Blues Hammer Gunners, As Bizarre Red Card Ruins Wenger’s Big Day
The ludicrous officiating decision that saw Arsenal's Kieran
Gibbs sent off for a handball actually committed by his teammate Alex
Oxlade-Chamberlain – a case of mistaken identity – was the most bizarre subplot
of a contest that saw Chelsea smash its London rival out of the English Premier
League title race with a 6-0 trouncing at Stamford Bridge.
But the most important storyline was that Chelsea, riding
the expensive coattails of their head coach Mourinho, remain on course for a
dream season that could see them lift both the English domestic and Champions
League trophies.
In Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger's 1,000th game in charge of
the Gunners, Mourinho couldn't resist a dig at his old rival's lack of recent
success. Some saw it as tasteless, but much of what Mourinho does is divisive.
Love him or hate him, there is no denying that he is hugely
entertaining.
Whether it is spicing things up verbally or railing against
officials and the soccer hierarchy, he is rarely out of the spotlight. Coupled
with the fact he can back things up with technical and tactical innovation, his
players generally enjoy the way he takes the heat off them.
A number of factors have electrified this Premier League
season and thrown it, unlike so many other campaigns, wide open. There has been
the resurgence of Liverpool, the disappearance of reigning champions Manchester
United and the road struggles that have stopped big-spending Manchester City
from running clear.
Equally significant, though, has been the return of
Mourinho, who came back to Chelsea after six years away, during which English
soccer missed him, probably more so than it realized.
Mourinho is a complex man with a simple mindset that
prioritizes winning above else. He has done it enough times that Chelsea is
four points clear at the top of the table, although Liverpool has played one
game fewer, and City, six points back, has three matches in hand.
Admittedly, Mourinho doesn't normally win like this.
Saturday's rout was Chelsea's biggest Premier League victory under his watch
and dealt Wenger the most lopsided defeat of his Premier League career. The
Blues were just too good for Arsenal and once Samuel Eto'o and Andre Schurrle
had put the home side up 2-0 after the first seven minutes, the flood gates
were well open. Eden Hazard added a third from the penalty spot after 17
minutes amid the Gibbs red card debacle, and Oscar added a fourth just before
halftime.
Oscar's second goal came midway through the second half as
Arsenal wilted further with heads visibly dropping. Chelsea substitute Mohamed
Salah rounded out the scoring after 71 minutes, just moments after being
introduced by Mourinho.
Before long Mourinho had seen enough and headed down the
tunnel with still a few minutes of the match remaining. Some took it as a snub
against Wenger, conveniently ignoring the fact that Mourinho often takes the
same approach when the result is beyond doubt.
"With Mourinho, people always find things to complain
about," the Chelsea manager told the BBC.
One person not complaining is Chelsea owner Roman
Abramovich. The Russian oligarch demands nothing less than a dual assault on
the domestic title and the European Cup and he has got it this season. With
City's next two games coming against United and Arsenal, both on the road,
Chelsea is justifiably installed as the bookies' favorites to win the Premier
League.
"No, obviously not," Mourinho said when asked if
that tag was accurate.
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