Arsenal Vs Chelsea [2-1] Premier League 2026/2027: How Mikel Arteta Attacking Dynamism Opened Chelsea - Tactical Analysis

Arsenal hosted Chelsea in the third gameweek of the 2026/2027 Premier League campaign, with Mikel Arteta’s team continuing their perfect start to the season with a third consecutive win.

For Xabi Alonso, it was a different story, as Chelsea suffered their first defeat in the league this term.

Chelsea took the lead in the second minute of the game through an excellent goal from Morgan Rogers.

Following a free-kick, the ball fell to Rogers after a rebound, and he finished with a first-touch shot from outside the box.

However, Chelsea couldn't hold on to their advantage.

Just 10 minutes later, the Gunners thought they had equalised through Riccardo Calafiori following another free-kick, but the goal was ruled out for offside.

Arsenal eventually found their equaliser in the 25th minute, as Kai Havertz moved in from the right towards the centre before shooting from outside the box to make it 1-1.

Coming into the second half with the score level, Arsenal completed the comeback just five minutes after the restart.

Christos Tzolis broke Chelsea’s defensive line with a pass, while Havertz's dummy and Martin Ødegaard’s well-timed run created the opportunity for him to finish and put Arsenal ahead.

What stood out in this game was the contrast between the two teams.

Chelsea’s defensive organisation made it difficult for Arsenal to find space, but Arteta’s team still found ways to create dangerous situations, with both full-backs quite involved in the attack.

At the other end, Chelsea struggled to create enough clear chances to really threaten Arsenal’s goal.

In this Arsenal versus Chelsea tactical analysis, we will look at how both teams approached the game in possession and out of possession, examining their attacking and defensive strategies.

Arsenal Vs Chelsea Lineups & Formations

Arsenal Lineup Vs Chelsea: Arteta’s 4-2-3-1

Arteta set his team up in a 4-2-3-1 formation with David Raya in goal behind a back four of Ben White, Ezri Konsa, Gabriel Magalhães and Riccardo Calafiori, from right to left.

Declan Rice and Myles Lewis-Skelly started in midfield behind Ødegaard as the No. 10, with Bukayo Saka and Tzolis on the wings and Havertz up front.

The Spanish coach made five changes to his team during the match.

In the 66th minute, two players were withdrawn, as Calafiori and Lewis-Skelly made way for Piero Hincapié and Martín Zubimendi.

Then, 10 minutes later, another two changes followed, with Ødegaard and Havertz coming off for Mikel Merino and Viktor Gyökeres.

Lastly, in the 90th minute, Saka was withdrawn for Noni Madueke.

Chelsea Lineup Vs Arsenal: Alonso’s 3-4-2-1

Alonso used a 3-4-2-1 formation in this match, with Emiliano Martínez in goal behind a back three of Josh Acheampong, Maxence Lacroix and Wesley Fofana as centre-backs.

Meanwhile, Pedro Neto and Jorrel Hato played at wing-back.

In midfield, Alonso used Roméo Lavia and Reece James as central midfielders, with Cole Palmer and Morgan Rogers as wingers, and João Pedro as the striker.

The Blues only made four changes.

After one hour of the game, Pep Chavarría and Malo Gusto came on for Hato and Lavia.

Then, 10 minutes before the end of the game, another two changes followed: in the 81st minute, Neto came off for Estêvão, and six minutes later, Rogers made way for Danny Welbeck.

Arsenal In Possession: Build-Up, Rotations And Full-Backs

From the goal kick, Arteta positioned the full-backs higher in the same line as the midfielders, creating a triangle in the centre with Ødegaard at the top.

This allowed Arsenal to play through the gap between Chelsea’s front two and find Rice, who acted as the main playmaker during the build-up.

Chelsea pressed in a 4-4-2 formation, with Palmer joining João Pedro in the front two, Rogers dropping into the midfield line and Hato dropping into the defensive line to form a back four.

Throughout the game, Arsenal were able to play through Chelsea’s press relatively easily.

However, in the next clip, we can see a good pressing sequence from Chelsea, with Gusto aggressively stepping forward to press Rice from behind.

This pressure forced Rice into a poor pass back towards the centre-back.