EPL: Konsa praises fans and teammates after impressive Emirates debut against Chelsea

Ezri Konsa needed only one tackle to make his mark at the Emirates. As Chelsea tried to launch a counter-attack, the Arsenal defender dispossessed Morgan Rogers, a former Aston Villa teammate and close friend, drawing a huge roar from the home crowd.

“[Rogers] is a good friend of mine, but on the pitch, it’s a different story. I saw the opportunity to go in and make the tackle, and it came off,” Konsa told Arsenal’s website after Sunday’s 2-1 comeback win.

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[Rogers] is a good friend of mine, but on the pitch, it’s a different story. I saw the opportunity to go in and make the tackle, and it came off.

The 28-year-old made an impressive first Premier League appearance at Arsenal’s home ground. He contested 12 duels and won eight, his best figures in a league match since December 2024, while slotting seamlessly alongside Gabriel at the centre of the defence.

Konsa said the occasion, his first London derby, was made special by the supporters. “I really enjoyed the occasion. My first London derby and I thought the fans were fantastic, superb. They stayed behind us throughout the whole game; without them, these games are impossible.”

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I really enjoyed the occasion. My first London derby and I thought the fans were fantastic, superb. They stayed behind us throughout the whole game; without them, these games are impossible.

Arsenal fell behind to an early goal from Rogers but recovered through Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard to preserve their 100 per cent start to the Premier League season. Konsa said the response after conceding reflected the side’s mentality. “Conceding so early isn’t great, and I know we take a lot of pride here in keeping clean sheets, but I thought the reaction was second to none, it was fantastic. It just goes to show the character and the mentality of this team.”

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Conceding so early isn’t great, and I know we take a lot of pride here in keeping clean sheets, but I thought the reaction was second to none, it was fantastic. It just goes to show the character and the mentality of this team.

Having joined from Aston Villa only a couple of weeks earlier, Konsa said he had quickly settled into his new surroundings. “I felt right at home from day one,” he said, praising the players, staff and manager’s style of play. He had made his Arsenal debut the previous week, playing 11 minutes against his former club in a 1-0 win at Villa Park.

Konsa said Arsenal must remain measured despite the strong opening. “I think it’s important you go into different games with confidence. We’ve started really well but it’s still early days. We’re going to take it game by game and day by day.”

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I felt right at home from day one.