Chelsea – Arsenal: Guardiola’s Former Apprentices Cancel Each Other Out In The London Derby (1-1)

November 11, 2024 No Comments

Enzo Maresca & Mikel Arteta went up against each other for the first time in the Premier League as managers of Chelsea & Arsenal. Gabriel Martinelli gave Arsenal the lead in the second half with a near post finish. But Pedro Neto’s first Premier League goal for Chelsea was enough to seal a draw for the Blues at Stamford Bridge. 


Tactical analysis and match report by Gaurav Krishnan. 


The apprentices have succeeded their master, or at least, they have emerged from the years under his tutelage. This game was a clash of two former colleagues who are now finding their feet, voice & success elsewhere. Mikel Arteta & Enzo Maresca went up against each other for the first time as managers of Arsenal and Chelsea respectively, shedding their skin from the years they spent together as assistant managers to Pep Guardiola. Life does come full circle sometimes.

In many ways, there were two contrasting approaches on display at the Bridge on the night. Both Arteta and Maresca have emerged from the Guardiolista mould, to forge their own imprint on their respective sides. And in many ways, the apprentices have asserted their own style on their teams. There are evident glimpses of Guardiola-ball, but both managers have imbued their own philosophies which have led to a metamorphosis of the classic Guardiola model into something different. This metamorphosis is innately characteristic of both Arteta & Maresca evolving from the Catalan high priest of tiki-taka’s gung-ho possession play – Arteta more physical & Maresca more calculated. 

Both London rivals pushed & probed and as is the case with most London derbies, the physical nature of the game meant that it took a while for the game to open up. Kai Havertz’s supposed opening goal from a quick free-kick was ruled offside & perhaps his bloody head, bruised & bandaged in the second half echoed the physical nature of this contest.

The game didn’t open up until Gabriel Martinelli’s cheeky near-post finish beat Robert Sanchez only for Pedro Neto to score a left-footed scorcher from outside the box just ten minutes later. Chelsea could’ve taken the lead via Malo Gusto’s header in the first half or Wesley Fofana’s attempt in the second half but both players saw their efforts fly over the bar. Arsenal would have a late chance in the dying minutes of added time in the second half only to see the ball fizz across the box at speed without a decisive touch, much to the dismay of Mikel Arteta. 

Enzo Maresca started with his customary 4-2-3-1 shape. Robert Sanchez started in goal with Wesley Fofana and Levi Colwill at center-back. Malo Gusto was named at right-back with Marc Cucurella at left-back. Chelsea’s double pivot comprised Moises Caicedo and Romeo Lavia. While Noni Madueke and Pedro Neto started at right & left wing respectively with Cole Palmer in a free role as a number ten through the middle with Nicolas Jackson leading the line up front. 

Mikel Arteta meanwhile resorted to a 4-3-3 formation. David Raya started in goal with Gabriel Magalhaes & William Saliba at center-back. Ben White started at right-back while Jurrien Timber started at left-back. Arsenal’s midfield three comprised Thomas Partey, Declan Rice & Martin Odegaard. While the front three comprised Gabriel Martinelli on the left, Bukayo Saka on the right & Kai Havertz through the middle as the lone striker. 

Early Sparring But No Goals

The opening exchanges saw Chelsea retain more of the ball. Arsenal meanwhile, sat in their 4-4-2 mid-block asserting pressure when required. Arsenal’s out-of-possession (OOP) was often a 4-1-4-1/4-4-2 with Rice & Odegaard positionally sticking close to Chelsea’s double pivot of Caicedo & Lavia while keeping them in their cover shadow to block out passes to the Chelsea DMs when the press was triggered. Partey who was anchoring the midfield was more in charge of covering the space Palmer occupied at LCM. However, when Arsenal pressed with Havertz & Odegaard leading the press, Chelsea did manage to play through the lines with incisive passes. 

Chelsea built up from their 3-2 base with Cucurella at LCB, Colwill at CB and Fofana at RCB. This, however, became a more attack-minded 2-3-5 when the ball was in Arsenal’s half. Cucurella would invert into midfield alongside Chelsea’s midfield pivot of Caicedo & Lavia at LCM as Malo Gusto moved into the half space on the right with Cole Palmer in the left half-space as part of Chelsea’s front five. The wingers Madueke & Neto held with the width with Gusto also occasionally moving out wide instead of the half-space as Jackson played through the middle against Arsenal’s 4-4-2/4-1-4-1 block defensive line as the lone striker. 


Minute 5’ Chelsea’s 2-3-5 vs Arsenal’s 4-4-2/4-1-4-1 block. Chelsea are camped in Arsenal’s half. Cucurella inverts into midfield at LCM alongside Lavia & Caicedo as Gusto also inverts but attacks the Arsenal back line on the underlap. Madueke & Neto maintain the width with Palmer also in the left-half space. The ball is moved to Neto & then back to Cucurella but after a stray pass shortly after the move breaks down

Otherwise, Chelsea maintained their 3-2-5 average shape over the course of the game with one defender always inverted, while Arsenal used heavy rotations & were rarely in their 4-3-3. The Gunners’ average shape was almost a 4-4-2/3-4-3 hybrid as pictured in the tweet below.

It’s also of note that Declan Rice as an LCM was a bad decision by Arteta but it luckily didn’t cost the Gunners. Rice struggled at LCM for Arsenal without contributing much in attack or being the resolute backline shield that he usually is. This more advanced role was a mismatch for Rice neither being here nor there in terms of effectiveness defensively or offensively & which further elucidates that his best role is that of a pivot & DM who shields the back four & not in a more creatively demanding midfield role. 

Arsenal will also be happy with the way they handled Cole Palmer. Although he wasn’t explicitly man-marked Palmer couldn’t assert his usual influence on the game. This was also down to some poor decision-making from Palmer who otherwise is lethal at picking out passes & creating chances. Although some might argue otherwise given this was a game against a top-four team, Palmer had an average game overall & wasn’t at his best & there were also spells when he didn’t get on the ball as regularly as he does for Chelsea.

The Wide Story & Arsenal’s Rotations

A key battle in this game was down the flanks at both ends of the pitch. To Chelsea’s credit, Malo Gusto and particularly Marc Cucurella had exceptional games defensively speaking. Cucurella pocketed Bukayo Saka on the night, a task that was perhaps pivotal for the Blues. Saka’s threat down Arsenal’s right was totally nullified by the ever-industrious Cucurella who also picked up the MOTM award for his defensive display. 

Martinelli had slightly more joy down Arsenal’s left but Gusto handled the Brazilian’s threat admirably. Apart from being out of an ideal position for the Arsenal goal where he was faced with a 2v1 from which Martinelli scored, Gusto had a solid defensive game & also had a huge chance with a header at the other end. 


Minute 60’ Arsenal’s opening goal. After the ball is lost by Lavia in Chelsea’s own half near the halfway line, Arsenal transition immediately with an overload on the right flank. Havertz, Odegaard & Partey exchange passes as Chelsea’s backline is forced narrow towards the flank. Gusto faces a 2v1 on his blind side as Madueke doesn’t track back. Odegaard plays a delightful ball over the top to find Martinelli who scores at the near post with a powerful strike beating Sanchez. 1-0 Arsenal.


On the other hand, Arsenal’s full-backs found it difficult to contain Chelsea’s wide players. Although Madueke had an otherwise quiet afternoon, Pedro Neto was a constant menace for the Arsenal defense. He often got the better of Ben White down Chelsea’s left. Unlike Manchester United, Arsenal didn’t double up on Chelsea’s wide players giving the Blues outlets to attack down the flanks. 

When Arsenal had possession, they fluidly shifted into different formations using rotations to maintain control and manipulate Chelsea’s 4-4-2 defensive structure. The center-backs Saliba and Gabriel anchored the back line, consistently staying as the last line of defense. Meanwhile, the fullbacks Ben White & Timber were given freedom to advance as high as the front line, pinning Chelsea’s wingers back and reducing their threat in transition. This helped destabilize Chelsea’s defensive shape and limited their options on the counter. Partey and Rice operated as versatile DMs, frequently dropping into the backline to form a three or drifting into half-spaces left open by advancing players. 

Odegaard meanwhile, enjoyed a free role, roaming throughout the field to create chances, especially at RCM while Saka and Martinelli generally provided width but had the flexibility to cut inside whenever the fullbacks overlapped. This evolving & fluid positional play was a testament to Arteta’s philosophy, emerging from Guardiola’s of course. It maximised Arsenal’s movement and control on the field.

The goal subsequently came after a turnover in Chelsea’s half. Lavia lost the ball to Odegaard & Arsenal hit Chelsea decisively in transition to score.

Chelsea Tweak It To Equalise

Madueke was largely ineffective & was suspect for not tracking back leaving Gusto with a 2v1 for Arsenal’s goal & so he was rightly subbed off for Mudryk shortly after. Enzo Maresca also brought on Enzo Fernandez for Romeo Lavia. Mudryk went to the left while Neto moved to the right occupying Madueke’s place. The game was crying out for a change of things; personnel and ideas & perhaps Maresca was a bit late to usher in the changes.

But the changes seemed to do the trick. Chelsea equalised just ten minutes after going down with Enzo Fernandez playing it to Pedro Neto who had made a run from RW into space outside the box to unleash a wicked left-footed strike that beat David Raya in the Arsenal goal. Perhaps after Neto’s goal, Maresca will look to change things up pretty often if Madueke isn’t firing. Even just switching flanks in-game would freshen things up instead of fielding Chelsea’s wingers in fixed positions. 

Arsenal did have a late chance for substitute Leandro Trossard as the ball sped across the box from a low cross, but the chance went begging. This was a game where Chelsea created the better chances, and in big games not taking your chances can be your undoing. Gusto & Fofana blazed their efforts over the bar & it’s often these fine margins that are the difference that separate the top teams. In the end, the game ended 1-1 & to be fair it was an even game & well-shared point by both sides. 

Takeaways

Chelsea need to shake things up a bit more. Given the squad they have at their disposal, sometimes Maresca is a bit too rigid & fixed with the personnel he plays & the positions he plays them in. In this game, the changes helped considerably. Perhaps starting Nkunku to offer a different outlet in attack as compared to Nicolas Jackson or dropping one of the midfield pivots like Lavia for another ten in Joao Felix to play alongside Cole Palmer could be some tweaks that Maresca could experiment with. Also, the wingers swapping flanks or rotating with Palmer occasionally in-game could also offer a different approach to Chelsea’s attacking play. It’s certain that Maresca is still learning how to get the best out of his players & his system, but all said and done, Chelsea are 3rd with 19 points from 11 games just 4 points behind second-placed Man City – a huge improvement from last season that has fans signing Maresca’s name at the Bridge.

For Arsenal meanwhile, this was another game where they’d feel that they dropped points. Yes, it was a tough game away at Stamford Bridge against a resurgent Chelsea but given that they were touted as title challengers & also favourites for the title at the start of the season, this campaign hasn’t started out as they would’ve hoped. Arsenal have become more physical under Arteta this season but haven’t been able to grind out results to fit that ethos. Their last five games include two losses, two draws and just one victory. While Havertz does put in solid shifts the lack of a goalscoring striker is largely apparent for Arsenal with most of their goals coming from out wide. Arteta will have to perhaps go back to the drawing board if they are to make a late surge towards winning the title. 

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