Arsenal Moves Closer to Overcoming Semi-Final Hurdles, Yet Regrets Linger

Arsenal’s history in semi-finals during Mikel Arteta’s tenure has been less than impressive. Following a streak of four consecutive two-legged semi-final defeats without a single win, the Gunners secured a 3-2 victory against Chelsea in the Carabao Cup. This triumph propels them to the brink of their first significant final since their FA Cup success in 2020.

Despite their previous struggles in semi-finals, where they managed to score just two goals across four matches, Arsenal emerges as the clear favorite to finally break this pattern when they host the second leg at Emirates Stadium on February 3. Arteta’s team has showcased remarkable form this season, sitting at the top of both the Premier League and Champions League standings while also advancing to the fourth round of the FA Cup.

In their 32nd match of the season, Arsenal has suffered only two defeats, both away from home against Liverpool and Aston Villa in the league. Nevertheless, Arteta and his squad feel that their winning margin could have been wider before heading into the return leg, as they aim for an opportunity to claim a trophy in the EFL Cup final scheduled for March 22.

“First of all, I must commend the players for their performance against a very strong opponent,” stated Arteta. “After leading 3-1 and dominating certain stretches of the game, we felt we had two significant chances to extend our lead, which could have altered the final outcome. However, they managed to score from a corner, making it a competitive match. While the feeling isn’t entirely satisfying, we must also appreciate the team’s achievements once again.”

Viktor Gyokeres, the striker who recently joined Arsenal for £64 million from Sporting, has faced challenges in his early days with the club. Having failed to score since netting a penalty against Everton last month, his goal against Chelsea marked his first from open play since November. The 27-year-old had appeared to struggle with his confidence lately, but his performance in this match was reminiscent of the prolific player who scored 97 goals in 102 appearances for Sporting.

In addition to his goal, Gyokeres assisted Martin Zubimendi, who netted Arsenal’s third goal, ensuring that they enter the second leg with a lead. “This is what I need to do, and I aim to do it more frequently. Winning today keeps our momentum going,” Gyokeres remarked. “While it’s only the first leg, it’s encouraging to leave with a win and an advantage, but we must deliver another strong performance in the second match. It was a challenging encounter; we defended well, although they remained dangerous on counter-attacks. While it’s unfortunate to concede twice, scoring three goals has me pleased.”

At one point when Arsenal led 2-0, it seemed they could score at will. However, Chelsea’s Alejandro Garnacho managed to pull one back, narrowing the score to 2-1 for the visitors. Zubimendi’s exceptional finish allowed Arsenal to regain a two-goal cushion, yet Garnacho struck again, closing the gap once more. Taking a two-goal advantage into the Emirates, where Arsenal has remained unbeaten this season, would have placed them in a robust position, but Chelsea still poses a threat in this tie.

“We didn’t perform as well in the second half and allowed them to apply more pressure on us,” reflected Ben White, one of the goal scorers. “This contributed to our conceded goals, which fell short of our usual standards. It’s somewhat disappointing how the second half unfolded, but we secured the win.”

Despite the nature of the tie and Arteta’s evident frustration with the latter stages of the match, the manager is now directing his focus toward their upcoming Premier League clash against Nottingham Forest on Saturday at 17:30 GMT. “In about 20 minutes, I will start strategizing for Forest and ensure everyone recovers from this match,” Arteta noted. “That’s our routine. I am very satisfied with tonight’s performance. Now, it’s time to move on and concentrate on the next challenge.”