On the evening of 3/2 at Emirates Stadium, Chelsea suffered a 0-1 defeat to Arsenal, resulting in a 2-4 aggregate loss and missing out on the Wembley final. Despite the outcome, "The Blues" left a notable mark with their rare approach to defending against corner kicks.

Aware of Arsenal's particular danger from set-pieces, especially after conceding a goal from a corner in the first leg, Chelsea's coaching staff opted for a high-risk strategy.

Chelsea positioned three players in midfield when Arsenal took a corner kick during the League Cup semifinal second leg at Emirates Stadium, London, England on 3/2/2026. Photo: The Sun

In one instance, as Arsenal prepared to take a corner, three blue-shirted players – Liam Delap, Malo Gusto, and Wesley Fofana – unexpectedly pushed forward, standing near the center circle to await a counter-attack, just as an Arsenal player was about to deliver the ball into the box. This decision bewildered the home team's players, forcing them to track back, thereby reducing the density of players in the penalty area.

Commenting live on television, former Manchester United defender Gary Neville exclaimed, "Oh, that's quite a clever trick," adding that Chelsea was experimenting with a very unusual corner kick defense.

Former midfielder Jamie Redknapp evaluated that this method partially limited Arsenal's ability to create chaos in the penalty area, though he also pointed out the significant risk of leaving space for players with strong aerial abilities like Gabriel.

"This approach worked to some extent because Arsenal always wants to crowd the penalty area from corner kicks," Redknapp stated.

Former Arsenal striker Ian Wright, commenting on ITV, also expressed surprise: "Fofana and Delap just ran off. I'm surprised more teams haven't tried this sooner."

How Chelsea defended against Arsenal's corner kicks.

In fact, Monaco and Crystal Palace have previously positioned players high up the pitch when Arsenal took corner kicks. However, no team had implemented this tactic so late and aggressively, forcing Arsenal players to retreat deep into their own half just before the ball was delivered.

Chelsea's approach appeared to align with the view expressed by former goalkeeper Shay Given on the "Match of the Day" program. After witnessing Arsenal score two goals from corner kicks in their 4-0 victory over Leeds in the 24th round of the Premier League, Given suggested that opponents needed to try something different to counter them.

"I wish a team would try something different," the former Ireland goalkeeper analyzed. "Every week, Arsenal uses the same setup, crowding players at the back and causing chaos. If an opponent places three players high, Arsenal is forced to keep at least three, perhaps four, players back. This creates more space in the penalty area for defenders and the goalkeeper."

Since the start of the previous season, Arsenal has scored 53 goals from set-pieces across all competitions, more than any other Premier League club. However, against Chelsea yesterday, Arteta's squad was awarded only two corner kicks and failed to convert either.

Hong Duy (according to The Sun, BBC)