'You should have signed for a big club' - Arsenal fans taunt Morgan Rogers during Chelsea defeat
Arsenal fans mock Rogers
Rogers gave Chelsea a dream start at Emirates Stadium on Sunday by scoring just 77 seconds into the match, but Arsenal ultimately secured a 2-1 victory. According to the Daily Mirror, Arsenal fans ruthlessly mocked Rogers as he was substituted late in the second half.
The home supporters chanted "You should have signed for a big club" at Rogers, referencing his decision to reject Arsenal in favour of Chelsea during the recent transfer window. Arsenal had initially planned to sign Rogers from Aston Villa, but the club refused to enter a bidding war when Chelsea submitted a massive offer.
Record transfer and Rice clash
Chelsea secured Rogers for a staggering £117 million, making him the most expensive British player in history. While Rogers has enjoyed a strong start to the season with two goals in his first few matches, the game on Sunday ended in frustration for him and his team. The tension boiled over in the second half when Rogers clashed with Declan Rice.
Rice appeared to trip Rogers off the ball, leading to a heated confrontation between the two players, resulting in a yellow card for Rogers. The defeat marked the first loss for Chelsea under manager Xabi Alonso.
Arsenal miss attacking targets
Arsenal opted against matching the £117m fee for Rogers, leaving them without a marquee attacking addition this summer. Mikel Arteta had targeted high-profile players to bolster the attack, but several moves failed to materialise. Arsenal were heavily linked with Vinicius Jnr before he signed a new contract with Real Madrid, as well as Julian Alvarez, who wanted to leave Atletico Madrid but could not secure a transfer to London.
Despite missing out on these major targets, Arsenal have maintained a flawless start to the new campaign, joining just one other team in taking nine points from their opening three fixtures.
Looking ahead to next fixtures
The victory moves Arsenal level on nine points with Manchester City at the top of the table. Arteta now turns his attention to the UEFA Champions League, with Arsenal travelling to face Napoli on Wednesday before a domestic trip to face Sunderland on Saturday. Meanwhile, Chelsea remain on six points and will look to bounce back when they host Hull City at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, giving Alonso a chance to address their defensive and disciplinary vulnerabilities.
