You have to go back to August 2021 to find the last time that Chelsea defeated Arsenal. That was when Thomas Tuchel's recently crowned Champions League-winning side defeated the Gunners 2-0 in the Premier League.
The goalscorers that day were Romelu Lukaku and Reece James. That was one of the few good moments for Lukaku in his second spell with the Blues. Other notable players in Chelsea's squad that day included Mason Mount, Cesar Azpilicueta, Thiago Silva, and N'Golo Kante.
Roman Abramovich was also still in charge of Chelsea then. Todd Boehly's consortium did not complete its takeover until May 2022. The Blues went on to waste a lot of money on players and tie them down to long-term contracts. Many of these signings were based on potential, which frustrated Chelsea fans who were used to seeing their side recruit some of the best players in the world.
Chelsea's strategy appeared to change over the summer. They appointed Xabi Alonso as manager, which was a statement in itself. Alonso had success with Bayer Leverkusen and recently managed Real Madrid. The managers that BlueCo had previously appointed were less well known: Graham Potter, Enzo Maresca, Liam Rosenior.
Morgan Rogers also arrived at Stamford Bridge for a fee of £117 million. The Blues also signed proven Premier League players, including Emiliano Martinez, Danny Welbeck and Jordan Henderson. This signalled that the Blues were looking for immediate success.
Having no European football should also help Alonso this season when it comes to domestic action. At least they should qualify for the Champions League, but they should also challenge for the Premier League title.
Will Chelsea be able to finally break the duck on Arsenal?
The defeat to Arsenal at the weekend was a reality check for Chelsea, especially as the Gunners are now 12 games unbeaten against the Blues. Mikel Arteta's side are the defending Premier League champions and favorites to win the division again.
Arteta was also still in charge of Arsenal when they last lost to Chelsea. This shows that success does come to managers when they stick with them. The Blues have chopped and changed since Boehly arrived.
Tuchel was in charge, then Potter came in. Frank Lampard had a brief spell back at the club on a caretaker basis. Then it was Mauricio Pochettino, before Maresca. He was followed by Rosenior, with Callum McFarlane also having spells in charge on an interim basis.
The return fixture is not until next May. There is a lot of football to be played between now and then. That match may even look like a title-decider closer to the time. It has been too long since Chelsea last defeated Arsenal. Therefore, this weight of expectation may continue to weigh heavily on the Blues.
Add us as a preferred source on Google