CBC-Sports

Derby delight for Liverpool, Chelsea

February 8, 2010 09:46 AM | Posted by   Jason de Vos  

There were some great match-ups this weekend in the English Premier League, with a number of local derbies taking place. Liverpool faced Merseyside rivals Everton, Birmingham battled with Midlands foe Wolverhampton, while Chelsea hosted fellow London club Arsenal.

There are always plenty of full-blooded challenges in derby games, as the players realize that those matches, more than any others, mean the most to the supporters. As a player, it is important to treat those games with the same reverence as the fans.

Local bragging rights

Win, and you walk around town with your head held high, basking in the glow of securing the local bragging rights. Lose, and you stay at home for a week, suffering the shame of disappointing your supporters.

The importance of winning the derby game was on evidence right from the kick-off at Anfield, where Liverpool hosted Everton.

Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher rattled into Everton’s Steven Pienaar in the opening 20 seconds of the match to set the tone for the game. The intensity of the match did not let up for 90 minutes, as neither team were willing to give any ground.

Despite being reduced to 10 men in the 34th minute, with Greek defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos sent off for a two-footed lunge on Marouane Fellaini, Liverpool was still able to secure a 1-0 victory, thanks to a 55th minute winner from Dirk Kuyt.

It was a poor goal from Everton’s perspective, as defender Phil Neville and goalkeeper Tim Howard were both at fault for allowing Kuyt to head home from inside the six-yard box.

The win did take some pressure off of Liverpool’s manager, Rafa Benitez, though, as the victory saw the Reds move up to fourth in the Premier League.

At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea took exactly what I had expected them to take from Arsenal - a comfortable three points.

Two goals from Didier Drogba saw the Blues fend off a lame challenge from the Gunners, whose title hopes are now all but over. The victory saw Chelsea regain the lead in the Premier League on 58 points. Manchester United are in second place with 56 points, while Arsenal are nine points adrift on 49 points.

Simply put, Chelsea is a much better team than Arsenal.

That is not meant to be disrespectful to Arsenal in any way, because at their best, they play some of the most attractive football in the world. Intricate passing combined with clever movement have allowed Arsenal to challenge the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United for Premier League supremacy.

But what Arsenal is lacking is a back-up plan.

No Plan B

If they are unable to open teams up with their movement and passing, they struggle to find a way to goal. Against Chelsea, they were pushed, pulled and bullied all over the park by a more physical, aggressive team.

Arsenal needs a player up front with a real physical presence; someone who can hold up the ball, bring midfielders into play and get into the box to get on the end of crosses. Arsenal had a player like that in Emmanuel Adebayor, but after he left to join Manchester City in the summer, the Gunners have not managed to find a suitable replacement.

Nicklas Bendtner is the closest thing Arsenal has to a front man with any physical presence, but he is incredibly inconsistent. Robin Van Persie has the size, but aside from the fact that he is currently recovering from injury, he does not play the game in a physical manner, preferring to rely on skill and technique to create goal-scoring opportunities.

Arsenal have not got one player with an attacking vein who offers the sort of physicality that Chelsea have in abundance. A glance at the Blues’ line-up on Sunday is proof enough.

Strikers Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka are quick, powerful and aggressive. They are both a defender’s worst nightmare; they have the size and strength to hold up the ball, the pace to get in behind, and the ability to finish off any chances that come their way.

For all of the beautiful, passing football that Arsenal play, they need someone in the mould of Drogba or Anelka; someone who, if the slick passing isn’t opening up a route to goal, has the power to break through a solid defensive line.

That has to be the priority for Arsene Wenger; to find a player to replace Adebayor who can offer Arsenal the physical presence they are lacking up front. If he fails to do that in the off-season, Arsenal will continue to come out second best against the likes of Chelsea.

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