Paul Merson lets rip after Arsenal beat Chelsea in Carabao Cup semi-final - 'I am lost for words'

Paul Merson has delivered a scathing verdict on Chelsea as the Blues succumbed to a 1-0 defeat on the night and 4-2 on aggregate against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup semi-final

Paul Merson has claimed he is "numb" and "flabbergasted" as he slammed Chelsea's performance during their Carabao Cup semi-final defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.

The Blues travelled to north London looking to overcome a one-goal deficit after losing the first leg 3-2 last month. Although Liam Rosenior's side looked solid at the back and restricted Arsenal to little going forward, they failed to trouble Kepa Arrizabalaga in the Gunners goal.

Indeed, Arrizabalaga made just two saves throughout - and both were routine for the Spaniard. While Chelsea did have 14 shots - nine more than Arsenal - a huge nine of them were from outside the box. They created just one big chance throughout the 90 plus minutes.

And as Chelsea pushed players forward in stoppage-time, Arsenal caught them on the counter-attack to nick a 97th minute winner. Declan Rice squared the ball across to Kai Havertz, who kept his composure before rounding Robert Sanchez and slotting into an empty net. Havertz's strike secured a 1-0 win for the Gunners on the night and a 4-2 success on aggregate.

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Speaking post-match, Merson opted to criticise Chelsea and Rosenior's approach from the get-go. "I am numb, I am flabbergasted," Merson told Sky Sports. "I can't believe what I have just watched. I honestly can't believe what I have just watched.

"Arsenal fans and the players themselves...this is Chelsea Football Club. They have got international football players, a World Cup winner. They have got players all over... this is not a bottom four or five team, they have just come here...they should be crying because they never had a go.

"I am lost for words, I cannot believe what's just happened. They have gone out with an absolute whimper in the semi-final of a big competition. If it worked it was great but if it hasn't worked, you can't gamble like that. Have a go and go out in a blaze of glory. Don't go out like that. I am lost for words."

Rosenior then defended his set-up and tactics in a post-match interview with Sky Sports. "We felt with the game plan and how we wanted the game to go, we had a really good chance of going through," he said.

"It was a difficult game. In terms of the result it wasn't what we wanted but I am seeing clear improvements from four weeks ago when I joined now. But tonight the result didn't go our way."

Defeat at the Emirates is just Rosenior's second since he replaced Enzo Maresca as Chelsea's new head coach last month. The former Hull City and Strasbourg boss has won five of his seven matches in charge, with the only other loss coming against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup semi-final first-leg.

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