibly easy, and it was so nice to see Platt make one of those goal-scoring runs that were his trademark before overhead kicks came into fashion, apparently.

Bergkamp's goal came direct from a Seaman clearance which two Chelsea players jumped for in the middle of the park, just inside their half. Both of them going for the ball left Dennis unmarked and he wisely dropped away from the pait of them. When the header field to make good contact and the ball flicked on, continuing towards goal, Bergkamp was onto it like a shot. He took the ball forward , past the keeper, and coolly slotted it home.

Chelsea failed to make the come-back which shocked Liverpool a few weeks back, possibly because their fans failed to lift them. Could this be partly because of the early kick-off....? What a great idea that was! Apparently the Arsenal players were eating their pre-match pasta at 7.30 this morning.

Anelka came on for Wright for his first team debut. I didn't hear much on the radio of him getting involved but it was very late on.

The difference in the teams was in the defence, with Johnsson (sp?) looking out of his depth in the first half. They changed their system and brought on a couple of defensive subs at half-time but it didn't help. Arsenal's defence was solid as ever even in the absence of Adams, and Garde had a particularly good game which is good to see - looks like we're fine for at least another season with our current choice of centre-backs. Up front Wright and Bergkamp were excellent and Wright in particular seemed to be enjoying entertaining both sets of fans with his ball- control. At the other end Vialli and Zola wre also good but up against a completely different kind of defence.

Arsenal go second again, level on points with Liverpool who are playing Coventry tomorrow. Let's hope they can do us a favour like Derby who won at Old Trafford today. On Match of the Day Ferguson was in fine moaning mood, and completely over-reacted to Wenger's comments opposing ManUtd's request to have the end of their season delayed beyond the rest of us. Wenger seems to me to be a man with a great deal more integrity than Ferguson gives him credit for.

report by Rupe

FA Carling Premiership
Chelsea vs Arsenal                                   Sat Apr  5th 1997

Result : Chelsea               (0) 0   Arsenal                 (1) 3
Scorers:                               Wright 22, Platt 53, Bergkamp 80

Arsenal: Seaman, Dixon, Bould, Garde, Keown, Winterburn, Platt,
         Vieira, Hughes, Bergkamp, Wright
         Subs: Parlour (Hughes 77), Selley (Vieira 85), 
               Anelka (Wright 85), Marshall, Harper

Chelsea: Grodas, Petrescu, Clarke, Johnsen, Parker, Minto, Burley, 
         Morris, P Hughes, Zola, Vialli 
         Subs: Myers (Johnsen h-t), Granville (Parker h-t), 
               Nicholls (Minto 75), Colgan, Clement
         Booked: Hughes

Att: 28182
Ref: L R Dilkes (Mossley)

This match turned into a comfortable morning stroll in the Stamford Bridge park on Saturday for Arsenal after they had weathered Chelsea's initial flurry. After another brilliant Bergkamp-Wright combination had put the Gunners in front mid-way through the 1st half there was only one team in it, and the 2nd half was almost a complete display of exhibition football.

The early kick-off initially seemed to have everybody in the ground half asleep. For a London derby it was strangely quiet, and the first few minutes were pretty uneventful. In fact it was Chelsea who woke up first, as Petrescu stepped round Vieira for a 20 yard shot which was deflected narrowly wide of the far post by the offside Vialli. Then Burley broke down the right and crossed deep to find Zola running in unmarked at the far post. With Seaman exposed, the Italian's volley from about 10 yards was well hit but flew a couple of feet over the bar.

Soon after that we saw the first shot on target at the other end. Bergkamp's corner from the left was mishit, but when Vieira returned the ball to him, the Dutch master cut across a challenge before striking a vicious shot from the corner of the area which was flying just inside the near post before Grodas made a sharp save, turning it aside for another corner.

Vialli then forced Seaman into a save, hitting an early shot from outside the box which the keeper seemed a bit slow getting down to and in the end had to palm it round the post for a corner.

Midway through the half though, it was Arsenal who took the lead and thereafter were in comfortable control of the match. Zola gave the ball away in midfield and Bergkamp took brilliant advantage, hitting an inch perfect pass between two defenders for Wrighty to race onto. He took one touch before slotting a left foot shot from just inside the area past Grodas and subsequently treating the Gunners' fans to his new goal celebration.

Chelsea did almost hit straight back when Zola curled a free kick over the wall and Seaman had to plunge to his right to push the ball aside. Towards the end of the half he was again in action, this time doing well to save another Vialli snap shot from the edge of the area, but by that time Arsenal should have increased their lead. A lovely backheel from WWW sent Hughes through into the box for a well struck shot which Grodas could only parry, and Vieira put the rebound narrowly wide from 25 yards.

A clever Bergkamp header almost gave Wright a clear chance, and another break involving the Dutchman and Viera almost set up another one, but Platt misread Wrighty's attempt to touch the ball on to him. However, it was Bergkamp who missed perhaps the clearest chance of the half. Garde's long ball beat the Chelsea defence and sent the Iceman clear. However, he was perhaps a bit too casual, and his attempt to flick the ball round the advancing keeper instead allowed Grodas to gratefully catch it off his toes.

Late in the half Arsenal also had two appeals for a penalty turned down, when first Wright, then Bergkamp seemed to be pulled down by defenders, but the ref presumably decided there was as much backing in, and let both incidents pass without blowing.

The first incident of the 2nd half saw Dixon make a brilliant and brave defensive header when Petrescu for once found some space on the left and crossed. Dixon and Granville both required treatment, but soon afterwards it was only Chelsea feeling the pain as Arsenal went two up with another superbly worked goal. Bergkamp turned on the halfway line and sent Wright racing clear down the left with another brilliant pass. Somewhat suprisingly, Wrighty looked up to spot Platt making an unmarked run into the middle, and squared the ball to leave Platt a simple tap-in from just outside the 6yd box.

Thereafter Arsenal toyed with Chelsea and really should have added more goals. Bergkamp was sent clear by Platt, I think, but drifted a bit wide and his return cross into the middle was scrambled clear. Then another brilliant ball in from the right by Bergkamp cleared the Chelsea defence to pick out Hughes running in unmarked at the far post, but the youngster didn't connect properly with his volley and sent it tamely into Grodas' arms.

Wrighty tried a typically impudent chip from outside the area which cleared the keeper but also drifted just over the bar. Hughes also tried an audacious lob from near the half way line which went a few feet wide, before he was substituted by Parlour. Vieira then seemed certain to score as he got on the end of another Bergkamp chip about 2 yards out, but a combination of defenders and keeper somehow kept the ball out.

10 minutes from time, Bergkamp did finally get the 3rd goal. Seaman hoofed a clearance, Burley and Myers both went for it on the half way line and only succeeded in flicking the ball on for Bergkamp, having cleverly anticipated this, to race onto. He knocked it past the outrushing Grodas and had time to steady himself before stroking it into the empty net.

It should have been 4-0 soon after that. Bergkamp again went clear down the left, and got to the byline before cutting the ball back for Winterburn, but Nutty needlessly hurried his shot and dragged it wide of the far post.

Five minutes from time Wenger brought off Wright and Vieira to give Nicholas Anelka his first taste of Premiership football. Ian Selley (nice to see him back) also made his first appearance since breaking his leg in 1994, and all four received an ovation from the gleeful watching Gooners.

Parlour went close with a screaming shot from 25 yards which missed the angle of post and crossbar by inches, before Chelsea had a bit of a flurry in the closing minutes during which Vialli at last beat Seaman but hit the post and then headed the rebound over the bar.

All in all a thoroughly enjoyable game which Arsenal controlled 3/4 of in a competent, professional and also creative display which, coupled with the unexpected defeats for Man U and Liverpool gives rise to just a faint glimmer of hope. One of the keys was that every Gunner played well. It's true that the Chelsea side was somewhat depleted through injury and suspension, but apart from a pair of youngsters in midfield they still had experienced players in every other position. And err, didn't Arsenal have two 20 year olds in midfield as well?

Seaman     7.0  Still looked slightly slow on a couple of occasions, but 
                some good saves and catches nonetheless.

Dixon      7.0  A better game than recently I thought.

Winterburn 7.0  Typically gave his all once again.
            
Bould      7.0  Thought he looked a little bit rusty on occasion, but
                fortunately Vialli was concentrating on perfecting his
                theatrical falls.

Keown      7.5  Another excellent game, even had time for one mazy run
                in the second half.

Garde      7.5  Also had an excellent game in defence, and helped to 
                open the game out playing the ball intelligently from 
                the back.

Platt      7.0  Some poor moments in the 1st half, but seemed to gain 
                confidence from his goal and ended up spraying 40 yard 
                passes around.

Vieira     8.0  Again the complete master of the midfield.

Hughes     7.0  Another confident game with some good foward runs, and a 
                bit unlucky not to have scored.

Bergkamp   8.5  Another virtuoso display of control and passing, his 
                finishing being the only slight disappointment.

Wright     8.0  The sort of display that makes us all love him. After 
                Platt's goal you could see his grin from the other end 
                of the ground.

Report by Derek Brownjohn

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