“He costs us all the 5goals with his silly mistakes” – Joe Cole slams Chelsea star for key mistake that led to Arsenal 5-0 thrashing
According to Joe Cole, Benoit Badiashile’s inability to “set the tone” contributed to Chelsea’s crushing 5-0 loss against Arsenal.
Arsenal’s commanding victory over their London rivals at the Emirates on Tuesday night delivered a clear message to title challengers Manchester City and Liverpool.
Leandro Trossard gave the game’s first goal in the first five minutes, but in an incredible eighteen-minute stretch in the second half, Ben White and Kai Havertz each scored braces.
Trossard’s first goal was first attributed to goalkeeper Dorde Petrovic and rookie full-back Alfie Gilchrist, but Cole feels that Badiashile should take some of the blame as well.
The Chelsea centre-back nearly gave away a penalty within the first minute after fouling Havertz in the box but was saved by the offside flag, but his failure to deal with the in-form Arsenal attacker had a lasting effect on the match.
‘Do you know what? That first 10 minutes sums up Chelsea’s season,’ former Blues star Cole said on TNT Sports.
‘They played themselves back into the game, made chances. But I think it [the first goal] comes from Havertz.
‘Badiashile has got to go with him and set the tone. You must be thinking all week, “I’m playing Havertz. I’m gonna stop him”.
‘And in the first five minutes he’s let him stroll around midfield. It was so passive.
‘And poor Gilchrist, he’s got his work cut out. He’s got Declan Rice running at him and Trossard on the outside. It just spells out Chelsea’s game in that half.’
Cole’s comments came at half-time but the early Arsenal goal very much set the tone and laid the foundations for the Gunners victory.
The result moves Mikel Arteta’s side three points clear of Liverpool at the top of the table, with the Reds set to play on Wednesday against Merseyside rivals Everton.
They are also four points clear of City who travel to Brighton on Thursday, but Pep Guardiola’s team have two games in hand.