Arsenal show championship potential in dominant Chelsea win, says Arteta

Arsenal fell behind inside 2 minutes when Morgan Rogers scored for Chelsea, but Kai Havertz and captain Martin Odegaard turned the match around to make it 3 wins from 3 in the Premier League.

After a comfortable opening win over promoted Coventry City and a narrow 1-0 victory against Aston Villa, this was Arsenal’s most convincing performance of the new campaign.

They did not just beat Chelsea. They took control of the game after a difficult opening and left the visitors struggling to cope with their intensity, movement and quality in attack.

“I think it was an outstanding performance,” Arteta told reporters. “I enjoyed every minute from start to finish, and the start of the game was quite difficult.”

“I loved it because the team reacted in a spectacular way. The belief, the determination, the quality that I want them to maintain all the time, it was brilliant.”

Arteta believes that response offered a clear sign of what this Arsenal side can become.

“This is a sign that we have the capacity to perform at a higher level than last season, and it depends on how we maintain and develop that ambition.”

Arsenal did not make a major attacking signing during a relatively quiet transfer window. The club have also had to manage changes in the forward line, with Brazilian pair Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli no longer available and Leandro Trossard having departed.

Yet the attack looked dangerous against Chelsea.

Havertz, Odegaard and Bukayo Saka all looked sharp, while new arrival Christos Tzolis continued to provide encouraging moments from wide areas. Arsenal may not have added the elite forward Arteta wanted in the summer, but their existing attackers showed they still have enough quality to hurt top opponents.

Odegaard’s performance was especially encouraging.

The Norway international endured an injury-disrupted campaign last season, but he looked much closer to his best against Chelsea, scoring the winner and linking sharply with Havertz and Saka.

“Odegaard needs to prove himself after missing too many games last season,” Arteta said. “When that happens, Kai as well, Bukayo as well, we missed a lot of attacking players last season for long periods.”

“I do not know how many times those 2 have played together over the past year, but probably not many. When you start to feel the connection between them and what they can create, it is great.”

Arsenal and Manchester City are now the only teams with perfect Premier League records, while Chelsea’s promising start under Xabi Alonso has met its first real setback.

Chelsea have conceded 7 goals in 3 matches. Their attack remains dangerous, but Alonso knows defensive improvement is now essential.

“We want to start keeping clean sheets, and that will come,” Alonso said. “The players are committed to giving everything, knowing we are on the path to compete in every match.”

“I am not happy not to get anything from the result, but we need to stay calm and keep going.”