Behind after 77 seconds, Arsenal answer with the best football of their season so far.
The numbers
| Arsenal | Chelsea | |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 54.5% | 45.5% |
| Shots | 16 | 13 |
| On target | 9 | 5 |
| xG | 2.05 | 0.39 |
| Corners | 5 | 3 |
| Pass accuracy | 84.6% | 81.8% |
Result the chances deserved: Arsenal win 77%, draw 17%, Chelsea win 6% (Poisson model on each side's xG).
Starting line-ups
Arsenal (4-2-3-1): Raya, White, Konsa, Gabriel, Calafiori, Rice, Lewis-Skelly, Saka, Ødegaard, Tzolis, Havertz.
Chelsea (3-4-2-1): Martínez, Acheampong, Lacroix, Fofana, Neto, James, Lavia, Hato, Palmer, Rogers, João Pedro.
Chelsea subs: Gusto & Chavarría (60'), Estêvão (81'), Welbeck (87'). Chelsea manager: Xabi Alonso. Formation reported as 3-4-2-1 (5-4-1 without the ball); some outlets list 4-2-3-1.
Key moments, move by move
- Konsa fouls João Pedro in midfield. Reece James whips the free kick into the box.
- Lacroix wins the first header and Arsenal can't clear.
- Hato heads it back out to the edge of the box.
- Rogers volleys first time, low inside Raya's near post.
- Arsenal move the ball quickly down the right: Rice to White.
- Havertz has drifted right to make three against two, and receives wide.
- He cuts inside onto his left foot along the edge of the box.
- A low shot goes through a defender's legs and inside Martínez's near post.
- Konsa wins a duel with Rogers and the ball goes left to Tzolis.
- Tzolis drives inside while Calafiori's run pulls Lacroix and Neto away.
- A low pass towards Havertz at the edge of the box, and Havertz steps over it.
- Ødegaard runs onto it at the penalty spot and finishes firmly.
Havertz drifts right: three against two
- Overload one side, then switch. Arsenal loaded the left, then shifted Havertz right to make 3v2s against Rogers and Hato (Coaches' Voice).
- Calafiori's half-space runs kept pulling Chelsea's back five out of shape, which opened the gap for the winner.
- Chelsea: a 3-4-2-1 that became a 5-4-1 low block, with direct balls to Neto. Their goal came from a rehearsed set piece credited to coach Austin MacPhee (NBC).
- Near misses: VAR ruled out a Calafiori goal for a Konsa offside just before half-time, and Neto hit the post on the break.
What the analysts said
“It was an absolute joy to watch our team play… just an avalanche.”Mikel Arteta
“I was happy the ball went through the legs of the defender, so it was tough to see the ball for him.”Kai Havertz
“He moves so well… he takes a lot of attention from the defenders.”Martin Ødegaard on Havertz
“The number of goals we're conceding is something we need to address.”Xabi Alonso
Havertz's movement is Arsenal's hidden playmaker.
The xG was 2.05 to 0.39, and Chelsea's goal came from a set piece. Arsenal went behind and never looked like losing.
Watch Havertz in both goals. For the first, he drifted to the right touchline to make a 3v2 and scored. For the second, he stepped over Tzolis's pass and dragged the defence with him so Ødegaard could score. Ødegaard said it himself: Havertz takes attention from defenders. Against a zonal low block like Chelsea's, that movement is priceless, because nobody follows him.
Now compare Brighton. There, a centre-back followed Havertz everywhere he went. The same movement that opened Chelsea up simply pulled a marker along with him. Arsenal's attack is built for zonal defences. Man-marking is the counter.