"The second leg of this Carabao Cup semifinal was an attritional affair in which Chelsea got creative in everything except their use of the ball: starting with a back five, pressing high up the pitch and leaving three men up when defending corners to help nullify Arsenal's threat from set-pieces. The combination seemed to flummox the home side, who were restricted to very little themselves but, leading 3-2 from the first leg, they had no need to make the running and settled into the defensive shape in which they are exceptionally comfortable."
"Havertz pointed to the badge as Emirates Stadium erupted in euphoria, a fanbase jubilant in the knowledge they are 90 minutes from adding silverware to the years of sustained progress head coach Mikel Arteta has delivered since winning the 2020 FA Cup. That came in a Wembley stadium bereft of fans due to Covid-19 restrictions, only enhancing the club's desire to come together and celebrate a trophy-winning moment."
Arsenal secured a 1-0 win over Chelsea to reach their first cup final in six years, carrying a 3-2 aggregate advantage into the second leg. Chelsea set up with a back five, pressed high and left three players forward on corners to blunt Arsenal’s set-piece threat. Arsenal defended their lead, absorbing pressure and remaining compact after Chelsea switched to a back four and introduced Cole Palmer and Estêvão. William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães marshalled a resilient rearguard. Substitute Kai Havertz scored deep in stoppage-time on a counter-attack, and Arsenal now face a probable final on 22 March.
Read at ESPN.com
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