Chapter 37: The Next Goal Must Be Mine
The iron-blooded Blues — the name fit.
This Chelsea side, fresh off a Champions League triumph this May and leading the Premier League, fought doggedly.
Down by two goals, they didn't collapse; instead their ferocity was awakened. Once they stopped obsessing with disruption,
they played like champions.
In the 21st minute Fernando Torres made a long run, drawing Arsenal's defense; Eden Hazard cut into the box and got a strike on goal at the near post, the ball grazing the post and out.
Immediately after it was Hazard again. He used his massive backside to nudge about in the box and then laid his back to the defender — luckily the ball struck André Santos.
After Chelsea's triple-pronged attack was deflected, Arsenal began to counter.
In the 27th minute, Arsenal won a free kick about 25 meters out. With no free-kick specialist in the side, Mikel Arteta stepped up.
The ball went straight into Petr Čech's arms.
The rest of the half saw both sides refuse to yield; the game was fast and fierce.
End-to-end play excited the fans more and more; cheers outside the stadium where fans watched on LED screens even drowned out the sounds inside at times.
Outside the ground the Chelsea chants were louder than inside.
Partly because more fans were outside but also because they noticed that when the tempo rose Chelsea's midfield handling grew sharper while Arsenal's organization got a little sloppy, reducing the threat of their passes.
At this rate Chelsea would sooner or later pull one back.
Those fans had sharp eyes and expert-level insight — worthy diehards.
In the 32nd minute, Frank Lampard, tightly marked by Santi Cazorla, still produced a through ball.
The pass was aimed at Hazard, but Hazard glanced and saw Fernando Torres, and the striker's intelligence lit up.
He lifted a leg to feint a shot; Arsenal defenders reacted, but the raised leg didn't come down — the ball slipped through.
A gap opened.
Torres burst from the pack diagonally; no defender could catch him.
Vito Mannone quickly raised his hand to flag offside.
But the linesman and referee gave no signal.
Chelsea fans felt like masters of the Emirates.
"Torres, go!"
"T9, charge!"
Torres' speed was the fastest in the area.
Mannone looked composed but inwardly panicked; even before Torres struck he opened his arms and came out to dive.
Torres' reaction was world-class.
He cut the ball across with his side-foot and got past Mannone.
The ball rolled into the empty net.
2–1!
Chelsea pulled one back before halftime and the match was thrown into uncertainty.
"Mannone misread it; after he came out Torres used his momentum to slide the ball across into the empty net."
"Arsenal has two issues right now: goalkeeping and midfield organization.
With Wojciech Szczęsny and Jack Wilshere injured,
if Arsenal want to stay in the title race these positions need stronger options."
After the goal Torres ran toward the corner flag with teammates close behind…
…
The match restarted with Chelsea still chasing. After Arsenal's kickoff, Chelsea pressed high and quickly won the ball.
Cazorla, forced, fouled Ramires.
Chelsea had a left-side free kick from about 30 meters.
Lampard took it; his shot curled around the wall and hit the crossbar — Chelsea missed their best chance to equalize before halftime.
Both teams exchanged a couple more phases without creating clear chances.
They went into the break 2–1.
In the away dressing room, Roberto Di Matteo praised his players' effort and served them some motivational talk.
In the home dressing room Arsène Wenger tried to keep his tone light; this squad was still young and encouragement would work better than criticism.
"We have a one-goal lead. In the second half play on the break. Xia, we want to see you combine more…"
The second half began with no substitutions. Chelsea kept the pressure, but Arsenal dropped deeper and Xia Qi retreated a bit.
After kickoff Chelsea threw themselves forward; for five minutes Arsenal couldn't get out of their half.
Arsenal fans fretted, but Wenger and Pat Rice looked relaxed in the dugout, exchanging comments and even smiling.
They'd noticed Xia Qi's adjustment and the midfield's change.
When defending, Xia Qi would drop back to help Mikel Arteta win the ball, allowing Arteta to focus with Cazorla as a left-right defensive screen, greatly improving the area's safety.
On counters, Xia Qi acted as the explosive point up front, drawing defenders to him and creating chances for the wings and Olivier Giroud.
This inverted Arsenal's traditional wings-first, central poach tactic — one is "I for everyone," the other "everyone for me."
Ultimately both aim for the same result.
Wenger and Pat Rice saw that both roads led to Rome, which is why they were relaxed.
Wenger joked with Xia Qi: "Relying on your ability to 'eat' defenders, forcing Chelsea into double-teams through your runs…"
Pat Rice laughed at Wenger's line: "He's already eaten several today — isn't he still hungry?"
Xia Qi, a baby-eater!
So ruthless!
On the pitch,
during a break Xia Qi suddenly threaded a through ball; Giroud leaned on John Terry and fired a snapshot that flew into the stands.
After conceding the second goal, Xia Qi shouldered Lampard and dashed into the box; in tight space he and Giroud exchanged a one-two before Terry and David Luiz converged.
A heel flick set up Theo Walcott, who pushed a shot that Čech tipped over with one hand.
As time passed, fans began to see Arsenal's transformation.
Xia Qi's dribbles drew double teams, his movement pulled Chelsea's defense out of shape, and he then passed into the defensive gaps so that any forward receiving the ball in the front third became a threat.
Walcott, Oxlade-Chamberlain and Giroud saw the chance to open their accounts and their runs became more energetic. The more active they got, the more Xia Qi fed them, and the more dangerous they became…
With Xia Qi linking play, Arsenal grew into the game…
"Xia makes everyone better."
"This style of organization is unusual."
"A bit like that Brazilian 'sword' style."
In the stands, the tension eased; Arsenal fans smiled.
Arsenal's change made Chelsea uncomfortable.
If you don't double-team Xia Qi he'll dribble through you;
if you do double-team and play like this, you'll still be in trouble.
Chelsea players' mentality soured; the momentum on the field quietly tilted toward Arsenal.
In the 68th minute Arteta intercepted and Arsenal countered.
Xia Qi dribbled; Ramires stepped up.
He thought simply: single-handedly stop Xia Qi and I'll be a hero.
But heroes are hard to become.
Xia Qi didn't even glance at him; he nudged the ball outward and accelerated with his feet!
He didn't bother with a feint, using sheer speed and body strength — a blend of dodge and bump — to blow him away.
A full-on take-on!
Chelsea fans, who had cheered Ramires' volunteering, thought he'd found a way to stop Xia Qi and applauded.
But he couldn't hold — he gave up the chance and their cheers turned to boos.
Ramires failed to be the hero; instead he drew fans' ire: more harm than good!
Chelsea's back line was alarmed; Lampard and John Obi Mikel rushed at Xia Qi while Arsenal's forward trio each sought their own lanes…
The next goal must be mine!
(END CHAPTER)
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