Chelsea Player Ratings vs. Arsenal: Defensive Approach Backfires in Carabao Cup Exit

Chelsea slumped to a last-gasp 1–0 defeat to Arsenal in the second leg of their Carabao Cup semi-final, with ex-forward Kai Havertz dumping the Blues out of the competition in stoppage time.

Chelsea already found themselves 3–2 down from the first leg at Stamford Bridge and effectively enacted a defensive game plan during the first half in north London. Liam Rosenior set out to frustrate Arsenal and avoid falling further behind, although that came at a cost in the final third.

The Blues were unable to discover their attacking mojo when required in the second half as they sought a goal to send the tie to extra time, ultimately drawing a blank as their cautious approach backfired.

To rub salt in the wound, Havertz netted a 97th-minute winner for Arsenal which confirmed Chelsea’s exit and fully extinguished already faint hopes of a first Carabao Cup title since 2015.

One Thing We Can’t Ignore

Rosenior regularly utilised three-man backlines during his time at BlueCo-owned Strasbourg and he turned to a 3-4-3 for the first hour at the Emirates Stadium. “We need to take it as far as we can and as deep as we can, then hopefully the second half will be massive in terms of turning the tie around,” the 41-year-old insisted before kick-off.

Chelsea’s deep-lying approach certainly kept them in the tie heading into the game’s closing stages as an organised defence stifled an Arsenal attack that rarely burst into life. It made for a dreary affair for the fans to watch but it was effective at keeping the home side (and crowd) completely quiet, even if it entirely sapped the Blues of their spark in the final third.

Ultimately, such an approach hinges on the result and Chelsea’s inability to take the match to extra time or complete a dramatic comeback will understandably leave supporters frustrated. Given their immense attacking quality, why did Chelsea waste half the match attempting containment?

The switch to their preferred 4-2-3-1 formation in the final half-hour failed to energise the west Londoners, with the arrivals of Estêvão, Cole Palmer and Alejandro Garnacho doing little to inspire the Blues. In the end, Rosenior may regret implementing such a negative strategy as an excellent opportunity for his first piece of silverware with the club passes.

Chelsea Player Ratings vs. Arsenal (3-4-3)

*Ratings provided by FotMob*

GK: Robert Sánchez—6.6: Rebuffed just one first-half effort and enjoyed a surprisingly quiet evening after the break.

CB: Wesley Fofana—6.8: Helped thwart Gabriel Martinelli down Arsenal’s left wing, producing a commanding defensive performance in general.

CB: Trevoh Chalobah—6.8: Limited Viktor Gyökeres just 10 touches and led by example as Chelsea’s deepest defender.

CB: Jorrel Hato—6.4: Appears significantly more comfortable in a three-man backline than operating at left back, although he was seldom tested by Arsenal’s forwards before coming off on the hour.

RWB: Malo Gusto—6.3: Produced a stellar block to deny Gabriel Martinelli after initially losing track of the Brazilian. Offered little attacking support and was booked for a pathetic dive.

CM: Moisés Caicedo—6.8: Patrolled the engine room with typical aggression and awareness to limit Arsenal’s midfield.

CM: Andrey Santos—6.6: Covered plenty of ground in the centre of the pitch without particularly catching the eye in either half of the pitch.

LWB: Marc Cucurella—7.0: Enjoyed a ferocious battle with former clubmate Noni Madueke, which resulted in plenty of wrestling on both sides of the duel. Made an excellent block to prevent Gabriel from opening the scoring.

RW: Liam Delap—5.7: Shoe-horned into the team at right wing and never looked comfortable when facing up Piero Hincapié. Lost eight duels before his withdrawal.

ST: João Pedro—5.9: Impressed with his hold-up play and regularly outfoxed William Saliba in the first half, but his influence definitely waned after the break.

LW: Enzo Fernández—6.9: Far less impactful than usual as he was shunted out wide. An unspectacular performance.

SUB: Estêvão (60’ for Hato)—5.8: Struggled to impact proceedings after his arrival.

SUB: Cole Palmer (60’ for Delap)—6.1: Arguably entered the action too late, failing to offer Chelsea the necessary spark.

SUB: Alejandro Garnacho (75’ for Santos)—6.1: Having rescued the first leg, Garnacho couldn’t do the same at the Emirates.

SUB: Josh Acheampong (87’ for Gusto)—N/A

Subs not used: Teddy Sharman-Lowe (GK), Benoît Badiashile, Charlie Holland, Marc Guiu, Shumaira Mheuka.

What the Ratings Tell Us

• Wesley Fofana, Trevoh Chalobah and Marc Cucurella all impressed as Chelsea kept the back door locked until the dying seconds in north London. Rosenior has rotated his defence regularly during his short time at the helm but the trio are certainly guaranteed starters moving forward, as they were under predecessor Enzo Maresca.
• Chelsea’s lack of creativity was exacerbated by Palmer’s absence, with the Englishman only arriving from the bench. While the Blues must be careful to manage his minutes after an injury-hit campaign, Rosenior will be reluctant to leave him out of future lineups considering his enormous influence.
• Liam Delap seriously struggled against Arsenal, admittedly in an unfamiliar role out wide. An entirely ineffective display only gifts further encouragement to the in-form João Pedro in the battle for the No. 9 jersey during the coming months.

The Numbers That Explain Chelsea’s Frustrating Night

• Arsenal’s three shots in the first half, of which only one was on target, underscored Chelsea’s defensive resilience from the first kick. Rosenior’s formation shift nullified the hosts, who sorely missed Bukayo Saka and Martin Ødegaard.
• Chelsea, however, could only muster two shots on target themselves, continually floundering once they entered the final third. Their creativity issues cost them their place in the showpiece event.
• 56% possession and their 90% pass accuracy highlights Chelsea’s safety-first setup, with the Blues moving the ball sideways too frequently and playing with little urgency throughout.

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