Thomas Tuchel’s Chelsea ‘course of’ is working however didn’t work at Stamford Bridge, on an evening when the absence of Mikel Arteta’s labored in Arsenal’s favour…
1) This was the primary time Arsenal have achieved the Premier League double over Chelsea since 2003/04, when Thierry Henry et al went on to assert their final league title. Their final win at Stamford Bridge was ten years in the past, when Arteta patrolled the midfield and Robin van Persie scored a hat-trick in a 5-3 victory.
This was nothing like a efficiency of that classic period, or that less-vintage period. This was the Arsenal irregulars at peak irregularity, choosing up hard-earned factors via pure willpower moderately than any nice talent, wanton abandon or the class of outdated.
2) It was a bizarre sport in that it meant an excellent deal to Chelsea and Tuchel, not a lot to Arsenal, however most of all to Arteta.
Amid experiences that relationships with the Spaniard and his senior gamers are ‘being examined’ and quite a few them are wanting out of the membership, the Arteta cult members got here to the fore; they actually put a shift in for his or her supervisor.
They didn’t play from the again and pressed briefly, rare bursts. That they had simply 32% of the ball, had 5 photographs to Chelsea’s 19 and barely mustered an opportunity aside from the aim they have been gifted. It was a no-frills show, however one they and Arteta completely wanted.
3) Jorginho has these moments. He’s had a wonderful season, punctuated by howling errors.
He simply didn’t look and regardless of Alan Smith on co-commentary trying to separate the condemnation between him and Kepa Arrizabalaga, it was completely his fault. Chelsea’s second goalkeeper – recalled presumably in preparation for the FA Cup closing – had no cause to be between the sticks together with his group in possession and really did effectively to palm Jorginho’s hefty move away.
However with the scrumptious prospect of an oblique free-kick, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang stored an irritatingly cool head to arrange Emile Smith Rowe and destroy any potential for 11 footballers on the aim line.
4) Bukayo Saka has featured for 3,525 minutes throughout 44 video games for Arsenal this season. Solely two youthful gamers throughout all of the leagues in Europe have performed extra soccer – Ryan Gravenberch (18) of Ajax and Ilya Zabarnyi (18) of Dynamo Kiev.
That’s not essentially a nasty factor; Ajax are storming to the Eredivisie title thanks in no small half to Gravenberch, for instance. A participant generally ‘can’t be omitted’ as a result of they’re higher than different superb gamers vying for that place. However in Arsenal’s case it’s simply as a lot – if no more – an indictment of poor switch selections and the dearth of high quality in Saka’s absence, moderately than because of the younger man’s brilliance this season, good although he has been.
It was by no means the plan for a 19-year-old to play this incessantly. If £200,000-a-week Willian had carried out anyplace close to his Chelsea ranges, Saka wouldn’t have been so overused and look as completely knackered as he has at occasions within the second half of this season. He was glorious within the 3-1 win over West Brom however seemed exhausted after about 20 minutes at Stamford Bridge and was taken off after an hour.
5) “In the event that they proceed to play effectively, if we don’t progress as rapidly as these guys progress, then it’s important to be nervous about their ambition and what they need to do, as a result of they’re incredible gamers.”
Ian Wright worries for the futures of Saka and Smith Rowe. And whereas the previous did little or no, the latter was arguably the perfect participant on the pitch. His aim was fluffed as he struck the ball with one foot onto the opposite, however it was a sometimes effervescent show from one other superb English attacking midfielder.
He’s received a stunning mixed glide and rumble to his actions, together with his operating easy however his shoulders and head bobbing as he goes – like a typical cheeky geezer together with his reward soccer moderately than ‘of the gab’.
He can and ought to be constructed round subsequent season, however he – like Saka – wants time and respiration area to develop, and higher, extra skilled gamers to play with and be taught from. He shouldn’t be doing the carrying.
6) Thomas Tuchel has been in command of Chelsea for 26 video games, has now misplaced three and conceded 12 targets. Arteta has misplaced eight in that point, however simply 5 of his first 26.
By way of pure managerial efficiency – contemplating the distinction in squad high quality – 26-game Tuchel and Arteta are comparable. Which might function a warning to Chelsea followers – however gained’t and shouldn’t – and is certainly a sign of simply how far Arteta’s inventory has fallen. He was the protege’s protege, the following stage on the Whole Soccer evolutionary scale.
However belief in ‘the method’ has waned to close zero, with the non-negotiable philosophy truly very a lot negotiable and early indicators of the strategy now absent in favour of pragmatism.
Aim-kicks have been unceremoniously booted, as have been free-kicks in their very own half – a tactic utilised within the Premier League virtually solely by Sean Dyche’s Burnley. This will likely have been a victory for Arteta and Arsenal, however not one for his Arsenal ‘course of’.
7) But it surely labored. That they had each man behind the ball for giant swathes of the second half and it wasn’t fairly; the noughties nostalgia retailers might even declare it wasn’t Arsenal. However once more, it labored.
Pablo Mari was strong sufficient and Rob Holding and Gabriel are having quietly glorious seasons. Arsenal haven’t scored many – they want an extra three of their final two video games to beat their Premier League low of 52 – however they’ve additionally received the third finest defensive file within the league, behind simply Manchester Metropolis and Chelsea.
They’ve now gained three consecutive away Premier League matches with out conceding for the primary time since Could 2013 underneath Arsene Wenger.
8) Arteta ought to undoubtedly play three centre-backs extra typically. Notably towards the massive groups, as he did with frequent success final season. It’s a surprise he didn’t use the system when his one left-back, Kieran Tierney, was injured.
Chelsea did create possibilities, however towards this Arsenal system they actually needed to work for them, the again 5 offering little or no area or alternative for Ben Chilwell and Reece James to seek out their customary angles for crosses because the backline shifted throughout with the ball because it was handed in entrance of them.
It was limiting and Aubameyang lower a annoyed determine all through, however with the squad because it presently is, enjoying towards arguably the in-form group in Europe, it was mandatory.
9) What was Aubameyang in such a huff about as he got here off the pitch late on?
Your group is profitable a London derby, you’ve supplied the help for the one aim and the supervisor is changing you for the final ten minutes to offer recent legs as yours are clearly spent.
You’re the captain mate, act prefer it.
10) It didn’t take a lot for Chelsea to bounce when Tuchel arrived. A lot of the squad have been downtrodden however primed, others have been enjoying however languishing and in determined want of instruction, and Mason Mount was being Mason Mount.
However this has now gone far past an anti-Lampard rebound; past mere modification. This has been an unimaginable transformation and much more unimaginable than the transformation itself is that the transformation is full.
Tuchel’s 5-2-3 was deemed a way to the Champions League qualification finish – a short-term formation repair to be altered subsequent season – however with Chelsea nonetheless on the verge of probably the finest season of their historical past, this might and ought to be the without end formation.
This Chelsea show may have achieved nothing to stem the requires a giant striker signing come the summer season. And it might be a tad wobbly, however it nonetheless ain’t broke, so don’t repair it.
11) Tuchel tried a repair within the final half-hour – changing Kai Havertz with Olivier Giroud – and Chelsea seemed far much less harmful consequently, a bonkers final 5 minutes in addition to.
Giroud makes glorious near-post runs, he’s extra of a risk within the air than Havertz and he was there for the one probability, which he smashed off the bar, however the change actually highlighted his lack of mobility compared to the person 13 years his junior.
Whereas Havertz is perpetual movement, making runs for others and choosing up completely different positions everywhere in the pitch, Giroud remained very a lot up high and within the center – as is his wont – and the fluency of the group suffered dramatically.
After all, a extra cell striker could possibly be the reply, or Havertz might work on his ending…
12) He’s “cool in these conditions”, as Alan Smith claimed as Havertz bore down on aim having caught Mari on the ball early on – too cool. As with all gamers of his languid ilk, he’s always toeing the road between elegant and lackadaisacal: he oozes model when one thing comes off and lacks care when it doesn’t.
Trying to hit the ball at tempo over an onrushing goalkeeper simply isn’t the proportion play. Roll it underneath him, dink it over him, move it spherical him, go spherical him. His decision-making in all different features of his sport is excellent – as he illustrated on quite a few events on Wednesday – however it’s poor when confronted with the keeper and the again of the online. He wants to enhance, however there’s no cause to doubt he’ll underneath Tuchel.
13) How typically does Christian Pulisic simply fall over? He’s not claiming a foul or diving, it’s as if his studs simply don’t have probability to get a grip on the grass, such is his fleet of foot.
And there was loads of his typical scurrying, however a lot of it went nowhere. And Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny deserve enormous credit score for stopping not simply Pulisic, but additionally Mount and Havertz, who’ve induced the likes of Actual Madrid and Manchester Metropolis enormous issues in current weeks with their direct operating, interaction and work between the strains.
Neither of the 2 defensive midfielders have been nice on the ball, however when it comes to blocking area – guaranteeing there was none between these strains, monitoring runs and studying the motion of Chelsea’s difficult tens – they have been glorious.
14) Arteta’s pre-match interview was bizarre.
“In soccer you lose greater than you win,” he stated, in response to a query about how he has managed to get his gamers up from the down of their Europa League exit. A curious assertion from the supervisor of a membership who haven’t misplaced extra Premier League video games than they’ve gained since 1995/96.
The losses he speaks of are presumably extra summary than these absolute outcomes and with this win taking the Gunners to 16 this season, they’re now sure to keep away from the ignominy of extra defeats than victories in any case.
15) Arteta’s post-match interview was weirder.
“Nothing is damaged. Inside nothing is damaged,” Arteta stated. “They [the media] will attempt to put issues on me that I by no means stated. You’ll be able to see the spirit of the group from the primary minute. You’ll be able to see that. You’ll be able to by no means doubt their efforts and the way a lot they struggle.”
Right here is the a part of the press convention he took difficulty with the rattling media twisting, verbatim.
Reporter: “One of many standards you choose your self on is getting the utmost out of your gamers. Do you’re feeling that has occurred this season, that the gamers have given their most?”
Arteta: “With nearly all of them, sure.”
Reporter: “Not all of them although?”
Arteta: “No.”
Reporter: “How do you go about altering that?”
Arteta: “Discovering a unique option to do it, difficult them once more, placing anyone subsequent to them to attempt to push them once more. A few of them can get to a sure stage and you can not push them any additional. You need to evolve them however it’s not attainable. After I stated a majority, I didn’t say all of them. Some have a giant contribution to make to these outcomes.”
The Sky Sports activities headline was ‘Arsenal boss says a few of his gamers haven’t reached full potential this season’.
That looks as if a completely honest name given what he stated and Arteta bringing it up unprompted on the first alternative in his post-match feedback was very unusual certainly. He’s making an attempt so laborious to not be Jose Mourinho, the king of blame shirking, that he’s gone full Jurgen Klopp.
16) Tuchel claimed he was “offended” in any respect the modifications he made and Chelsea did look a approach in need of the mark they’ve set themselves in current weeks.
However they nonetheless managed the sport in an analogous method and created loads of possibilities. There was the acquainted difficulty of failing to transform these possibilities, however that was solely a serious drawback because of the far lesser-spotted difficulty of a giant old school cock-up on the again.
Tuchel’s course of is working however he misplaced; Arteta’s isn’t, so he tailored and gained.