Having improved steadily since December, Mick McGiven’s team had been on course to produce football as accomplished as that seen for long periods of this game, although to do so against a strong Gunners second string was less expected.
Unbeaten at home, Arsenal fielded nine players with first team experience including Brazilian World Cup winner Gilberto, playing his first game since September, and French Under 21 international striker Jeremie Aliadiere.
In the end it was the presence of the latter that proved decisive, two sharply taken goals and a penalty both won and dispatched ruthlessly exploiting weaknesses where they occurred in Chelsea’s play.
McGiven’s line-up had a familiar look about it, Nuno Morais dropping into defence in place of mumps-victim Adrian Pettigrew, and were cohesive in attack from the start.
There was an early scare when Larsson curled an Arsenal free-kick narrowly wide but Chelsea retaliated before ten minutes were up through Kneissl (pictured), shooting just wide on one of several occasions he was played in behind the defence by Filipe Oliveira.
Two minutes later it was Oliveira shooting himself, dragging a left-foot effort wide of the near-post having been picked out by an excellent Hollands pass. Attacking uphill on Barnet’s pronounced slope it was a bright start.
Oliveira, playing his best game in quite some time attacked Arsenal with a run at the very heart of their defence and nearly found a way through, Kerrea Gilbert blocking as he was about to shoot.
Then when Hollands nodded a loose ball on it was Oliveira again on hand but to his frustration a flick with the outside of his boot beat keeper Stuart Taylor but cannoned off the post.
On 25 minutes it took the sharpest of reflexes from Taylor to keep out Kneissl’s close-range shot when the young German latched on to Jimmy Smith’s knock-down and it was difficult to see how Arsenal were going to hold out.
They didn’t. With 28 minutes on the clock Oliveira held off a challenge as he carried the ball 40 yards before spotting Kneissl’s well-judged run. This time striker gave keeper no chance, poking the ball past him with his third touch.
Chelsea had been on top in most areas of the pitch, Smith, Grant and Hollands foraging away with much success in front of their defence, but shortly after the goal Arsenal’s second attempt of the game saw Ryan Smith drive wide of Pidgeley’s near-post. A minute later Pidgeley dropped low to stop Aliadiere’s shot as Chelsea’s grip on the game slackened fatally for 15 minutes.
With ten minutes to go to the break, Steven Watt tugged at Aliadiere after he had dealt loosely with a long ball forward and the referee pointed to the spot. Sent-off in this fixture last season, the Chelsea centre-back was this time shown a yellow card before Aliadiere himself confidently dispatched the penalty.
Within seconds the Chelsea players were cursing their luck again, Kneissl intelligently finding space once more but drilling his shot against the crossbar.
On 39 minutes, a pass from deep in behind Morais found Aliadiere all on his own and with ruthless finishing, Pidgeley was beaten to give Arsenal a lead in stark contrast to the balance of play.
Undaunted and in keeping with the enterprising nature of the Chelsea display, Sam Tillen on the left took on the Arsenal rearguard with a raiding run and cross that Larsson was fortunate not to convert into an own-goal. There was still much cause for second-half optimism.
However in the second minute after the restart, Aliadiere landed a body blow with a goal of pure class, his first touch taking Watt out of the equation, his second leaving Pidgeley with no chance of preventing the hat-trick.
Perhaps understandably after such a dramatic turnaround, some of the fizz went out of Chelsea’s play. It took a Gilbert block to prevent a well-executed Kneissl turn from coming to anything but chances were scarce.
Then with three minutes to go, Arsenal keeper Taylor lent a big helping boot. His dodgy clearance fell to Oliveira who once again supplied Kneissl and the reserves’ most reliable marksmen wasn’t about to miss from six yards.
In the closing moments Chelsea had genuine opportunities to equalise, Oliveira almost setting up a hat-trick for Kneissl and substitute Filipe Morais creating havoc on the right but not making to most of two openings. There was disappointment in defeat but much to value in the display.
Chelsea:
Lenny Pidgeley, Dean Smith, Steven Watt, Nuno Morais, Sam Tillen, Jimmy Smith (Filipe Morais 69), Anthony Grant, Danny Hollands (capt), Filipe Oliveira, Sebastian Kneissl, Danny Woodards (James Simmonds 81).
Arsenal:
Stuart Taylor, Emmanuel Eboue, Danny Karbassiyoon, Sebastian Larsson, Fabrice Muamba, Kerrea Gilbert, Jeremie Aliadiere, Gilberto Silva (Stephen O'Donnell 65), Arturo Lupoli (Qunicy 76) Anthony Stokes (Patrick Cregg 68), Ryan Smith.
by Paul Mason
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