Chelsea FC recently suffered a 2-1 Premier League defeat against Arsenal, marking their first loss of the season under manager Xabi Alonso. This result brought to light several concerns for the club, particularly in midfield and defence [1].
The midfield was a significant area of weakness against Arsenal, with both Reece James and Malo Gusto, typically right-backs, deployed in central midfield roles [2]. This unconventional setup was necessitated by a string of injuries. Moisés Caicedo missed the match due to an unspecified injury, and his return remains uncertain [1], [2]. Romeo Lavia was also unavailable for the Arsenal fixture [2], and Jordan Henderson is currently recovering from a broken arm [2]. The club’s failure to sign a central midfielder on deadline day, despite significant summer spending, has left them short in this crucial area [2].
Defensively, the loss to Arsenal highlighted shortcomings that contributed to their first defeat of the season [1]. In the same match, there was a notable incident involving Arsenal’s Gabriel, who was considered ‘extremely lucky’ to avoid a red card for a challenge on Chelsea’s Emiliano Martínez [3]. Historically, Chelsea has struggled against Arsenal, having not secured a win in their last 10 matches against them [2].
Beyond the men’s team, Chelsea Women’s Super League (WSL) opener against Aston Villa ended in a 1-1 draw. Lauren James scored Chelsea’s goal in that match [4]. This game also underscored a recurring issue for Chelsea: a lack of ruthlessness in front of goal, which has been a problem in previous seasons and has led to dropped points [4]. Mayra Ramirez is still recovering from injury [BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/crr4704xvgpo]. On a positive note, Katie McCabe had a strong WSL debut for Chelsea after joining from Arsenal [4].
What it means
Chelsea currently sits in 4th position in the Premier League with 6 points from 3 games, having won two and lost one. They have scored 8 goals and conceded 7. Their recent form shows two wins and one loss in their last three Premier League matches, including the 2-1 defeat to Arsenal and a 4-3 victory over Brighton. The next fixture sees Chelsea at home against Hull City on September 12th. Given their current form and the challenges in midfield, this match will be an important test of their ability to secure points despite squad limitations.
Sources
- The Guardian: ‘Exceptional performance’: Arteta hails fightback win and says best yet to come theguardian.com ↩
- BBC Sport: Two right-backs in midfield - are Chelsea short despite £349m spent? bbc.co.uk ↩
- BBC Sport: Gabriel was 'extremely lucky' to avoid red - Rooney bbc.co.uk ↩
- BBC Sport: New season, same flaw - Chelsea title hopes already under scrutiny bbc.co.uk ↩