The Chelsea team bus slowly made its way toward the Emirates Stadium.
As two London clubs, Arsenal and Chelsea were separated by only a short distance, meaning there was no need for a long journey. However, playing at the Emirates was never an easy task, especially against an Arsenal side that had made the stadium into a fortress.
And Chelsea's current situation made the challenge even greater. Antonio Conte sat at the front of the bus, completely focused on the documents in his hands.
A thick stack of tactical notes rested on his lap.
Since the previous day, he had been analyzing Arsenal repeatedly. This match was more than just another league fixture. Chelsea needed a victory. They needed confidence. They needed a turning point after their disappointing start to the season.
But was Arsenal really an opponent they could easily overcome?
The media had been constantly discussing Arsenal's decline, claiming that the Champions League winners had lost their edge.
Conte did not believe a word of it.
If Arsenal were truly struggling, then how did anyone explain what had happened at the Emirates?
Liverpool under Klopp had been destroyed there.
Manchester City's winning streak had also ended at Arsenal's hands.
A team capable of those performances could never be underestimated.
"Arsenal's recent form has been inconsistent," the assistant coach said casually. "Maybe we can take advantage of that and get an easy win."
Conte slowly turned his head and glanced at him.
He said nothing.
After a few seconds, he looked back down at his documents.
Foolish.
Conte criticized him silently.
What was Arsenal's current position?
And what was Chelsea's?
How could anyone look at the situation and confidently claim this would be an easy victory?
From every perspective, Arsenal were the stronger side, especially compared to Chelsea's current condition. Conte had wanted to replace this assistant for some time, but the club had refused.
In his opinion, this excessive tolerance was exactly why problems within Chelsea's coaching staff had continued to grow.
At that moment, a wave of cheers suddenly came from outside the bus.
The noise grew louder and louder.
By the time the Chelsea bus arrived at the Emirates entrance, it was surrounded by the voices of Arsenal supporters. Since lifting the Champions League trophy the previous season, Arsenal's popularity had reached another level.
Ticket demand had become almost impossible to satisfy. Even with already high prices, supporters rushed to secure seats.
The fans firmly believed that despite the team's recent struggles, Arsenal would eventually find its way back.
The Chelsea players stepped off the bus quietly and entered the stadium. On the other side, the Arsenal squad also arrived through their own entrance.
After a short warm-up session, both teams gathered in the players' tunnel.
Kai looked across the line of Chelsea players.
Most of them were familiar faces.
John Terry was no longer the undisputed starter due to his age, but aside from him, many of Chelsea's key players from last season remained.
The player who caught Kai's attention the most was Eden Hazard.
He was Chelsea's most reliable attacking outlet and their biggest threat.
Compared with the previous season, Hazard looked stronger physically. His build had become more powerful, and his lower body strength was noticeably improved.
The Belgian had been Chelsea's standout performer this season.
Conte had also shaped the team's attacking system around him.
Behind Hazard, Fabregas, and Matic controlled the midfield. However, Kai could tell that Fabregas was no longer the same player who once dominated matches at Arsenal.
The sharpness and creativity he possessed during his peak years had faded.
This Chelsea side was already entering a rebuilding phase.
Kai turned his attention back toward Arsenal.
The squad's age balance was still reasonable, but there were not enough players who could be considered true difference makers.
Kanté was still developing and clearly had a bright future ahead of him.
But apart from him, many of the current players were not yet at the level required to consistently compete for the Champions League.
Of course, football was not only about individual ability.
A team could improve through chemistry, tactical discipline, and collective effort.
The question was whether Arsenal had enough time to build that cohesion.
Or whether the pressure of competing at the highest level would arrive before they were ready.
. . .
"Both teams have entered the pitch," the Sky Sports commentator said.
"Arsenal and Chelsea are two Champions League representatives, with Chelsea having competed among Europe's elite and Arsenal coming into this season as the reigning Champions League winners. However, both teams have experienced significant changes and challenges this season."
"Compared with Arsenal, Chelsea managed to keep most of their Champions League squad intact, but maintaining the players' previous level of performance has been a difficult task."
"Arsenal, meanwhile, lost several important figures from last season's title-winning team, including Ángel Di María on the right wing and goalkeeper Keylor Navas. More importantly, both clubs have experienced changes in the coaching department."
"Chelsea made their coaching change proactively, meaning they had time to prepare mentally. Arsenal's situation was different. Wenger's health problems forced changes at the club, and that instability has contributed to their inconsistent performances."
Another Sky Sports analyst continued:
"Looking at the league table, Chelsea have clearly struggled more than expected. Arsenal have also shown signs of inconsistency, but their performances against top teams prove they remain a dangerous opponent."
"The Emirates Stadium is a difficult place to visit. Chelsea will need to remain disciplined from the first minute."
The referee stepped away from the center circle.
The atmosphere inside the Emirates reached its peak.
The match was about to begin.
Arsenal (4-3-3)
Goalkeeper: Čech
Defenders: Chambers, Mustafi, Koscielny, Gibbs
Midfielders: Kanté, Kai(C), Mathieu Flamini
Forwards: Aubameyang, Suárez, Wilshere
Chelsea (4-2-3-1)
Goalkeeper: Begović
Defenders: Ivanović(C), Zouma, Cahill, Azpilicueta
Def.Midfielders: Fàbregas, Matic
Att. Midfielders: Pedro, Oscar, Hazard
Forward: Costa
The referee's whistle cut through the noise of the Emirates Stadium.
Suárez immediately tapped the ball backward and sprinted forward.
After receiving the return pass, Kai did not hesitate. He turned and prepared to recycle possession, but before he could fully release the ball, he felt a strong shove from behind.
Despite the pressure, he maintained his balance and managed to send the pass away.
However, when Kai touched the ball for the second time, the situation became even clearer.
Chelsea's plan was obvious.
Oscar stuck to him like glue, refusing to give him any space to turn.
Even Diego Costa dropped deep, joining the midfield pressure and helping surround him.
For a moment, Kai found himself completely trapped.
The passing lanes disappeared.
Every option was blocked.
Before Hazard could arrive and complete the press, Kai gritted his teeth and lifted the ball over the crowd of players, using a difficult chip pass to escape the pressure.
The ball found Kanté.
Seeing the situation, Kanté immediately understood what Chelsea was trying to do.
He did not return the ball to Kai.
Instead, he quickly moved it toward Aubameyang on the wing.
Kai watched as Arsenal pushed forward.
He followed the attack but felt increasingly frustrated.
Anyone who was deliberately targeted by an opponent's tactical plan would feel the same frustration.
But while Kai was irritated, Oscar was enjoying every second. Seeing the annoyance on Kai's face gave him a strange sense of satisfaction. The nightmare that had haunted him for years was finally being contained.
Oscar had been one of the players happiest about Mourinho's departure.
Of course, he never dared to say it publicly.
Under Mourinho, he had constantly been compared with Kai. Every training session, every match, every discussion about midfielders seemed to include the same question.
Why couldn't Oscar influence games the way Kai did?
That pressure had followed him for a long time.
Now, Mourinho was gone.
The new manager trusted him, gave him responsibility, and placed him in an important role.
For Oscar, it was the perfect opportunity to prove himself.
That was why he had entered the season with tremendous motivation.
. . .
The opening stages quickly became a physical battle.
Both teams pressed aggressively and used numbers to surround the opponent whenever they lost possession.
With both Arsenal and Chelsea relying heavily on pressing, collisions were unavoidable.
The atmosphere became increasingly tense.
Ivanović had just sent Aubameyang crashing to the ground with a strong challenge. Less than a minute later, Wilshere chased back desperately and brought down Hazard, catching both the player and the ball.
The referee had no hesitation.
Yellow cards were shown to both players.
Neither side wanted to give an inch.
The match became a contest of aggression and determination.
However, the threat of further punishment eventually forced both teams to calm down slightly.
With Kai being heavily restricted, Arsenal's attacking responsibility shifted toward Aubameyang and Wilshere.
Kai remained the central organizer, attempting to control the rhythm from deeper positions, but even that role was becoming difficult.
Whenever he received the ball, Chelsea players immediately swarmed him.
One challenge after another.
One body after another.
They were not giving him even a moment to breathe.
He was getting the Messi treatment.
At one point, after another aggressive collision with Oscar, Kai's temper nearly exploded.
His hand instinctively reached toward Oscar's chest, but the moment he noticed the referee watching closely, he stopped himself.
This was a football match, not a street fight.
Still, the frustration remained.
Because the reality was obvious.
Arsenal were struggling.
Conte had studied the methods used by other teams and found the simplest way to disrupt Arsenal.
Stop Kai.
As Arsenal's midfield hub, Kai was responsible for connecting defense and attack.
If he were unable to control the game, Wilshere and Aubameyang would naturally lose a significant amount of their threat, and that was exactly what was happening.
Once Kai was neutralized, Arsenal's attacking rhythm became slow and predictable. On the sidelines, Pat Rice and the coaching staff looked increasingly concerned.
They had already tried several adjustments.
Changing positions.
Increasing movement.
Creating more passing options.
But none of them solved the fundamental problem.
After Cazorla's injury, Kai no longer had a player ahead of him who could act as a reliable attacking outlet.
Cazorla's ability to receive under pressure, turn, and break defensive lines had been unique.
Kai himself was an elite midfielder, but he was not the type of player who could consistently dribble past multiple opponents and solve defensive blocks alone.
Whether Cazorla returned or Kai developed a new level of individual attacking ability, neither could happen overnight.
And now, Arsenal's weakness had been fully exposed.
For the first time, opponents around the league had a clear blueprint.
To defeat Arsenal, teams have to figuratively and literally kick Kai out of the game.
. . .
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