Published: 21 April, 2012
Premier League
Arsenal 0, Chelsea 0
by TOM FOOT

“FEVER PITCH! Top-four tussle reaches BOILING point!"

Or so the matchday programme would have us believe. As it turned out, maybe the fans were owed an apology.

This was – for both sides – a massive fixture in terms of getting ahead of Spurs and qualifying for the Champions League.

Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo – making seven changes to the side that beat Barcelona on Wednesday – set up a phalanx between the box and centre circle.

It was a formation to throttle any attempts at passing football and it worked in terms of killing the pace and flow of the match.

Manager Arsene Wenger said: "It was a strange game – I thought it would be open, we had to win, they had to win. But they decided to lock up the game. We didn't find our quick passing game. We played offensively, with a handbrake, and didn't pass the ball quickly enough. Our change of pace in the game was not good enough."

The 0-0 left Arsenal six points clear of Tottenham having played two more games. The Gunners have the points, if not the momentum.

Wenger said: "What it means is we have to win the rest of our games and look at other results, too." Di Matteo described the draw as “a point gained."

There was drama in the final minutes as both sides finally went for it. Robin van Persie was sent tumbling in the box and at the other end Laurent Koscielny – back after missing Monday's defeat to Wigan – executed a vital flying kick clearance with Sturridge poised. The defender had hit the crossbar with a header in the first half and put in an assured performance alongside Thomas Vermaelen.

Van Persie had shanked several good chances wide or high. Late in the first half the captain chested down a looping pass from Song and it sat up invitingly. But his shot was straight down the mouth of the keeper. Later, he was offered a chance for another goal of the season – but his volley from a raking 40-yard pass from Aaron Ramsey skewed off into the depths of the crowd.

Van Persie – the division’s top scorer – has not scored in open play for 12 hours in the Premier League. His passes were intricate and accurate – but no one could put it away. Not even Abu Diaby, who Wenger has been talking about so much in the past few weeks’ press conferences.

Wenger said: "Robin gave everything today. I think he sometimes rushed his decisions a bit. He used his right foot sometimes. But it was not easy for him. At times, he was completely on his own."

Oddly, Theo Walcott, who limped off with a "serious" hamstring injury after around 70 minutes, took free-kicks today. Early in the first half the winger whistled one into the back post and van Persie stabbed his shot against the post. Walcott’s injury is likely to rule him out of the rest of the season, Wenger said after the match.

He added: "Theo has a serious hamstring. It will be tough to come back now – I don't think he will be back for rest of season."

Without Didier Drogba, Chelsea's attack was short of threat, and Fernando Torres was, true to form, industrious but lacking killer instinct.

There was a sudden burst of pressure before half-time and before full-time. But this was always destined for a draw – a point that is better for Arsenal than Chelsea.

The away fans were singing "there's only one team in Europe". They might not be in the Champions League at all next season, unless they win the competition, or overtake Newcastle and Spurs who they trail having played a game more and with just three remaining.

Di Matteo said: "We have had three games in six days, two semi-final games against Barcelona and away to Arsenal. It is crazy. But we have the squad to deal with it."

Responding to criticism that Chelsea are boring, he added: "Look at the stats, we have had almost as many attacks and corners as they had – we were away, they were at home. A bit more quality at the end and we could have snatched the three points."