Arsenal stamp authority over Chelsea, but Blues show they are contenders too

Arsenal’s first major test as defending Premier League champions ended with a 2-1 victory over Chelsea, but the match also showed why the heavily rebuilt Blues cannot be dismissed as title contenders.

The fixture had all the ingredients of a major early-season examination. Chelsea arrived as ambitious challengers after spending $473 million during the summer, while Arsenal sought to prove that last season’s title-winning pedigree remained intact. Unlike many matches built up by hype, this one delivered, producing relentless action across 99 minutes and 35 seconds at the Emirates.

Chelsea attempted to take the game to Arsenal, recording 13 shots. Yet eight came from outside the penalty area, their expected-goals figure stood at just 0.35, and they managed only 25 touches inside Arsenal’s box. The scoreline suggested a close contest, but Arsenal’s defence largely controlled the danger.

That defensive performance carried extra weight because Arsenal were without William Saliba and Jurrien Timber, both regulars during last season’s title campaign. Cristhian Mosquera, Piero Hincapie and Ezri Konsa stepped in and performed strongly. Arsenal have now won their opening three league matches while conceding fewer than two goals for only the third time in the club’s history.

The early record invites comparisons with two very different Arsenal seasons. The club will hope the current signs point toward 2003-04, when Arsenal finished unbeaten champions, rather than 1924-25, when they ended the season in 20th place.

Arsenal also found a dependable attacking route down the right. With Timber sidelined after groin surgery, Ben White has filled in at right-back and added attacking thrust. Forty-seven percent of Arsenal’s attacks against Chelsea came down the flank shared by White and Bukayo Saka. Only 28 percent came from the left and 25 percent through the center, despite the activity of Riccardo Calafiori and Christos Tzolis on the wings.