Arsenal Vs Chelsea: The shocking existence of tactics

Arsenal earned a tough draw against Chelsea on Sunday with a defensively resilient performance. Here is why it was such a shock to see.

Arsenal, surprisingly, played with tactics on Sunday. Given that they a multi-million-pound, professional organisation, with masterful coaches and managers, experienced and intelligent players, and vast investment in facilities, personnel and wages, that should not be a surprise. And yet, give their historical record, it was.

Just three weeks previous, the Gunners travelled to Anfield to face an equally vibrant and energetic Liverpool team. However, unlike during the 0-0 draw against Chelsea, they played with painful naivety and openness, especially in midfield.

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Neither Granit Xhaka nor Aaron Ramsey were smelling danger, with the latter bombing forward without any thought of the vulnerabilities he was leaving behind, the wing-backs were uncomfortable and unnatural, caught too far up the pitch on several occasions, and that resulted in the two, flanking centre-halves being dragged into the wide channels, exposed thanks to the blistering pace of Saido Mane and Mohamed Salah.

Contrast that to the solidarity and structure that they played with against Chelsea, and it is easy to understand the shock of the reaction to such a performance. And Sunday’s display does not only fly in the face of the loss to Liverpool earlier in the year, but it also challenges the narrative of the recent history of the side.

In the last five seasons, the North London outfit have played 25 games against the five other top six teams – Liverpool, Chelsea, Spurs, Manchester City and Manchester United – away from home. There is a possible 75 points on offer in those games. They have earned just 13.

Of those 25 games, they won two, drew seven and lost 16. They scored just 28 goals and conceded 57 goals, at an average of more than two goals per game. In addition, Arsenal have lost each of their last five games at Stamford Bridge, conceding 15 goals in the process and scoring just twice.

Such statistics simply detail the extent of the problems that Arsene Wenger’s sides have had against the better sides away from home; such statistics highlight the change in narrative, performance and result that Sunday’s hard-earned draw represents.

Next: Arsenal Vs Chelsea: 5 things we learned

Perhaps it was a turning point for the Gunners. Perhaps it wasn’t. Only time will tell. But the fact that Wenger was willing to set up to stop is a promising sign and does, maybe, suggest that he is willing to implement a resilient game plan in the future.

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