5 Things Learned: Arsenal 3-1 Chelsea | Premier League

Chelsea suffered their third defeat in their last four games when they were beaten by Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal.

From minute one, the Blues failed to impose themselves. On the thirty-fourth minute, Arsenal were awarded a penalty in which forward Alexandre Lacazette converted.

Ten minutes later, Arteta’s men doubled their lead thanks to a free-kick from Granit Xhaka.

Chelsea’s recent poor form continues.

(Photo by ANDREW BOYERS/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

The second half saw the Blues control early proceedings, but it was Arsenal who soon made it three. Bukayo Saka’s cross/shot found its way into the net.

Chelsea eventually got their goal late on through Tammy Abraham. The Blues had the chance to get a second with just minutes to go, but midfielder Jorginho failed to convert the penalty.

Here’s our five things we learned from Chelsea’s defeat:

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1. Does the system work?

Over the last few weeks, the Blues have seen their league form dip immensely. Many eyebrows from the Chelsea faithful have been raised. Now might be the time for Frank to consider changing the system. Forward Timo Werner has adopted an unfamiliar role out wide in which has affected his performances. The same could also be said about Kai Havertz, who has played a bit deeper than even he anticipated. With games coming thick and fast, Frank may want to start reconsidering whether or not something has to change.

2. Is Frank at fault?

Personally, questions should be asked as to why Lampard started certain players. Reece James and Ben Chilwell miraculously recovered for the showdown with Arsenal and ultimately started. Even though they are without a doubt Chelsea’s best options, starting them may have been a big gamble. Gabriel Martinelli and Kieran Tierney enjoyed a lot of success down Recee James’ flank, who really struggled to impose himself defensively throughout the game. It was hard to watch as Chelsea made Arsenal look sensational as it was apparent that Mikel’s men wanted it more. From minute one, it was a mess in terms of the performance by Chelsea.

Tammy Abraham scored in what turned out to be a consolation. 

(Photo by Adrian Dennis – Pool/Getty Images)

3. Did anyone stand out for the Blues?

It’s fair to say that it was an abysmal performance from Chelsea. The Blues lacked real hunger and were outclassed throughout the game. With that being said, there were a few notable names that stood out from the game. Frank Lampard was forced into making two changes at half time. Jorginho and Callum Hudson-Odoi entered the field. The young Englishman immediately imposed his specialities on the game. Hudson-Odoi looked lively on the ball and caused some havoc down the right-hand side. On the opposite side of the front three, Christian Pulisic also put in a great shift in the second half, looking lively and being a true catalyst for the Blues going forward.

4. The Blues under serious pressure

Following Manchester United’s draw at Leicester, Frank Lampard’s side had the chance to climb up to second in the league. Unfortunately, they failed to pounce on a golden opportunity. Chelsea’s next game is against Dean Smith’s Aston Villa, who are coming off of a big win against Crystal Palace. The attention now turns to that game in what is a must-win game for Chelsea. Frank will have some serious selection headaches going into the important clash with Villa.

Christian Pulisic was arguably one of Chelsea’s stand out players.

(Photo by Andrew Boyers – Pool/Getty Images)

5. Timo once again misfiring

There’s no doubt that on his day, Timo Werner is a quality player. However, the German forward is currently enduring a poor run of form. That may be down to the system with the forward struggling to make a real impact on the game. Timo should not be scapegoated as the whole team failed to deliver. Ever since Timo was drafted out wide, he has failed to take games by the scruff of the neck. Now might be the time for Frank to adopt a two up top formation.

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Next up for Frank Lampard’s side is Aston Villa in the Premier League.

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