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This wasn’t just a first title in four years.
This wasn’t just a long-awaited derby win against the team they aim to dethrone from the local throne.
It was Arsenal’s most important win in a very, very long period.
When Guru Ritten headed home Sam Kerr in the penalty area less than two minutes later, you still had the initial feeling that this could only go one way.
After all, Chelsea have been the most prosperous in domestic cup finals in recent years, and last year’s cup loss to Manchester City was the exception.
After all, it was Arsenal who had such a difficult time with Chelsea.
Ever since former Rosengard boss Jonas Edvall took over as Arsenal manager in the summer of 2021, ‘Arsenal’ have after all moved closer to their blue-clad London opponents. Although Arsenal, after beating them in their WSL debut, went unbeaten in five consecutive attempts heading into Sunday.
However, this season they are far from anything called a league title contender – which isn’t really surprising when you have two of the best strikers in the world out injured long-term.
After all, there is no team that would not suffer the loss of Viviane Miedema and Beth Mead. In other words, an ungrateful attitude towards a certain Swedish national team star.
Blackstenius in the right place
Stina Blackstenius was signed a year ago to serve as a world class complement to the already existing world class forwards. With the perfect environment to quietly fit in the Arsenal and WSL league set up with all that it entails. When Miedema and Mead broke up, the honeymoon was pretty much over for the star from Vadstena.
And no, she didn’t step forward and become the match-winner and attacking leader Arsenal needed in the absence of others. She has not succeeded in the impossible task of replacing two of the best strikers in the world on her own.
But when the equalizer came at busy, sultry Selhurst Park – she was in the right place at just the right time.
It finished 1-1 by clinical. The replica was lightning fast, with a run of just over a quarter of an hour. the goal? Not only vital for Arsenal but also certainly for Stina Plakstenius who is remarkably thrilled in the long term.
But this, crackling in all, final was much more than just a star Swedish striker.
Hayes is clearly set
When Kim Little, the captain and captain of the team, calmly scored on a 2-1 turnaround from the penalty spot with almost half an hour to play, it made perfect sense. After all, Arsenal responded to this cold shower from Kerr in dramatic, dominant fashion. Chelsea was a losing team. If Arsenal find it very difficult to actually capitalize on the chances they have created against Chelsea in the past (among other things in losing the FA Cup just a week ago), then it is rather that Arsenal were about to crush a pre-favourite. .
It was clear that Emma Hayes was fully prepared in any case – when she already replaced Jelena Kankovic at half time for tactical reasons and changed the entire match plan. For the simple reason that she was so badly forced into it.
It definitely gave some gaming security. But still, it was 3-1 and not the equalizer, which was set up by Niamh Charles himself, who slotted home just before half-time.
In later derby races, the blue margins would often suddenly become a bright red.
It seemed that only then did Jonas Edvall also understand where this was going. Because the 3-1 cheers undoubtedly ousted the 2-1.
Beat all kinds of things
The second half did not give the Swedish coach a reason to reassess his expression of joy. Sam Kerr showed no more than that lightning start two minutes later. For some unclear reason, his penalty miss for the great Caitlin Forward after just over an hour became irrelevant in context.
When the final whistle sounded, it was 3-1 on the board.
There are certainly things to ask about at Chelsea who have now lost two consecutive League Cup finals. But here is a team to celebrate, not one to be put off.
As for Arsenal, they have taken advantage of their last remaining chance at the domestic championship – and that without two of their biggest stars. They beat Chelsea and with it all sorts of ghosts and mental blocks. This in a high-octane final show that deserved a bigger, sold-out arena (time to move the League Cup Final to Wembley, FA too?).
It was not only the sixth League Cup in the club’s history, its first in four years and Jonas Edvall’s first with Arsenal.
This was their most significant victory in a very, very big time.
