Chelsea 4-1 Arsenal: 5 Talking Points and Tactical Analysis

#2 Arsenal flounder on the big stage

Arsenal flattered to deceive on the big stage yet again

Arsenal arrived in Azerbaijan knowing that the Europa League final constituted their only opportunity to get back among Europe’s elite next season. However, they contrived to let that chance slip as they produced an abject display.

The 1st half saw the Gunners create a few half-chances yet they lacked the conviction that has become synonymous with them recently. The likes of Alexandre Lacazette, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mesut Ozil failed to impose themselves on the game with the Gabonese and the German in particular, enduring a poor night.

Apart from the aforementioned trio, Koscielny too looked a bit off the pace whereas Kolasinac and Maitland-Niles were frequently wasteful in the attacking third.

In the middle third, Lucas Torreira and Granit Xhaka started the game brightly but only the latter was able to sustain his level of performance throughout. However, the worrying aspect for Arsenal was that they showcased an apparent stage fright after the break.

On numerous occasions, the Gunners found themselves in promising positions. Yet, they looked uncharacteristically nervous in the opposition box and were the epitome of profligacy. Though Iwobi injected a bit of energy after his introduction, none of the other players showed the drive or imagination to make things happen.

The 2018-19 season was always going to be a transitionary phase for Arsenal. Yet, with a Europa League triumph within their grasp, many believed they could really be back in the Champions League next term.

However, as has been the case with Arsenal this decade, they let nerves get the better of them and they now face the prospect of competing in the Europa League for the third season running.