Arsenal reach the Carabao Cup final
Arsenal sealed their place in the Carabao Cup final with a 1-0 win over Chelsea at the Emirates on Tuesday night, completing the semi-final with a 4-2 aggregate after their 3-2 victory in the first leg at Stamford Bridge.
The only goal came late, in stoppage time, as Arsenal advanced to a Wembley final on March 22.
According to the Daily Mail, Chelsea employed a bold defensive tactic during corners, leaving Arsenal puzzled as they sought to turn the tie in their favour.
This approach sparked questions about how teams can counter Arsenal's strength from dead-ball situations, a department in which Arsenal have been prolific this season. Since 2024-25, they have scored 53 set-piece goals—13 more than any other Premier League club.
During the corner routines, Chelsea's coach pushed three players forward toward the midfield line, rather than matching attackers, a move that unsettled Arsenal's rearguard.
Arsenal were briefly unsettled by the tactic, managing only two corners themselves, but the plan provided material for discussion about how teams defend or attack in set-piece scenarios.
In the first 17 minutes of the match, Chelsea waited for Arsenal to commit numbers forward before three Chelsea players sprang forward, catching the hosts momentarily out of position. Arsenal's defenders had to decide whether to press higher or hold the line to blunt the threat.
Arsenal's defense, under clear guidance, maintained balance, with a backline that stayed compact while others supported the moves in midfield and attack.
Ultimately, the tactical chess played around corners underscored a broader lesson: set-pieces remain a decisive tool, capable of swinging ties even in tightly contested derbies.
Punchline time: If corners were a dating app, Arsenal would swipe right on every delivery. And if football were a joke, this game would be the punchline—a corner that ends up in the net and a trophy that finally lands in North London.
Punchline 2: Chelsea tried to corner Arsenal, but the trophy had already booked a one-way ticket to Wembley. Moral: never underestimate a well-timed set-piece—it's football's power tool.
