Chelsea finally strung four wins together in all competitions after a dry patch of form over the past couple of months. Victories over Southampton and Leicester City in the Premier League, along with wins against Copenhagen in the Conference League, provided Enzo Maresca with some much-needed relief. Gathering momentum was crucial ahead of facing second-placed Arsenal. However, the performance proved uninspiring, and the match was mostly a tough watch.
Arsenal’s Pressing Scheme
Arsenal dominated the first 30 minutes of the tie, largely due to their aggressive and effective high press. Against Chelsea’s 4-2-4 build-up shape, Arsenal’s pressing responsibilities were well-structured.
Merino pressed the goalkeeper after shadow covering the right center-back. Ødegaard pressed the left center-back after the pass was made by Sánchez while keeping Caicedo in his cover shadow. Rice was tasked with covering the ball-side defensive midfielder while keeping an eye on the unmarked midfielder.
Elsewhere, Arsenal’s players engaged in man-to-man pressing. Having sacrificed a player in the frontline press, they maintained a numerical advantage in the backline. Chelsea struggled to play short and build out, and without a physical option up front, Arsenal kept winning aerial duels.
When Chelsea managed to move the ball slightly higher into their defensive third, Arsenal transitioned into a more man-to-man pressing structure. Partey stepped up to assist Rice by marking Caicedo. Chelsea found it difficult to play through this pressure, which further disrupted their rhythm.
In case Chelsea just got the ball slightly higher in their defensive third, Arsenal were willing to transition man-to-man. So, Partey would step up to assist Rice by marking Caicedo.
— Fahd (@fahdahmed987) March 18, 2025
Again, against this press, Chelsea found it difficult to play through. pic.twitter.com/fStaJQJUg4