5 Reasons Why Arsenal Got So Humiliated Against Chelsea

2. Arsenal's Control of the Ball

Throughout the match, if you observe carefully, the Gunner's first touches and subsequent control of the ball were terribly poor. By the time they position themselves to release the ball, alert Chelsea attackers have already swarmed and pressurised them to make a mistake. Arsenal players have to keep constantly pulling back, doing crossovers and various footwork in their own half before they get past a Chelsea player in their own half. There were so many occasions where it looked more like a comedy reel than a must-win match for Arsenal. As mentioned earlier as well, Arsenal were constantly dribbling into Chelsea defenders, who didn't even have to move much to regain back the possession of the back. In sharp contrast, Chelsea attackers knew exactly what they wanted to do before getting the ball, executing it perfectly immediately after the ball reaches their feet. The players executed their trickery well, and when they fail to get past the defenders, a Chelsea player more often than not will already be standing near him to get the ball back. Lack of backup plans, coupled with constant rampaging with a man down, Chelsea tormented an awfully confused Arsenal side wherever they went. When posession switches hands, Arsenal couldn't pass the ball around with the fluidity and finesse of the Blues, and their lack of confidence on the ball ultimately led to deadly errors and erroneous man-marking which costed them the match.