Former Chelsea Captain Questions Arsenal's Reaction to Cup Victory
John Terry, the legendary former Chelsea and England captain, has launched a stinging critique of Arsenal's celebrations following their Carabao Cup semi-final triumph over Chelsea. The ex-defender accused Mikel Arteta's squad of "celebrating far too much" and suggested their reaction demonstrated they were "showing the pressure" that comes with being Premier League title contenders this season.
Arsenal's Hard-Fought Path to Wembley
Arsenal secured their place in this year's Carabao Cup final with a dramatic 4-2 aggregate victory over London rivals Chelsea. Holding a 3-2 advantage from the first leg at Stamford Bridge, the Gunners faced a tense second leg at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night. Chelsea manager Liam Rosenior set up his side with a defensive back-five formation that successfully limited Arsenal's attacking opportunities for much of what proved to be a cagey, tactical encounter in north London.
The breakthrough finally came deep into stoppage time when Mikel Arteta's tactical intervention paid dividends. The Arsenal manager made a crucial double substitution with just twenty minutes remaining, introducing former Chelsea forward Kai Havertz. The German international delivered the decisive moment, scoring late to send the home supporters into rapturous celebrations and confirming Arsenal's progression to Wembley.
Terry's Analysis of Chelsea's Performance
In a detailed video posted to his TikTok account, Terry reflected on his former club's disappointing exit from the competition. The five-time Premier League winner expressed frustration with Chelsea's approach, particularly their timing in attempting to overturn the first-leg deficit.
"I think against Arsenal, this year the two games I've seen, we've outplayed Arsenal," Terry claimed. "So going into those games, I've never feared Arsenal anyway, in the league or in any competition. I think the pressure was on Arsenal in the week and I think we made it very easy for them at home as well, so disappointed with that. I think we left it far too late."
The former centre-back emphasised that Chelsea should have approached the semi-final with more confidence, given their historical success in the Carabao Cup and what he perceived as a psychological advantage over their London rivals.
The Celebration Controversy
Terry reserved his strongest criticism for Arsenal's post-match celebrations, which he deemed disproportionate for what he described as a secondary competition. "I just want to talk on Arsenal's celebrations after... let's not forget, it's the Carabao Cup, it's not the Champions League final," he stated pointedly.
"They celebrated far too much for me, I think that showed the pressure that's on them at the moment. They can feel the nerves and I know every Arsenal fan out there is feeling what I'm feeling, that there's still a chance."
Despite his criticism of their celebrations, Terry acknowledged Arsenal's current strength, describing them as "the best team by far in the Premier League so far" and suggesting they possess "the best squad in the Premier League so far" with considerable depth.
Title Race Implications
The former England international believes the Premier League title race remains open despite Arsenal's six-point advantage at the summit. Terry pointed to Manchester City and Liverpool as serious contenders who have yet to hit their peak form this campaign.
"Manchester City have not got going yet, Liverpool have not got going, and those two teams face each other this weekend," he noted, highlighting the potential for significant shifts in the title race.
Arsenal now face Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final, seeking their first major trophy since Mikel Arteta guided them to FA Cup success in his debut managerial season back in 2020. Meanwhile, Chelsea must regroup quickly as they prepare for a challenging Premier League fixture against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux.
The Gunners' immediate focus returns to league matters, where they host eighth-placed Sunderland at the Emirates Stadium. However, Arteta faces potential selection headaches with concerns over the fitness of key players Bukayo Saka and captain Martin Ødegaard, both nursing minor injuries ahead of the weekend fixture.
