Arsenal ends streak to advance to their first final in six years.
LONDON — The final stages are indeed the most challenging. This season is solely focused on victory for Arsenal, and the only thing that mattered on Tuesday was the outcome: a 1-0 triumph over Chelsea that secured the Gunners a spot in their first cup final in six years.
The second leg of this Carabao Cup semifinal was a hard-fought contest where Chelsea displayed creativity in every aspect except ball possession: beginning with a back five, applying pressure high on the pitch, and leaving three players forward during corner defenses to mitigate Arsenal’s set-piece threats.
This strategy seemed to confuse the home team, who found themselves with limited opportunities, but with a 3-2 lead from the first leg, they had no need to push forward and comfortably settled into their defensive formation.
When Chelsea attempted to change their approach around the hour mark by switching to a back four and introducing Cole Palmer and Estêvão, they encountered a resolute defense led by William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães. Substitute Kai Havertz then took advantage of a counter-attack deep into stoppage time to round Robert Sánchez and score against his former team.
– O’Hanlon: Evaluating all 20 teams based on transfer window urgency
– Marcotti: Analyzing the rationale behind Liverpool’s January transfer window
– Tighe: January transfer winners and losers: Manchester City leads the pack
Havertz pointed to the badge as the Emirates Stadium erupted in celebration, with fans thrilled at the prospect of being just 90 minutes away from adding silverware to the years of steady progress head coach Mikel Arteta has achieved since winning the 2020 FA Cup.
That victory occurred in a Wembley stadium devoid of fans due to Covid-19 restrictions, further intensifying the club’s desire to unite and commemorate a trophy-winning moment.
The opportunity will now present itself on 22 March, likely against Manchester City, who currently hold a 2-0 advantage over Newcastle United with home advantage still to come.
“We’re just one match away,” Arteta stated. “It’s the best boost we can provide ourselves as we play every three days. The effort we put in to reach these moments and to share them together is truly special.
“You can see the happiness, the smiles, the energy from everyone associated with the club. Winning enhances everything—confidence, energy, you name it. We will be ready in a few weeks, and we will prepare thoroughly.
“In the meantime, we understand the need to set this aside because in three days we have a significant match here in the Premier League [against Sunderland].”
This marks the first major challenge of Liam Rosenior’s tenure at Chelsea. His strategy sparked debate, as he attempted to navigate into the second leg of a semifinal tie they were trailing.
There was logic in his approach—especially since he confirmed afterwards that Pedro Neto and Reece James did not pass fitness tests on the morning of the match—and the Blues were effective in preventing Arsenal from taking control of the tie.
The Gunners’ expected goals figure at halftime was merely 0.18, their third lowest total after 45 minutes in a match since the beginning of 2024.
The issue arose when they sought to attack. Palmer appeared to be lacking match fitness, and Estêvão was understandably affected by a recent trip back to Brazil for personal reasons. Alejandro Garnacho was largely invisible after being introduced 15 minutes from the end.
Some may argue that Rosenior should have been more daring. There is certainly a case to be made that his substitutions should have occurred earlier. However, this venue is known for its crowd-induced nerves, and Chelsea’s strategy intriguingly sought to exploit that.
“You can come away from home, press all over the pitch man for man, and you could go 2-0 up or you could go 2-0 down,” Rosenior remarked.
“I believed that the psychological aspect of the tie was crucial, and I sensed it in the stadium as well. At 60 minutes, I introduced Cole and Estêvão, and the game opened up, giving us opportunities in and around the box. I think there was a feeling in the stadium that this tie could shift. We didn’t accomplish what we aimed for, but it’s not solely about game plans; it’s about results.”
The implications for Arsenal could be significant. What can be stated now is that Arsenal has finally broken their semifinal curse. They had previously fallen at this stage on four consecutive occasions, and along with three second-place finishes in the Premier League, a psychological barrier had formed that they were striving to overcome.
However, this season holds transformative potential. It could be the year they shed the nearly-men label and emerge as winners. Having a final on the horizon next month sustains momentum across all competitions and keeps the possibility of a quadruple alive.
No one in this area is seriously discussing a quadruple, as history suggests they cannot take any trophy for granted, let alone envision winning four.
Yet last week, the conversation surrounding Arsenal revolved around a potential downturn. Now they are moving forward again, one small step at a time.
