Chelsea’s dynamism feeds on Arsenal’s errors
The all English European affair started its march in Baku, Azerbaijan last Wednesday. Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspurs proceeding to the finals of the Europa League and Champions League respectively meant that for the first time ever all four finalists in two European competitions are from the same country.
The location of the final was more significant than usual this year. The distance between London and Baku is around 4,000 Km which meant that fans endured a hectic trip to watch their teams. More importantly, the location meant that Arsenal’s Henrikh Mkhitaryan couldn’t play due to the problems between his native country Armenia and Azerbaijan.
Apart from Mkhitaryan there were no short term absentees for Arsenal and Unai Emery went with the same line-up that saw his team sweep away Valencia at the Mestalla. As for Chelsea, the injuries of Callum Hudson-Odoi and Ruben Loftus-Cheek hampered the team as both were over-performing towards the end of the season. However, all eyes were on N’Golo Kante who was doubtful before the game, and clearly had issues while warming up. Nonetheless, the Frenchman started the game.
Chelsea started in their usual 4–3–3 system as Arsenal fielded a 3–4–1–2. Both formations cancelled out each other early on in the game as full backs met wing-backs, Ozil dropped to mark Jorginho and Chelsea’s front three were keen not to give Arsenal’s back three anytime on the ball. A couple of long balls were due until Arsenal showed a glimpse of hope in the 8th minute. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang attacked the space behind Emerson dragging David Luiz out of position to then put Ainsley Maitland-Niles — The only Englishman in the starting 22 — through. Maitland-Niles’ cross was punched away by Kepa Arrizabalaga poorly falling to Aubameyang. The striker fired wide off target though, but it was an early indication of Arsenal’s attacking plan.
Alexandre Lacazette and Aubameyang’s partnership regularly saw the Frenchman playing on the right side of the duo. That’s where he started the game but as the game moved on both switched positions frequently. Aubameyang’s pace on the right helped Arsenal catalyze their attacking plan of invading the space behind Emerson as seen in the earlier chance. The situation reoccurred again in the 26th minute, a pacey Aubameyang attacked the space Emerson vacated and Maitland-Niles found his run with an excellent pass. With David Luiz completely out of position, Cesar Azpilicueta had to shift inside to maintain horizontal compactness (Azpilicueta’s movement inside which regularly occurred in the first half provided Arsenal with a second attacking option). The Spanish defender cleared the ball with an important header preventing the onrushing Saed Kolasinac from a certain goal scoring opportunity.
Arsenal’s second option for chance creation was Kolasinac. With Azpilicueta focused on maintaining horizontal compactness, an unfit Kante in midfield, and Pedro concerned with the advancing Nacho Monreal, Kolasinac had plenty of space on the left side. Twice the Bosnian caused problems, but he was twice blocked by the ever-present Azpilicueta. Xhaka found the completely free Kolasinac in the 15th minute but the wing-back’s first touch failed him as Azpilicueta cleared the ball to a corner. Later in the half Lucas Torreira found Kolasinac on the edge of the box, Kolasinac’s shot was blocked by Azpilicueta with Arsenal winning another corner.
On the other hand, Chelsea’s balls into Olivier Giroud who dropped into midfield to be an aerial outlet or to linkup play were intercepted by Arsenal players who anticipated the movement. The 2nd option for ball progression was through Chelsea’s left side to eventually reach Eden Hazard. Arsenal were keen on being aggressive to block that passage as the striker nearer to that side, Maitland-Niles and Sokratis maintained coherence in terms of the vertical press.
The dynamism of Hazard and Giroud presented Arsenal with newer problems. Hazard’s roams into midfield gave Chelsea an extra man in midfield as neither Maitland-Niles nor Sokratis could leave their positions to track him. Giroud meanwhile used the space out left for two things, firstly creating space centrally for other players and secondly to be able to link freely with his teammates under less pressure. The movements of both complemented each other. This was showcased in Chelsea’s first major chance when Emerson’s shot was saved by Petr Cech. Hazard’s positioning essentially as a number 10 freed space on the left wing that Giroud occupied. The striker controlled the ball without any pressure and brought it back to Emerson. Hazard who’s now in a number 10 position was at the center of a 1–3 between him, Mateo Kovacic and Emerson. The left back doing the third man run which was a key feature in Sarri’s Napoli side. Hazard’s obnoxious backheel gave Emerson the opportunity to score but his shot was saved by Cech.
Towards the end of the half Hazard’s positioning yet again proved crucial. Centrally in the shadows of Torreira and Xhaka he managed to thread a ball to Pedro whose one touch pass presented Giroud with a goal scoring chance. The Frenchman struck it decently but a quick left shoulder drop from Cech denied him the opener. It was only after half-time that Chelsea managed to open the scoring, an exquisite cross from Emerson was only met by a better header from Giroud who finally managed to get past his former team-mate.
In search of the equalizer — and further emphasizing on their original game-plan — Ozil roamed heavily towards the right channel to combine with the near striker and Maitland-Niles. A combination between Ozil and Niles eventually saw the ball reach Torreira on the edge of the box whose shot was blocked by Kante.
After that, Arsenal hit the self destruct button with multiple errors which enabled Chelsea’s dynamism to reap its rewards. After dispossessing Hazard centrally, Maitland-Niles lost the ball towards the half way line reversing the offensive transition to be Chelsea’s. Hazard regained the ball and from the left wing managed to find Pedro who rather than being static made a horizontal run in the space behind Giroud as the striker pushed forward. Pedro’s first time shot doubled the score to make it 2–0 with 30 minutes to go.
Another Maitland-Niles’ error combined with a Giroud run gave Chelsea the chance to make it 3–0 from the penalty spot. Giroud ran into the space behind Sokratis after realizing that Kovacic needed space centrally for his solo attack. The striker would then be rewarded with an opportunity to score. As after Kovacic was reluctant to shoot, the ball found its way to Pedro who noticed the free Giroud. A late Maitland-Niles clumsily clashed into the back of Giroud making it an easy decision for the referee to award Chelsea the penalty. Hazard made it 3–0 from the spot.
With nothing to lose Emery brought on Alex Iwobi and Matteo Guendouzi in place of Monreal and Torreira, switching to a 4–2–3–1 with Aubameyang on the right wing. Results were imminent as Iwobi swept past Azpilicueta and Andreas Christensen on the left wing. The Danish defender tripped Iwobi resulting in a free-kick which after a bit of a mashup fell to Iwobi on the edge of the box. The Nigerian struck a tremendous half volley to make it 3–1.
Arsenal’s hope of a comeback only lasted three minutes till Hazard and Giroud combined directly to make it 4–1. The goal perfectly summarizes the analysis of the game. Aubameyang lost the ball in his own half, another horrendous error from Arsenal players. Hazard picked it up and chose to attack the center knowing that Giroud would make the exact movement he perfected all night, dynamism from Chelsea’s duo. Hazard passed it to Giroud who returned it to the Belgian to complete the 1–2 and that was all she wrote as Hazard struck it sweetly to get his second of the game.
A couple of chances followed for both teams but at 4–1 the game was over for the Arsenal players mentally. At full time Sarri celebrated his first ever trophy after numerous battles in the Italian football ladder. Chelsea’s success added another trophy in their cabinet to make it 6 European trophies. The fly in the ointment however is the departure of Hazard who is undoubtedly the best player in English football and the most exciting.
On the night Arsenal’s game-plan was good on paper but it was the execution that failed them. Iwobi’s consolation goal being their first shot on target and three out of Chelsea’s four goals originating from an Arsenal error resembled their overall performance. For Chelsea it took a while to get kicking but once Hazard and Giroud’s movements synced the duo completed each other. “I have always said that with Olivier I have a good relationship on the pitch. Not just for the goal, I always try to find him in the space” Hazard stated after the game. Quite fittingly it was the occupation and vacation of space between these two players that saw Chelsea crowned as Europa League champions.
