LONDON — The final phase of a season can be the hardest. For Arsenal, this season is solely focused on victories, and Tuesday’s priority was clear: a 1-0 triumph over Chelsea, earning them a spot in their first cup final in six years.
The second leg of the Carabao Cup semifinal saw Chelsea adopt a cautious approach, fielding a back five and pressing high while leaving three players upfront during corners to counter Arsenal’s set-piece threats.
This strategy seemingly bewildered the home team, who struggled to create chances. With a 3-2 lead from the first leg, Arsenal comfortably settled into a defensive setup that they excel at.
As Chelsea switched to a back four around the 60-minute mark, introducing Cole Palmer and Estêvão, they found themselves up against an impenetrable defense led by William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães. In injury time, substitute Kai Havertz took advantage of a counter-attack to score against his former club, rounding Robert Sánchez.
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Havertz celebrated by pointing to the badge as the Emirates Stadium erupted with joy, with fans elated at being just 90 minutes away from adding silverware, a recognition of the steady progress coach Mikel Arteta has made since Arsenal’s FA Cup win in 2020.
That victory occurred in an empty Wembley due to Covid-19 restrictions, intensifying the desire for a shared trophy celebration.
The cup final is set for March 22, likely against Manchester City, who currently lead 2-0 over Newcastle United with a home match remaining.
“We’re just one match away,” Arteta stated. “These moments provide us with a motivational boost, especially with the scheduling we face. The hard work we put into achieving this is incredible.”
“You can feel the joy and energy from everyone within the club. Winning is essential for building confidence and momentum. We’ll prepare thoroughly for the final in a few weeks, but for now, we have to focus on our next massive Premier League game against Sunderland in just three days.”
This marks the first significant challenge for Liam Rosenior as head coach of Chelsea. His strategy sparked debate, attempting to creatively navigate a deficit in the semifinal.
His decision-making had merit, especially considering Pedro Neto and Reece James were unavailable due to fitness issues before the match. Despite their defensive approach, Chelsea effectively prevented Arsenal from pulling ahead.
Arsenal registered a low expected goals figure of just 0.18 at halftime, one of their worst performances this season.
However, Chelsea struggled to transition from defense to attack, with Palmer lacking match fitness and Estêvão returning from personal matters in Brazil. Substituted Alejandro Garnacho made little impact after entering late in the game.
Some will argue that Rosenior should have been bolder. There’s a case for making substitutions earlier in the match as well. Chelsea’s strategy was designed to mitigate crowd tensions, a clever response considering the atmosphere.
“You can choose to pressure hard away from home and risk going down 2-0 or potentially take a lead,” Rosenior remarked.
“The psychological aspect of this tie was paramount, and I could sense the stadium’s energy. At the 60-minute mark, when I introduced Cole and Estêvão, I felt the game begin to open up with chances appearing. Unfortunately, we didn’t achieve our goal, but ultimately it’s about securing the result.”
The implications for Arsenal are significant. They’ve finally broken through their semifinal jinx, having failed at this stage four times in a row before. Alongside their previous three second-place finishes in the Premier League, a significant barrier had formed that they are now beginning to dismantle.
This season has the potential to be transformative, a chance for them to shed their nearly-men reputation and emerge as winners. The upcoming final keeps the momentum alive and retains the dream of a quadruple.
While talk of a quadruple is mostly speculative, especially given their history with trophies, the narrative surrounding Arsenal has shifted. From concerns about a slump, they now stride forward with renewed determination, one step at a time.