Arsenal produced a breathless, physically overwhelming attacking display in the opening half-hour against Chelsea, responding to an early goal with a whirlwind of chances that hinted at an exciting season ahead. The home side had 10 shots in that period and equalised through Kai Havertz before Martin Ødegaard's emphatic finish secured a 2-1 comeback win at the Emirates Stadium.
Wild opening half-hour evokes classic Premier League
The match started with a throwback to prime Barclays of the early 2000s, as both teams played spells of midfield murder-ball, with stretched full-backs and players hurling themselves at defensive lines. Chelsea scored with 1min 17sec gone, Morgan Rogers finishing on the volley with a measured grubber into the corner.
Arsenal's response was immediate and relentless. They had a goal disallowed and produced one flowing full-length move set up by a lovely roll and spin by Myles Lewis-Skelly. On 25 minutes it was 1-1, the goal all Havertz's own work as he drifted inside like a gangling, bookish Arjen Robben then shot low inside the near post.
Balance between control and chaos
The game settled after the equaliser, becoming gripping and episodic in the second half, broken up by subs and stoppages. Arsenal never really looked like losing their 2-1 lead. The key to the day was that agreeably wild opening half-hour, evidence that both teams have the will and energy to progress this season.
About last season, it was OK, but quite a lot of demo-mode football. Games were like watching someone knitting a scarf, with teams so defensively organised the experience was like watching police motorbike display teams doing a pyramid. The lack of colour and fire, and more significantly the higher gears needed to run step for step with Paris Saint-Germain or blow away an opponent, were missing.
There was a moment on 87 minutes that captured both sides of this balance. Chelsea were awarded a free-kick 25 yards out, and Danny Welbeck, on as a late sub, sprinted to Reece James as he prepared to shoot, handing him a piece of paper. James studied it dutifully, then paced out his run again. The overriding feeling was a rejection of interventionist wonks and tracksuited control freakery – this is art, this is play, this is drama.
Rivalry and individual battles
Simultaneously, Morgan Rogers walked off around the pitch and was barracked relentlessly by Arsenal fans – “You should have signed for a big club” – looking spent and emotionally drained after giving everything to the wildness and energy that feeds the spectacle.
The manager match-up was a kind of Basque childhood romcom revenge drama. The league needs rivalries and sibling symmetry, and it was fascinating to see Xabi Alonso on the touchline. Fresh meat for the eye: jawline, pecs, tan, elite smart-casual styling, and above all an effortless sense of aura. There’s a new sheriff in town.
For a while these two teams just ran into each other. Emi Martínez was kicked in the head but got up and was still booed relentlessly. Havertz was also involved in the decisive moment, producing a lovely, and indeed deeply unfashionable dummy to put Ødegaard in space in front of goal. It wasn’t even really a dummy, Havertz just dribbled his foot away, with no real feint or shoulder dip.
Ødegaard's emphatic finish and what lies ahead
Arsenal’s fans are sometimes frustrated by Ødegaard, feeling he’s not direct enough and always gilding the lily. Maybe this is how you get him to shoot: put him right in front of goal with time to see every option and conclude he really is going to have to do it. The finish was emphatic.
After that the game became snarling and mean for a bit, with Arsenal entering one of their slow periods, taking the air out of it. But this was an excellent win against a very promising Chelsea. The question will be asked: why don’t Arsenal always play like this? The answer is that it’s physically very hard. The real question is whether they can raise it again, store that 30-minute spell away, and keep it ready in their repertoire. If so, and on the evidence here, we really might have an Arsenal upgrade on our hands.
