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Premier League | Gameweek 9

Oct 21, 2023 at 5.30pm UK

Stamford Bridge

Chelsea
2 - 2
Arsenal

Palmer (15' pen.), Mudryk (48')
Palmer (8'), Silva (44'), Cucurella (71')

FT(HT: 1-0)

Rice (77'), Trossard (84')
Arteta (9'), Zinchenko (11'), Nketiah (89'), White (90+1')

Mauricio Pochettino taking positives despite manner of Chelsea's draw with Arsenal

By Darren Plant, Senior Reporter | 22 October 2023

Pochettino taking positives despite Chelsea draw with Arsenal

Head coach Mauricio Pochettino says that he was "so happy" with Chelsea's performance against Arsenal, despite conceding two late goals to draw 2-2 with the Gunners.

Mauricio Pochettino has suggested that he is prepared to accept that mistakes will happen when choosing to play his particular style of football at Chelsea.

The Blues have slowly settled into life under the Argentine, overcoming a poor start to the campaign to record three successive wins in all competitions.

For large parts of their Premier League showdown with Arsenal on Saturday evening, it appeared that it would become four after Chelsea established a 2-0 lead over the Gunners.

Pochettino's side were good value for their lead through a Cole Palmer penalty and fortuitous Mykhyalo Mudryk goal before mistakes allowed Arsenal back into the game.

A misplaced pass from goalkeeper Robert Sanchez gave Declan Rice to ruthlessly find an empty net from distance, before Malo Gusto allowed Leandro Trossard to score an equaliser at the back post to seal a 2-2 draw.

Chelsea's Mykhailo Mudryk celebrates scoring their second goal on October 21, 2023 © Reuters

Although there is an argument that Chelsea would have taken a point before kickoff against opponents who had won the previous three games between the clubs, it was very much two points dropped for the West Londoners.

Nevertheless, Pochettino is keen to focus on the positives from his team's performance, insisting that he was "so happy" with how they matched a team that would have gone top of the standings with maximum points.

Speaking to reporters at a press conference, as quoted by football.london, Pochettino said: "I think it can happen, this type of situation and you have to accept it. Today, we are in an era of football that the way we want to play from the back and now we cannot say he was, oh, we can be tough. But that is football, this is the situation.

"Of course, mistakes can happen in football. We make mistakes, a lot of mistakes and when the players are on the pitch they are allowed to. I think we give the possibility to make a mistake of course."

Arsenal's Leandro Trossard celebrates scoring their second goal on October 21, 2023 © Reuters

"Unlucky, because I think it was 77 minutes, 2-0, and this goal gave the belief to Arsenal, and 2-1 with 10 minutes to play, 13 minutes to play when you can concede and take risks like they were taking. In the end disappointed.

"At the same time, I am so happy because we were very competitive, with all the circumstances we need to feel about the performance and how we played."

Chelsea now sit in 10th position in the top-flight table, four points adrift of fifth-placed Newcastle United and eight behind Tottenham Hotspur in fourth who have a game in hand.

Brentford are next up for Chelsea next Saturday, with Pochettino's side having a chance to take advantage of playing in the early kickoff to make headway in the top half of the standings.