Struggling against Chelsea reveals the 'bare truth' about Arsenal

Chelsea had a player sent off early, yet they made Arsenal mistakenly believe they still had all 11 players on the field. Why? Simply because Chelsea’s style of play effectively prevented Arsenal from dominating. Despite having more players, Arsenal lacked flexibility, explosiveness, and tactical variety to secure all three points in the recent London derby.

If Arsenal, rated higher and facing an opponent reduced to 10 men early on, still cannot manage the game, it clearly indicates problems within Mikel Arteta’s squad. The 1-1 draw for Arsenal at Chelsea’s ground in the recent derby highlights an issue Arteta has yet to resolve. When facing aggressive opponents who are willing to commit fouls, Arsenal immediately become hesitant. Of course, Arsenal currently hold control, leading the table by over 5 points ahead of second-placed Man City and 6 points above Chelsea. The problem lies in how Arsenal were held to a draw in the big clash at Stamford Bridge.

Let’s revisit the key moments of the London derby. Arsenal gained a numerical advantage from the 38th minute after Chelsea’s midfielder Moises Caicedo was shown a direct red card for a challenge on Arsenal’s Mikel Merino. It’s important to emphasize that, Caicedo is a highly influential player in Chelsea’s style of play. Losing the Ecuadorian star meant the hosts lost their midfield backbone. Yet, when watching Chelsea play without Caicedo, they did not seem significantly weaker.

Arsenal’s confusion and impatience against a team with one less player cost them when defender Trevoh Chalobah scored from a set-piece attack organized by Chelsea. This was supposed to be Arsenal’s strength, but it backfired on them. Even with a numerical advantage and trailing, Arsenal’s attacking appeared sluggish and uninspired in front of Chelsea’s goal. Statistics from the second half show Arsenal attempted 6 shots with 2 on target, fewer than Chelsea’s 6 attempts with 3 on target.

Arsenal invested heavily in strengthening their attack during the 2025 summer transfer window, notably signing Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke, and Eberechi Eze. However, against Chelsea, they had to rely on the unexpected heroics of midfielder Mikel Merino, pushed forward as a striker, to score the equalizer and secure a point. Once again, Arsenal’s goal came from a header, indicating that their combination play and smooth passing to create goals are being overlooked. They mostly resorted to crosses aimed at winning aerial duels — a tactic seemingly outdated in the Premier League but which Arsenal have exploited thoroughly in recent years. If Chelsea had kept all players on the pitch, no one knows how many crosses Arsenal would have needed to equalize, let alone win.

Clearly, Arsenal are very predictable in big matches or against teams that understand them well. Bayern can be handled easily by Arsenal because Vincent Kompany’s team rarely faces them, but Chelsea plays weekly against teams similar to Arsenal and against Arsenal themselves. Arteta should consider varying his tactics more. With the attacking reinforcements added in summer 2025, Arsenal need to be stronger and more versatile instead of relying mainly on set-piece situations. Additionally, Arsenal must show more composure and determination to close out big games. Many recall Arsenal’s 2022/23 season when they led the Premier League for 30 rounds but lost the title to Man City in the final stages.

In summary, the 1-1 draw at Chelsea doesn’t decide this season yet, but Arteta must seriously evaluate everything. This result puts a lot of pressure on Arsenal going forward, especially with Man City closing in after their 3-2 win over Leeds United this round, narrowing the gap to 5 points. As Sir Alex once said, Manchester United could still win the title by beating smaller clubs without necessarily winning big matches. Perhaps Sir Alex was right then, and Arteta is thinking the same now. After all, Arsenal have not lost and need not panic. The current challenge is how long Arsenal can maintain their consistency and resilience. Secondly, they must find new ways to win rather than depending on individual brilliance or a single set-piece tactic as they do now.

December is a grueling period feared by all Premier League clubs due to the congested schedule. If Arteta can help Arsenal survive and maintain or extend their lead, the club will gain momentum and a strong chance to claim the Premier League title next May.