Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior conceded his side were made to pay for a series of costly errors as Arsenal capitalised to secure a 3–2 victory in the first leg of their League Cup semi-final on Wednesday.
In Rosenior’s first home match since replacing Enzo Maresca, Chelsea delivered an energetic but error-prone performance that leaves them facing an uphill task in the return leg at the Emirates Stadium in February, with a place in the final against either Manchester City or Newcastle at stake.
Arsenal struck early through Ben White, who was left unmarked to head home from a corner, before Chelsea’s problems were compounded shortly after the break when goalkeeper Robert Sánchez gifted Viktor Gyökeres a second goal. Although Alejandro Garnacho reduced the deficit, further defensive indecision allowed Martin Zubimendi to restore Arsenal’s two-goal cushion.
Chelsea refused to fold, however, and Garnacho’s second goal as a substitute offered the hosts renewed belief ahead of the second leg.
Rosenior was candid in his post-match assessment, highlighting lapses in concentration rather than a lack of effort. “We’re disappointed to concede from a corner, and the third goal is frustrating because we were right back in the game and on top at that moment,” he said. “We switched off from a central free-kick, but I can’t fault the players’ attitude. Individually, we have to perform better and concede fewer goals.”
Chelsea were already stretched by absences, with Cole Palmer, Reece James and Liam Delap among those unavailable due to injury and illness, further complicating Rosenior’s preparations.
In just his second match in charge, the 41-year-old drew encouragement from his squad’s resilience, following last weekend’s 5–1 FA Cup third-round win at Charlton.
“We’ve had illness in the squad and picked up a few knocks this week, but what the players showed was a willingness to run and fight for each other,” Rosenior said. “That’s another step forward.”
Rosenior also resisted singling out Sánchez, despite the goalkeeper’s latest high-profile error. “Rob is a very good goalkeeper,” he added. “He made an outstanding save at 3–1 that kept us in the tie. There’s a lot to improve, but overall I liked the team’s attitude. Hopefully we’ll have a few bodies back for Brentford on Saturday.”
For Arsenal, the win extended their unbeaten run to 10 matches in all competitions and moved them closer to ending a trophy drought that stretches back to the 2020 FA Cup. The result was particularly significant given their struggles at the semi-final stage in recent seasons, including last year’s League Cup exit.
Mikel Arteta praised his side’s control for long spells but admitted frustration at their failure to put the tie beyond Chelsea’s reach. “I have to praise the players for their performance against a really good opponent in a very tough place to come,” Arteta said. “We had two huge chances to score a fourth goal, and the tie would have looked very different. Instead, they scored and it’s game on.”
With Arsenal leading the Premier League and still competing in the Champions League and FA Cup, Arteta was keen to strike a note of caution. “It’s another step, but it’s only halftime,” he added. “We know the size of the fight we’ll have at the Emirates in a few weeks because Chelsea are a top side. What the team is doing every three days is impressive, but nothing can be taken for granted.”
