What can be seen in Arsenal's 3-2 victory over Chelsea?

In the first leg of the 2025/26 Carabao Cup semi-final, Arsenal overcame Chelsea 3-2 on their home ground at Stamford Bridge, securing a strong position to move forward.

The London derby at Stamford Bridge was not only a thrilling back-and-forth between two London clubs but also showcased Arsenal's growth in resilience, class, and squad depth.

Although Chelsea fought hard until the final moments, the 3-2 victory for Mikel Arteta’s side was fully deserved. Below are the key takeaways from Arsenal's impressive win at Stamford Bridge.

Arsenal remains the "Set-piece King"

The first highlight and a defining feature of Arsenal this season is their ability to capitalize on set-pieces. Chelsea was aware of this, and surely Liam Rosenior emphasized it repeatedly, yet the club still conceded in the simplest and worst manner. In the 7th minute, Ben White opened the scoring with a straightforward header from Declan Rice's corner.

This was the result of a carefully planned and scientific set-piece system. Now Arsenal players could score from set-pieces even with their eyes closed. With 24 goals from dead-ball situations this season, Arsenal has turned every corner into immense psychological pressure on the opposition defense.

Excellent high pressing

A synchronized pressing system helped Arsenal maintain dominance and punish opponents’ mistakes. It’s no coincidence that Arteta insisted on signing Zubimendi. The preferred midfield trio of Zubimendi - Odegaard - Rice controlled the entire match, causing Chelsea’s midfield, missing Caicedo, to almost disappear. This laid the foundation for Arsenal’s relentless pressing and intense pressure, leading to mistakes from Chelsea players. Viktor Gyokeres’ goal in the 49th minute exemplifies this.

Taking advantage of goalkeeper Robert Sanchez’s poor handling after a Ben White cross, the Swedish striker was perfectly positioned to score from close range. Arsenal’s expected goals (xG) of 2.68 compared to Chelsea’s 0.65 reflects that the "Gunners" not only won by score but also dominated the quality of chances created.

Individual brilliance

Besides tactics, individual quality was key to Arsenal’s resilience. Martin Zubimendi not only orchestrated play superbly but also scored a crucial goal to make it 3-1. His skillful dribbling past Chelsea defenders followed by a decisive finish quelled the opponent’s momentum right after Alejandro Garnacho had reduced the deficit. Additionally, William Saliba’s return and Declan Rice’s strong midfield performance formed a solid spine, allowing Arsenal better spatial control than the hosts.

From another perspective, Chelsea’s goalkeeper Robert Sanchez also “shined,” but in a negative and ironic way. His hesitation and indecision on set-pieces gifted Ben White an easy opener. Worse still, Sanchez’s basic error letting the ball slip through his hands from a low cross allowed Viktor Gyokeres to double the lead.

These two costly goals not only disrupted Chelsea’s game plan but also raised serious questions about Sanchez’s quality and level. If Chelsea hopes to advance further, Rosenior must have his players reduce such mistakes, possibly by signing a new goalkeeper before the 2026 winter transfer window closes.

Steel-like composure and squad depth

Lastly, the composure of a leading team in the Premier League. Arteta has shown it’s no coincidence that Arsenal sits atop the Premier League table and is a strong contender for this season’s Carabao Cup. Arsenal’s unbeaten streak of 47 away games when leading at halftime demonstrates Mikel Arteta’s excellent game management.

Although Chelsea saw a spark from substitute Alejandro Garnacho, the absence of key players like Cole Palmer and Reece James left their lineup unbalanced, with others underperforming.

Moreover, when Arsenal needed changes, they had stars capable of inspiring everyone. Personnel adjustments such as bringing Mikel Merino and Gabriel Martinelli on in the second half helped maintain the necessary intensity to protect their advantage.

Once again, Arteta passed a test of leadership and championship quality. Now, he must capitalize on upcoming opportunities to push forward, starting this week, especially with the Man City vs. MU clash.

If Man City draws or loses, Arsenal must secure 3 points this round. Increasing their lead over Man City would provide a strong foundation for the decisive match against MU, where Pep Guardiola’s team will be praying for a favorable outcome.