Worse night for Gunners

ARSENAL have had worse nights.
True, it would have been better had Chelsea not conceded an equaliser 10 minutes from the end.
But a draw will suit the Gunners well enough. Two wins against Wigan (h) and Newcastle (a) and it’s game over and Champions League football for the 16th consecutive season.

It had long been a night earmarked as the one that could decide Tottenham’s destiny. And so it could have proved with Andre Villas-Boas now having to rely on Arsenal’s fallibility — not totally out of the question given some of their recent displays — if Spurs are not to end up fifth.

Harry Redknapp finished one place higher last season and was sacked. AVB’s position, though, is as safe as Fort Knox. One London pub had advertised last night’s game as Chelsea v Gareth Bale. But it could equally have been Juan Mata v Bale. In the blue corner — Mata, 25, scorer of 19 goals this season, the inspiration behind much of what is so good about Chelsea and making his 61st appearance of the campaign.
In the white corner — Bale, 23, double Footballer of the Year and scorer of 30 goals for club and country, 25 for Spurs and 14 in the last 15 games.

It was a contest Mata would eventually win but only thanks to Tottenham’s strange policy of rarely providing Bale with the ball. Then there was the business of AVB making his first trip back to Stamford Bridge since he was sacked.

He has surprised quite a few this season but this was the acid test after a run of just three wins in seven league games and Europa League exit since beating Arsenal on March 3. In the same time, Chelsea had won five out of seven in the league and reached the Europa League final.

For the first 26 minutes the game followed the script, Chelsea pouring forward, scoring through Oscar’s header from a Mata corner. And then it happened. Totally out of the blue as is the case with Emmanuel Adebayor.

Running casually out of his own half and towards the visitors’ box, his goalscoring exploits this season for Tottenham had lulled Chelsea into a false sense of security.

The last thing they expected was a shot — especially one that curled effortlessly off his right foot and past a startled Petr Cech.

Normal service, though, would be resumed as Chelsea regained the lead six minutes before the break with a lovely shot from Ramires. That should have been the signal for Rafa Benitez’s side to storm clear.
But Spurs finished strongly as Chelsea tired, and sub Gylfi Sigurdsson beat Cech at the far post.

Benitez has had a good run of late, a manager of the month award followed by victory at Old Trafford on Sunday.Last night, though, he ignored Frank Lampard when the game started to turn uphill.

But one win over either Villa (a) or Everton (h) and Champions League football will be assured.

Cue the sight of Rafa being chaired shoulder-high round the ground on the last day of the season... then up the New Kings Road, right at Beaufort Street and over the side of Battersea Bridge!

Source : thesun