Revisiting the interesting tactics from Chelsea's 3-2 defeat of Arsenal

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  • Chelsea were largely the dominant force but revealed cracks of their own during their London derby victory over Arsenal on Saturday.

    The Blues ran out 3-2 winners at Stamford Bridge and enjoyed prolonged spells of possession. However, Unai Emery’s side had their moments on top as well.

    Ahead of the encounter, we picked out a few key tactics which may come into play.

    Here’s a rundown of what the two managers opted for and how things unfolded.

    CHELSEA

    Hazard Factor

    What we anticipated: Eden Hazard came off the bench against Huddersfield and made an instant impact. As such, we expected Maurizio Sarri to start the Belgian in this fixture. His ability to drift inside and make diagonal runs in behind fits perfectly into the Italian’s system and would’ve given the likes of Hector Bellerin and Shkodran Mustafi several problems.

    What happened: Sarri surprisingly chose not to start Hazard, something the Chelsea star addressed after the game, imploring the manager to begin including him in the XI. The ploy to get in behind the Arsenal defence was in play and may have been even more devastating with Hazard involved. The 27-year-old was as threatening as we anticipated when he was introduced though, setting up Marcos Alonso for the winning goal.

    Kante’s Advanced Role

    What we anticipated: N’Golo Kante was handed a more advanced role at Huddersfield. However, we suggested it’s his ball-winning ability rather than his capacity to contribute to the goals for column which earned him that position. With Sarri employing a high-press, the Frenchman’s tenacity and relentless closing down would come into play.

    What happened: Kante was effective without the ball as he put the Arsenal defenders in possession under enormous pressure, forcing several loose passes. The midfielder repeatedly found himself in the box when Chelsea were on the front foot but fluffed his lines when goal-scoring opportunities fell his way.

    ARSENAL

    Three Man Central Midfield

    What we anticipated: Matteo Guendouzi had some bright moments against Manchester City but was regularly overwhelmed by the high-press in his attempts to receive the ball from the defence. A disappointing Granit Xhaka failed to offer the 19-year-old who ended up surrendering possession frequently. We suggested that a three man central midfield may help Arsenal cope with Chelsea’s version of the high-press.

    What happened: Emery stuck with a 4-2-3-1 system with both Guendouzi and Xhaka retaining their places. Arsenal’s attempts to play the ball out from the back often landed them in trouble, just as it did against City’s high-press. Guendouzi was a lot better on the ball though, justifying the manager’s faith in him. Arsenal were regularly outnumbered in midfield though, handing the advantage to the hosts who enjoyed 62 per cent of possession.

    Playing It Safe

    What we anticipated: The other system we proposed was one more aligned with what Arsenal played against City and ended up using again at Stamford Bridge. The 4-2-3-1 system above retained the defensive structure the double pivot provides but with the more effective Lucas Torreira partnering Guendouzi. Aaron Ramsey’s deployment as the number 10 could see him keep tabs on Jorginho while the inclusion of Alexandre Lacazette along with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang offers a threat in behind.

    What happened: Torreira was left on the bench again and Xhaka put in another disappointing performance. Lacazette didn’t start either but to Emery’s credit, he identified Chelsea’s weakness and began exposing their high-line with overloads down the flanks which worked like a charm. Ramsey was named as a substitute and Mesut Ozil wasn’t able – or inclined – to shadow Jorginho. The Italian had complete freedom in midfield to dictate play, making 99 passes with 92 per cent completion rate.

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