Chelsea 0-4 Arsenal: The Blues are HUMILIATED in Orlando after goals from Gabriel Jesus, Odegaard, Saka and Sambi help secure win over rivals ahead of new season.
The joke about the Florida Cup being played in the city of Disneyworld and Mickey Mouse being in Orlando in July is an obvious one.
But let’s be clear: despite the fact that this was just a friendly game, Arsenal already appears to be miles ahead of Chelsea in the battle for the top four spots.
Mikel Arteta could be excused for requesting a glass or two of wine as they fly across the Atlantic on their way home. You might want to push the recline button on Thomas Tuchel’s adjustable bed. Unfortunately, this won’t be a nightmare when he wakes up.
Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus both scored excellent goals in the first half to end what hardly appeared to be a game. Albert Sambi Lokonga’s header and Bukayo Saka’s second-half tap-in made the final score more accurate.
They will understandably be wary of false dawns at the Emirates, but this team appears focused and, if healthy, oozes creativity.
In £45m They seem to have found someone to take advantage of the numerous opportunities they create in Jesus, a player at Manchester City who was notoriously inconsistent.
Oleksandr Zinchenko, a former City teammate of Jesus’s, appeared to have been playing for the Gunners for a long time due to his shrewd interceptions and driving runs on the left. In actuality, he was making his debut.
Tuchel doesn’t seem to have enjoyed Chelsea’s journey, which has seen them travel through numerous time zones and sweltering heat.
He doesn’t seem to have been a big fan of his team’s laborious performances, either. Following their dull loss to Charlotte FC in a penalty shootout, the German ripped into his team, and he was at it again here, gesturing furiously from the bench.
Fitness may have played a significant role, and Arsenal appeared more focused after playing one more game. But as the season approaches its start, Tuchel will need to find solutions. Given the sum of money Chelsea has spent on strikers, it seems outrageous that they still require one.
Nevertheless, here we are. The club’s new American owners, who were present and are innocent in a situation that would be hilarious if it weren’t so serious, have every right to feel underappreciated.
Although it is still very, very early, Raheem Sterling did not make the same impact as Zinchenko during the 45 minutes that they both played on the field, at least for one night.
Except for the lack of aggression and the jeers from the crowd, this game seemed appropriate, and according to the 63,811 spectators, it was. There should not be as much snobbery in the UK when it comes to playing the national sport in the US. This fanbase is largely informed, devoted, and enthusiastic.
The vast majority of attendees had flown in and reserved pricey hotel rooms in order to attend. Fans of both clubs filled the Irish bars in downtown Orlando on Saturday night, and there was not a sign of trouble.
It should not be sneered at if the game is played on a global scale, just like with the NFL games at Wembley. Before the game began, Gunnersaurus joyfully mooned the Chelsea fans as The Liquidator boomed from the speakers and the Camping World Stadium was divided into two rowdy red and blue halves.
Those who rarely have the opportunity to see their team in person, especially those wearing red, will remember the game for a very long time.
Everton and Orlando City had been defeated, and Arsenal emerged the victorious team. Any indication that this might just be a kick-about was quickly dispelled when Sterling collided with Jesus, a former teammate, almost immediately after the kickoff. Possibly late retaliation for the opportunities he passed up while the two were at the Etihad.
Arsenal advanced after a wasted Chelsea corner, with Gabriel Martinelli putting in Saka, who missed Edouard Mendy’s legs.
Mendy had reacted angrily to reports from earlier in the tour that he might be improving his distribution. You might want to fire him if he were your mail carrier. Poor clearances put his team under pressure twice in the span of two minutes, but Trevoh Chalobah’s error proved fatal when he misplaced a pass into Granit Xhaka’s path, who with one touch played in Jesus.
The Brazilian calmly moved toward Mendy before deftly chipping the Frenchman to give the Gunners the lead and make it four goals in four preseason games, displaying a composure rarely seen at City.
Angry, Tuchel jumped off the bench and continued gesticulating to his side during the drink break.
There didn’t seem to be much of a difference. On the 36th minute, Martinelli’s pass found Odegaard, who took one touch, turned, and fired across Mendy, who was standing still, and inside his far post. A kick from Mendy set it off.
Reece James’ evasive cross, which may have highlighted how desperately Chelsea needs a striker, offered some hope, and Mason Mount’s final shot of a lopsided half hit the post.
The second was off to a slow start that had the crowd doing the Mexican wave, but 20 minutes later Arsenal made it three. Mendy stopped shots from Martinelli and Xhaka before Saka, who appeared to be offside, tapped in.
Soon after, Michy Batshuayi, whose spectacular waste of opportunities on this tour, headed wide. The stadium’s suspension of alcohol sales was announced just as supporters of Chelsea may have reached for the bottle.
For them, it was a night like that. When Lokonga headed in Cedric’s precise cross in stoppage time, the situation worsened. Kalidou Koulibaly received his debut for at least £34 million.
Both teams were anticipated to leave for London at roughly the same times. Arsenal is likely to triumph.
