Arsenal 0 Chelsea 0
The capital's contenders have ended up merely inflicting damage upon each other's challenge to leave those mounting the charge in the north-west rubbing their hands with glee as Christmas approaches.
Arsenal and Chelsea have stuttered in recent weeks and could not be separated here last night, the suspicion that the home side in particular are running out of puff prematurely after such an eye-catching sprint to the summit rather fuelled by a fourth game without success and a display rather lacking in fizz.
The hosts were shrugged off their natural game by their visitors’ sheer muscularity and eagerness in the tackle here, Jose Mourinho almost resorting to type to hassle, harry and leave opponents exasperated. He had determined early that this would be no lavish feast of football.
In fact, it was a 10th game without defeat against Arsene Wenger, a reality which confirms the Portuguese knows how to nullify his opposite number’s side. A point felt more satisfying on enemy territory. Liverpool, Manchester City and Everton will have shared that sentiment.
This Chelsea side has been uncharacteristically flimsy in recent weeks, their solitary clean sheet from the previous seven matches coming in against Steaua Bucharest, the weakest of their Champions League group opponents. Sloppiness has crept in, a fragility which has merely exposed the regular profligacy at the other end.
This team had been drilled relentlessly on defensive discipline in training since the League Cup defeat at Sunderland, Mikel John Obi assigned to anchor midfield specifically with Mesut Ozil in mind. The German had excelled for Mourinho at Real Madrid prior to his move in the summer. The Portuguese recognised his threat.
Welshman's radar
There was a snarl to Chelsea which felt reminiscent of previous Mourinho sides in this fixture, a strength designed to disrupt the home side's rhythm. Cesar Azpilicueta, again preferred to Ashley Cole at left-back, clipped Aaron Ramsey early and seemed to send the Welshman's radar off-kilter.
Mikel’s stretch in challenge with Mikel Arteta was uglier, the Nigeria international planting his right foot into the inside of the Spaniards right calf. Mike Dean allowed play to continue only for Theo Walcott to topple over Willian’s leg in the penalty area, the referee apparently deeming the contact minimal and the reaction excessive.
Yet that represented rare incision from the hosts, the more plausible opportunities having been chiseled out by Chelsea when they injected zest into their own passing game. The first half’s best move saw Eden Hazard drop into space and clip a glorious diagonal pass beyond the home side’s rearguard for Frank Lampard, rolling back the years, to burst beyond Arteta and belt a volley on to the underside of the crossbar. The ball bounced down and not over the line, but the threat was clear.
Ramires, forever charging into space between Arsenal lines, was a menace and might have converted a header. Willian, so improved in recent weeks, should also have done better after capping a four-man break with a weak shot that was claimed too easily by Wojciech Szczesny.
Mourinho had mustered a smile when the woodwork quivered, but he was less content to see the last opportunity of the period passed up.
Chelsea's problem has been transferring territorial dominance into goals, the manager pacing the line yet again as another swift counter, led by Willian, spluttered out in frustration as Hazard mis-controlled inside the penalty area. Arsenal, in contrast, had arrived here merely craving confidence after damaging losses to Napoli and Manchester City.
Last legs
The latter had been sustained with players apparently on their last legs, a small squad stretched by a frantic if hugely successful campaign to date, which meant the nine-day break they had enjoyed since the Etihad defeat was timely. Yet they had still lacked invention and precision, their passing too sloppy and their approach far too tentative even as opponents snapped into them. The majority in the arena bayed for more accurate urgency.
Perhaps Jack Wilshere might have relished an occasion as scrappy as this, a chance to explode on to the scene and impose quality on proceedings, but he was serving the first game of a two-match suspension and watching on helplessly from the sidelines.
How they yearned for a dash of quality from Ozil or Ramsey to ease their nerves – though, as the rain swirled in, the frantic nature of the play did not lend itself to composure. Tempers duly frayed, players squaring up and Dean flashing yellow for lesser offences than those that had gone unpunished earlier in the contest.
Maybe a fresh Olivier Giroud would have been more precise with his finish when set up by the vision of Tomas Rosicky and Ramsey near the end, but the Frenchman sliced wide. When the striker did make better contact in front of goal, there was Petr Cech to deflect the close-range attempt over the bar and Chelsea breathed again.
ARSENAL: Szczesny, Sagna, Mertesacker, Vermaelen, Gibbs, Arteta, Ramsey, Walcott, Ozil, Rosicky, Giroud. Subs not used: Podolski, Monreal, Cazorla, Flamini, Fabianski, Bendtner, Jenkinson. Booked: Walcott, Rosicky.
CHELSEA: Cech, Ivanovic, Cahill, Terry, Azpilicueta, Ramires, Mikel, Lampard, Willian (Oscar 77), Torres (Luiz 87), Hazard (Schurrle 73). Subs not used: Cole, Mata, Schwarzer, Eto'o. Booked: Ramires.
Referee: Mike Dean (Wirral).
Attendance: 60, 039
Guardian Service
