Martin Odegaard And Ezri Konsa Hail Arsenal’s Character After Comeback Victory Against Chelsea

Arsenal secured a sixth consecutive home win over Chelsea with a 2-1 comeback victory at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Chelsea drew first blood inside just two minutes when Morgan Rogers gave the visitors a shock early lead.

Despite the setback, Arsenal quickly regained their composure and began to impose themselves on the game in their characteristic fashion.

Kai Havertz pulled the Gunners level in the 25th minute, scoring against his former club to restore parity before half-time.

Martin Odegaard then completed the turnaround five minutes into the second half, finishing in the 50th minute to hand Arsenal all three points.

The underlying statistics painted an even more commanding picture than the final scoreline suggested, with Arsenal creating all four of the game’s big chances.

Arsenal dominated possession with 55 per cent, registered 16 shots to Chelsea’s 13, and finished with 2.11 expected goals compared to Chelsea’s 0.35.

Chelsea’s goalkeeper was called into action eight times, while Arsenal’s David Raya was required to make just four saves throughout the entire match.

Ezri Konsa, making his home debut for the club, expressed his delight at both the crowd’s reception and the team’s fighting performance after the match.

Speaking to Sky Sports, Konsa said: “I felt at home since the first moment I joined, the boys have been top, the staff have been top. Buzzing to make my debut at home and three points is the most important.”

Konsa also reflected on Arsenal’s swift response to conceding such an early goal, showing the mentality running through the squad.

“It’s part of football, it’s all about how you react. Over here I know we are big on clean sheets but we reacted fantastically,” the defender added.

Konsa was also involved in a physical challenge on his former team-mate Rogers that brought a strong reaction from the home supporters.

“It got the crowd going,” Konsa said. “If you get it wrong it is bad but if you get it right it’s always a good feeling. On another day I think we score three or four.”

Odegaard was equally satisfied with his side’s ability to bounce back, describing the performance as a reflection of Arsenal’s mental strength this season.

“It was a big game, massive game, tough opponent and we got there in the end so brilliant,” the Arsenal captain told reporters after the final whistle.

“Our mentality is to keep fighting. We have shown that many times. We never want to concede early but the reaction is top. We got our reward in the end and the response was brilliant. We showed our quality with and without the ball and the result reflects that,” he continued.

Odegaard also reserved praise for Havertz, highlighting the striker’s intelligence and movement as a key factor in Arsenal’s attacking play.

“He’s a really smart player, he moves so well and takes a lot of attention from the defenders and it was a brilliant goal,” Odegaard said of his team-mate.

Former Arsenal defender Matthew Upson acknowledged Chelsea’s efforts while insisting Arsenal’s quality ultimately proved decisive, telling BBC Sport: “The machine that Arsenal is right now is pretty formidable. They are hitting targets that means they are the best. They added a sparkle, energy and freedom.”

Pundit Chris Sutton was even more emphatic, stating: “I can’t see anyone stopping Arsenal. They’re such a powerhouse. Chelsea are a good team, but Arsenal always find a way to win.”

The post Martin Odegaard And Ezri Konsa Hail Arsenal’s Character After Comeback Victory Against Chelsea appeared first on Gooner Daily.