LONDON (AFP) - Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri labelled his players mentally weak and difficult to motivate after losing 2-0 at Arsenal in a toothless performance on Saturday (Jan 19).
The Gunners blew the race for a top-four Premier League finish wide open as first-half goals from Alexandre Lacazette and Laurent Koscielny closed Arsenal and Manchester United, who beat Brighton earlier in the day, to within three points of Chelsea in fourth.
"I'm extremely angry, very angry indeed. This defeat was due to our mentality more than anything else, our mental approach. We played against a team more determined than we were and I can't accept that," said Sarri, who spoke in his native Italian as he wished to send a message to his players.
"The fact is it appears this group of players is extremely difficult to motivate."
On current form Sarri's men look likely to be caught by Arsenal or United as a fourth defeat in 11 league matches underlined the need for the signing of Argentine striker Gonzalo Higuain on loan from Juventus, which is expected to be completed in the coming days.
Chelsea enjoyed 64 per cent possession, but had just one shot on target to again question Sarri's decision to start without a recognised striker with Eden Hazard's impact limited in a central role, even against an Arsenal defence that had kept just one Premier League clean sheet since September.
However, Sarri insisted it was his players' attitude and not his system that was the problem.
"I think when you see this kind of game, when one team is more determined than the other, you can't really talk about tactics," he added.
"From a technical point of view both teams are on the same level, but they were more determined. Tactics don't come into it. Their high level of motivation was obvious throughout, particularly in both penalty areas."
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By contrast, Arsenal boss Unai Emery's selection was vindicated as Mesut Ozil was left on the bench for the full 90 minutes and a switch to a 4-4-2 allowed Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to form a potent partnership up front.
Aubameyang should have opened the scoring after just five minutes when perfectly picked out by Lacazette's low cross, but dragged his shot wide.
Kepa Arrizabalaga then produced a brilliant save to deny Koscielny from point-blank range, but it counted for little as from the resulting corner Arsenal took a deserved lead.
Lacazette did well to stay on his feet as he skipped past Marcos Alonso and Pedro Rodriguez before smashing the ball past Kepa at his near post.
Chelsea's start was horribly reminiscent of a 3-1 defeat at Tottenham in November that began their decline in recent months after a fine start to Sarri's reign.
However, Arsenal's defence remained vulnerable when put under pressure and Pedro could have levelled when his lob over Bernd Leno shaved the outside of the post.
Aubameyang came close again, this time in spectacular fashion with an overhead kick that flew inches wide with Kepa beaten.
Yet, Chelsea were repeatedly caught out by Arsenal's well-worked set-pieces and paid for it again, albeit in fortunate fashion for the Gunners, six minutes before the break.
Sead Kolasinac headed down Lucas Torreira's free-kick into the path of Sokratis Papastathopoulos and his cross picked out the unmarked Koscielny.
The French defender mistimed his header, but the ball bounced in off his shoulder for his first goal since the Arsenal captain ruptured his Achilles in April.
Chelsea could have got a foothold in the game before half-time as David Luiz's header came back off the post.
But in keeping with so many of their performances of late, Chelsea created little thereafter despite dominating possession.
Olivier Giroud was given a warm welcome back to the Emirates when he entered as a substitute, but even with the French international as a focal point, the visitors failed to threaten.
Sarri will hope Higuain, who scored 38 goals when the pair first worked together at Napoli in the 2015/16 season, is the answer.
Kepa Arrizabalaga 'should be sacked' by Chelsea after Maurizio Sarri snub. The Blues keeper caused controversy after refusing to come off in the closing minutes of the Carabao Cup final.
KEPA IS A DISGRACE, SHOULD BE SACKED! - youtube.com
MADRID, June 10 (Reuters) - Spain made it four wins out of four and took full control of their Euro 2020 qualifying group by seeing off closest challengers Sweden 3-0 at home on Monday after
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The wife of Spain's World Cup-winning captain Iker Casillas, Sara Carbonero, has announced that she has undergone surgery for cancer just three weeks after the goalkeeper suffered a heart attack.
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Football: Bologna earn Serie A survival in six-goal Lazio thriller. 38 minutes ago. Share this content Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via E-Mail ROME: Bologna secured their top flight survival on Monday with a 3-3 draw at Lazio enough to keep the northerners in Serie A next
Bologna earn 'miracle' Serie A survival in six-goal Lazio
worldsoccertalk.com/2019/05/20/bologna-earn-miracle-serie-a-survival-in-six-goal-lazio-thriller/
Bologna earn 'miracle' Serie A survival in six-goal Lazio thriller AFP May 20, 2019 AFP No Comments Rome (AFP) - Bologna coach Sinisa Mihajlovic hailed his team for pulling off a "miracle" to secure their top flight survival with a 3-3 draw at Lazio on Monday enough to keep the northerners in Serie A next season.
Bologna earn 'miracle' Serie A survival in six-goal Lazio
Tottenham moved back into second place in the Premier League, six points behind leaders Liverpool, after cruising to a 3-0 win at lowly Cardiff City on Tuesday.. Liverpool face third-placed Manchester City on Thursday night, and City could move above Spurs if they avoid defeat at the Etihad Stadium.
Mauricio Pochettino praises Tottenham players after
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Lionel Messi loves scoring against Real Madrid. The Barcelona superstar struck from the penalty spot in the second half of El Clasico at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday, notching his 17th goal against Los Blancos in LaLiga.
Messi notches 50th career hat-trick as La Liga leaders
Sergio Ramos and Alvaro Morata both scored penalties as Spain beat Sweden 3-0 on Monday to keep their perfect start to Euro 2020 qualifying intact. Spain in charge in qualifying quest after
Spain in charge in qualifying quest after beating - Cyprus
AC Milan risk being excluded from European competition next season after UEFA on Thursday ordered another probe be carried out into the Italian club for breaches of Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations. European football's governing body said in a statement that UEFA's Club Financial Control Body
Milan risk European ban as UEFA order another Financial Fair
BUENOS AIRES (AFP) - An uncharacteristically angry Lionel Messi revealed on Friday (March 29) how he struggles to deal with criticism of his performances for Argentina's national team, saying that
Football: Angry Messi says son asks why Argentines criticise
MILAN: Juventus clinched their eighth consecutive Serie A title on Saturday with a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Fiorentina. Alex Sandro's diving header on 37 minutes and an own goal from Fiorentina defender German Pezzella after a Cristiano Ronaldo cross in the 53rd minute sealed a 35th Scudetto.
Juventus Win Eighth Consecutive Serie A Title - Channels
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Neymar will travel to Qatar to undergo a "complete assessment" six weeks into his recovery from a fractured right foot, Paris Saint-Germain said on Thursday. Neymar heads to Qatar for medical
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