Arsene Wenger on 'decisive' tactical switch which saw Arsenal beat Chelsea

James Benge25 January 2018

Arsene Wenger credited his switch to a back three at half-time as the decisive change that swung the EFL Cup semi-final tie with Chelsea in Arsenal’s favour.

Arsenal had rode their luck in reaching half-time of the second leg at 1-1, an Antonio Rudiger own goal cancelling out Eden Hazard’s sixth-minute opener.

The hosts’ defence creaked on more than one occasion, Shkodran Mustafi in particular consistently being dragged out of position by Chelsea’s fluid front three, and Wenger responded at the interval by dropping Mohamed Elneny in alongside the German and Laurent Koscielny.

With the Egyptian enjoying licence to push forward in possession, Arsenal controlled the game and were handed what their manager insisted was a deserved winner when Granit Xhaka poked home on the hour.

In Pictures | Chelsea vs Arsenal | EFL Cup semi-final

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“They made us work for it, in the first half there were psychological and tactical reasons for us not expressing the quality of our game,” Wenger said.

“We rectified that at half time and in the second half we won the ball higher up. We could then get our midfield, who are very talented, into the game and we controlled it. In the second half basically we always looked like we could win this game.

“Yes it was a little bit a deflected goal on the first and the second one was a bit lucky, but I felt that we controlled the game well in the second half.

“Once I changed some things at half time, it worked quite well.”

AFP/Getty Images

Arsenal will face league leaders Manchester City in the final at Wembley on February 25 as Wenger looks to secure the last domestic trophy missing from his collection.

His side will once more find themselves underdogs in a cup final - much as they were against Chelsea last May - but can point to a nine-game winning streak at the national stadium dating back to the 2014 FA Cup semi-final.

But for now Wenger’s focus will return to the Premier League, where the Gunners must overhaul a five-point deficit to fourth-placed Liverpool.

“Once you’re in the final you want to win it of course,” Wenger told Standard Sport. “But the best way to prepare for us is to come back into the top four in the Premier League.

“Before we play the final we have a big job in front of us. That’s what we want to focus on.”

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